Dog Drinking Tons of Water Could Mean Serious Disease
You’d better be very worried if your dog keeps drinking tons of water and can’t seem to get enough.
Now, active dogs do normally drink a lot of water, but when this is done way too much, it can mean a serious disease in your dog.
I asked Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, with The Caring Vet in NY, what would possibly make a dog drink tons of water other than playing a lot of ball in the hot sun.
“These clinical signs are non-specific and can be caused by many different diseases or conditions,” says Dr. Selmer.
“Usually it is the production of excess, dilute urine that results in compensatory increase in water consumption, but occasionally the condition is one of increased water intake that results in the production of large volumes of dilute urine.
“The following is not a complete listing of diseases that may result in increased thirst and urination, but it outlines the most common causes.”
Cause # 1 of dog drinking a lot of water: urinary/kidney/bladder conditions, and also conditions affecting the uterus, such as an infection.
Cause # 2 of heavy water drinking in a dog: hyperadrenocorticism, hypoadrenocorticism, hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus. These are hormone related diseases.
“Liver disease, certain drugs, fever, pain and certain electrolyte imbalances may also result in increased thirst and urination,” says Dr. Selmer.
If your dog drinks a ton of water, but otherwise seems healthy and has no symptoms like lethargy, poor appetite, constipation, vomiting, etc., then assume that you have one healthy, active pet that’s simply quenching its thirst.
“Rarely, a behavioral problem is at the root of increased drinking behavior,” says Dr. Selmer.
If your dog is frequently thirsty, don’t assume this requires any kind of discipline or retraining.
Give your dog filtered or treated water. It is not healthy for dogs to drink from puddles, water in a gutter, etc.
Your dog doesn’t need environmental toxins any more than you do.
Dr. Selmer offers conventional Western plus holistic veterinary medicine, traditional Chinese veterinary medicine including acupuncture and herbal therapy, and integrative medical care for dogs and cats.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Brain Tumor in Dogs: How Rapid is Final Decline?
How rapid is the final decline in a dog with a brain tumor?
After my parents’ dog passed following a sudden rapid decline from a brain tumor, I consulted with Dr. Peter Gordon, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (Neurology), with Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Langley, British Columbia.
My parents’ dog had almost died at the hands of conventional treatment, and we had then turned him over to an alternative DVM cancer specialist.
However, the dog eventually had to be put down, despite the excellent treatment he had, and despite the raving reviews that other dog owners (whose dogs had cancer) had about this second doctor’s treatments.
At the start of the alternative treatment, my brother reminded us that a brain tumor is a serious condition.
The dog had improved considerably with the alternative treatment, and then literally out of the blue, he went downhill to the point where we decided it best to have him euthanized.
We were blindsided and stunned at this sudden, unexpected turn for the worse. We never saw it coming.
How rapid can brain tumor progression be in a dog whose treatment is no longer effective?
Dr. Gordon explains, “This is a difficult question to answer, as there are simply too many variables to consider. Primarily, the location and type of brain tumor will have a dramatic effect on how long a tumor will take to affect or re-affect a patient.”
“Very benign tumors in non-vital locations could take a long time (months) to cause clinical signs, as there is more room to grow, and loss of a non-life threatening function may not be initially noticed.
“Conversely, a very aggressive fast growing tumor, a tumor that is very close to a vital nerve center, or a tumor that has metastasized (spread) to more than one location within the brain will not take very long to create a life-threatening condition and may disable a patient within days to weeks.”
Our dog’s sudden reappearance of signs did not suggest a life-threatening course; but did suggest that this was the end, and that if we didn’t have him euthanized, then perhaps there would be an immediate life-threatening situation — for all we knew, the brain tumor was encroaching upon the brain stem.
Dr. Gordon continues, “Second, many times initial ‘symptoms’ are missed by the family, as a dog cannot describe a headache, dizziness, memory loss, etc.
“As such, the decline may seem ‘out of the blue,’ but in fact, the reported change only represents the final stages of a slowly developing deterioration.”
The vet tech for our dog’s original veterinary neurologist, who had diagnosed the animal, told me early on that eventually, there would be a noticeable deterioration, and that it would be “rapid,” perhaps over a matter of “a few days.” This was frightening to hear.
Dr. Gordon explains, “Third, treatment side effects can play a role in the ultimate survival time, as conditions like delayed radiation necrosis can occur after an initial ‘successful’ treatment and may result in further brain damage/deterioration.
“Fourth, the presence of brain tumors can trigger other conditions such as blood clots, bleeding, cysts, hydrocephalus or intracranial swelling (inflammation) that can develop quickly, compound the effect of the tumor and ultimately lead to the patient’s deterioration.”
Though I am not a veterinarian myself — based on logic, common sense and my knowledge of our dog’s situation and what the diagnosing veterinarian had explained at the outset — I’m concluding that intracranial swelling was what caused the sudden decline.
It wasn’t necessarily the brain tumor itself, but fluid, created by the mass, invading surrounding brain tissue, disrupting the dog’s cognitive functioning.
