Balance Archive

Research we're watching

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Dog is a woman's best … workout buddy? Maybe, says a study published online June 9 by BMC Public Health, which found that having a dog appeared to increase physical activity in older adults.

Researchers asked 43 pairs of dog owners and non-owners to wear an activity monitor for a week to track their physical movements. Subjects wore the device three times over the course of one year. They also kept an activity log that included information about themselves and their dog, as well as their daily schedule. As it turns out, the dog owners spent more time walking than those without a dog, and they also took about 2,670 more steps each day. So, if you've been thinking about getting a dog this might give you one more reason to consider a furry friend.

On call

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Q. I was an active runner before my hip replacement. Is it okay to return to jogging several times a week?

A. Hip replacements help relieve pain and improve function for people with worn-out hip joints. However, replacement joints also can wear out over time and require what's called a revision surgery. Therefore, activities that may increase stress or wear on the joint are often discouraged.

A canine companion may help older people stay active — and provide other heartfelt benefits.

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If you're among the many millions of dog owners in the United States, you're probably more active than most people without a canine companion at home. But that's just one of the potentially heart-protecting benefits dog owners enjoy, says Dr. Elizabeth Frates, director of wellness programming at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

"A dog provides love, companionship, and a sense of purpose that propels you to get outside walking every day," says Dr. Frates. Daily exercise is probably the most tangible benefit of dog ownership, she notes. And a new study suggests that the added activity counts toward recommended physical activity goals.

A study of over 60,000 people who were followed for as long as two decades found that people’s perceptions about their level of activity have a more significant effect on their longevity than their actual fitness.

Ask the doctors

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Q. I suffer from vertigo and have heard that taking a magnesium supplement might help. Is that true? If so, how much should I take?

A. Vertigo can be caused by almost anything that interferes with the normal function of the inner ear, which is instrumental in preserving balance. The most common form of vertigo — benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) — results when tiny calcium carbonate crystals migrate from one part of the inner ear to the semicircular canal in another part of the ear, triggering a false message to the brain about the direction in which the head is moving and the speed of its motion. Dizziness is a result of the brain's attempt to resolve the conflicting messages from the ear and the other senses.

Physical therapy may be an effective alternative to surgery in relieving joint and back pain.

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Exercising may be the last thing you want to do when you have a sore knee or aching back, but it might be the first thing you should do. Physical therapy has long been recommended following surgery. But for some, trying physical therapy before opting for surgery may be the better choice.

"You may be able to spare yourself the expense, pain, and recovery time of surgery," says physical therapist Karen Weber, clinical supervisor at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient Centers in Braintree and Quincy, Mass.

Research we're watching

While obesity presents a number of health risks for older adults, weight loss is often accompanied by a reduction in muscle tissue and loss of strength. A team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine set out to determine whether more exercise or specific types of exercise would help preserve muscle during weight loss.

The researchers randomly assigned 103 obese women and 57 obese men over age 65 to one of four groups. Three groups participated in a reduced-calorie diet plus one of three exercise programs — aerobic training, resistance training, or combined aerobic and resistance training — while the fourth, a control group, only received information on healthful eating.

Are you exercising enough to prevent heart disease?

It can help you lose weight; decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar; and reduce your stress. But wait, there's more: it also lowers your odds of a heart attack or other cardiovascular event and may even extend your life.

This wonder drug isn't a drug at all, of course — it's exercise. Yet only about half of all American adults do enough physical activity to benefit their health. And exercise is especially vital for people who are at risk for heart disease or already have it.

Research we're watching

About 8.5 million Americans have peripheral artery disease, or PAD, in which fatty plaque clogs arteries outside of the heart, most commonly in the legs. The hallmark symptom is calf or thigh pain while walking that goes away when you rest.

The safest, most effective treatment for PAD is supervised exercise training, in which you're monitored while walking on a treadmill. Few people participate, however, partly because of the expense of the regimen. It involves up to 36 sessions of 30 to 60 minutes each over a period of three months.