Show #499 Airing Sunday, 11/9/09
60, 70, 80 - So you think it’s a number that reveals your age? Our guest is here to bend those age-old measures. He says that to measure how young or old you are, it’s as simple as this — stiff is old, flexible is young! And the young Dr. Noel Abood will flex his medical muscles to tell us why. Dr. Abood is with the Solon Spine and Wellness Center.
Question: Isn't it natural to become a little stiff as we age?
Answer: Not really. You can think of it this way - a branch on a tree, no matter how long it’s been there, can still bend and give — as long as it’s had enough water and hasn’t been prevented from moving by tying it back.
The same goes for us — if we keep ourselves hydrated and keep ourselves moving, we should remain flexible pretty much all our lives.
Question: Even into our 70s or 80s?
Answer: Yes! I know several folks in that age group who remain very active and flexible.
What we all have to remember is our bodies are designed to move — and we have to “move it or lose it.”
You can think of our bodies like a racecar — it’s meant to move! Not to sit in the driveway.
And moving keeps all of the parts well oiled and in good condition.
Question: What kind of movement are we talking about?
Answer: It needs to involve all parts of the body.
Walking is a good exercise, but it’s not really engaging the arms and shoulders enough.
Swimming or exercising in water is a great way to get started.
There’s no gravity.
You’ll get a good range of motion, and you can get your entire body moving with very little stress on it.
Stretching in general is important and things like yoga can really help with that.
And we need to make movement part of our lifestyle and incorporate it into our daily routine five days a week.
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Question: And if we stop moving or exercising? What happens to our bodies?
Answer: The muscles shrink and the body becomes more susceptible to degeneration.
But if you gently force your body to move, you’re letting blood flow more into the area that may be experiencing degeneration and it can actually help with healing.
That is what happens with lumbar decompression, which we generally use for patients with degenerative disc problems, but it can also be used proactively to start that stretching in the spine.
Question: Can you explain a little more about that technique — lumbar decompression?
Answer: Sure. Basically, patients like down on a table and are connected to a machine.
The machine gently pulls the spine and releases it, allowing for blood and nutrients to flow into that area.
This enables new healthy tissue to grow.
And these same benefits can be found if you keep moving and stretching yourself so degeneration doesn’t occur in the first place.
Dr. Abood’s advice to keep moving was…moving! So be flexible in your thinking and move exercise up to the top of your “to do” list! For more information, flex your fingers and give Dr. Abood’s office a call. His number’s next.
