"Health Beat"

Elephant working her proprioceptors.

Proprio–what?

Say it with me now.  Pro Pree Oh Sep Shun.

Proprioception is a concept that will help you prevent sprained ankles, twisted knees, and strained backs.  Whether you’re an athlete, working on your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight, or just walking the dog, proprioception is important to all of us trying to balance our way through the day.

Proprioceptors are the sensors in muscles that assist in balance, and inform your brain about body position and movement.  When your proprioceptors are working right, you can maneuver through a grassy field without loss of balance.  You can transfer from your sofa to your wheelchair.  You can sit up in bed and turn on the light.  Trouble is, balance is one of those things that if you don’t use it, you lose it.  But can you get it back?

Proprioception training is an important part of sports injury rehabilitation, but it’s not just for athletes.  It’s not even just for gym warriors.  If you lift weights, do farm work, or simply wish to challenge your body, you can train your proprioceptors to function at a higher level.  When you train your proprioceptors, you increase their ability to detect movement changes and so prevent spills, falls, or other accidents.

How to train your proprioceptors?   Yoga is a good starting

Rectangular Yoga Bolster from Bean Products

point.  Beginning yoga helps to build general

awareness of your body, its location, its alignment.  Simple weightlifting, whether in a standing or seated position is valuable as well–even if it’s only a 5-pound weight.  You can work with a partner as well, who can help with lifting and lowering–or even catching–a medicine ball.

If you’re looking for something slightly more high tech and more challenging, you might try a balance board.  It’s true that balance boards are used by skateboarders, surfers, snowboarders, and other athletes–but physical therapists use them in treatment of sports injuries, for stimulation of neural networks, and for child development.  People also use ‘em because they’re fun.

The Chango R4 Model Balance Board

So while cardiovascular fitness and bone density are very important factors in one’s health, please don’t ignore good old balance.  It’s something so many of us take for granted, yet use in so many different ways–until the day it leaves us.

For these and other fitness products, please visit Painreliever.com.

Is this the future of metal fashion? Universal Cervical Collar from Core Products

I suppose I should be gratified that the music I loved in my salad days (and am still partial to) has just now been branded as bad for your health.  This means I’m rebellious and cool, right?

(From the ten-year-old: “Sure, Mom.”)

I’m referring to the study that appeared in the British Medical Journal last month.  Entitled “Head and neck injury risks in heavy metal: head bangers stuck between rock and a hard bass,” this study conducted by researchers at the University of New South Wales concluded that if AC/DC plays Moon River and neck braces are available at the concession stand, then we headbangers won’t have to worry about mild traumatic neck and brain injury incurred from headbanging.

The study reads like a piece from The Onion:

Though exposure to head banging is enormous, opportunities are present to control this risk—for example, encouraging bands such as AC/DC to play songs like “Moon River” as a substitute for “Highway to Hell”; public awareness campaigns with influential and youth focused musicians, such as Sir Cliff Richard; labelling of music packaging with anti-head banging warnings, like the strategies used with cigarettes; training; and personal protective equipment.¹

Um.

The study goes on to lay out models of axes of rotation, range of motion, and beats per minute.  It’s complete with an impressive array of tables.  I guess that despite their suggestion of substituting Enya for Anthrax, these fellows are serious.

In all fairness, I can see how headbanging could be dangerous.  We’re talking repetitive, violent, swift movements involving that incredibly delicate and crucial of human structures, the spine.  Headaches and dizziness have often been reported after headbanging.  Sometimes the repercussions are similar to whiplash; other suspicions are more ominous and involve the brain, such as findings of subdural hematoma and stroke.  I personally have been more concerned about muscle strain–after Megadeth and Alice in Chains concerts, my shoulders and neck muscles were stiff and sore to the point of immobility.

To those of you who can’t resist headbanging, or who know someone who, like Batman, can’t turn his head,  I would never recommend wearing a neck brace to a concert.  After the concert?  Yes.  Wearing a neck brace for a few days afterward may help. It’ll remind the wearer to take it easy on his or her neck, which will speed healing.  With muscle aches, heat therapy or massage therapy might be indicated.  If symptoms including pain and aching don’t resolve after a day or so, an appointment to the chiropractor or the doctor might be a good idea.

By all means, take good care of yourself when you rock out.  Headbanging can hurt.  But hearing the theme from A Summer Place come out of Angus Young’s stack of Marshalls would hurt even worse.

-Marguerite

1. Head and neck injury risks in heavy metal: head bangers stuck between rock and a hard bass: A study done by Declan Patton and Andrew McIntosh @ www.bmj.com