In theory, we could have had this fluid drained and bought some more quality time with the dog. But for how long?
The first vet’s treatment involved an anti-inflammatory (dexamethasone, which helped reverse inflammation caused by the cancer), and a diuretic (which helped drain fluid buildup from the tumor).
But the dexamethasone, according to the second, alternative vet’s comprehensive testing, had “shut down” the animal’s adrenal and thyroid glands, and had made the dog so hungry that he functioned as not much more than a perpetually famished life form constantly seeking out food.
The alternative vet took him off the dexamethasone, and for the next month and a half, we had pretty much our wonderful German shepherd back.
Until one morning at 5:45 a.m. when I was awakened (I was living with my parents to take charge of the dog’s treatments) by a horrible thud: the dog was seizing…and from that point on, deteriorated.
“As such, the location, type and number of brain masses would need to be known in addition to whatever treatment modalities had been used if one were to attempt to define a prognosis or plausible survival time line for a given patient,” says Dr. Gordon.
“With these sorts of variables involved, each case must be assessed and/or defined on an individual basis by your neurologist.”
If your dog has a brain tumor and seems to have made remarkable progress, don’t take it for granted! That awful turn could occur at a moment’s notice.
Do not become complacent and smug that your dog is cured just because he’s free of signs and looks “normal.”
Don’t put off taking those pictures of him or buying that special treat, and don’t put off hugging and kissing him because you think the “brain tumor is licked.”
Dr. Gordon has advanced training in intracranial and spinal neurosurgical techniques for the correction of intervertebral disc disease, cervical vertebral instability, spinal cord trauma/fracture, Chiari malformation and brain tumor resection.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
5 Signs Puppy Vomiting Is a Medical Emergency
A prominent veterinarian describes the 5 WARNING SIGNS your puppy’s vomiting means a medical emergency.
Throwing up is common in puppies. “Some of the minor causes of vomiting include intestinal or stomach viruses, parasites, and also dietary indiscretions (eating garbage or other irritating materials),” points out Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, with The Caring Vet in NY.
Five Signs Vomiting in a Puppy Means Seek Immediate Medical Attention
“Bloat.” The puppy’s belly is sticking out and is repeatedly throwing up; also showing signs of extreme distress, panting, drooling and retching.
This condition is called torsion and affects large breeds. It can be especially brought on by exercising your dog very soon after it eats a full meal.
The dog’s or puppy’s stomach becomes swollen; the stomach organ twists, or torques.
This life-threatening condition requires veterinary help as soon as possible; it can kill your pet.
Look at your puppy’s vomit. If the vomit contains non-edible items, do not panic.
But if in addition your puppy is straining with its bowel movements, is distressed or retching, this can signal a medical emergency.
Is there blood in the vomit? This may mean a stomach ulcer or esophageal inflammation.
Do not delay medical treatment, including if the throwing up is forceful–even if the puppy has not recently eaten.
Vomiting is accompanied by other symptoms like refusal of food, lethargy, panting, diarrhea and other distress.
This may mean a systemic infection or poisoning, or Parvo, which can kill. See a veterinarian asap.
Repeated vomiting, even with no other symptoms, is alarming and warrants medical attention asap for your puppy (or grown dog).
Did you know that repeatedly throwing up can cause life-threatening dehydration?
Do not sit back and wait to see what happens! IT IS WHAT IT IS: A puppy is vomiting.
There are other symptoms or peculiarities. Your gut is telling you this isn’t right. Get immediate medical attention.
Don’t be like my massage therapist who waited to see “if it would get worse” in her large breed. It DID get worse: Her dog died from bloat.
Dr. Selmer offers conventional Western plus holistic veterinary medicine, traditional Chinese veterinary medicine including acupuncture and herbal therapy, and integrative medical care for dogs and cats.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Shutterstock/Sonsedska Yuliia
Rhinoplasty: How Painful Is a Nose Job; First Person Account
Years ago I had nose surgery, a.k.a. rhinoplasty or “nose job,” and there was some pain involved.
I had a deviated septum and a past mild fracture, so a nose job was in order. It’s not pretty recovering from rhinoplasty.
But a nose job actually has little pain because painkillers dull the pain.
Thinking of getting a rhinoplasty? I say get your rhinoplasty. Mine left no scars.
My nose used to be bulbous and crooked. The fracture was either from karate, volleyball or both.
The hardest part of a rhinoplasty may be finding a plastic surgeon you can trust. I remember lying on the gurney and being given anesthesia.
Next thing I knew, I was lying with my eyes closed and sensed that the surgery was over.
My nose was packed tightly with something and I had to breathe with my mouth open.
The first week following a nose job is terrible. Though painkillers numb the pain, other things happen.
Because my nose was packed tightly with wads of some kind of material, I had to constantly breathe with my mouth open.
The sensation of the tight packing was NOT like a mere stuffy nose from the common cold. It felt like cement was jammed up both nostrils.
As a result, I was not able to sleep for longer than 20 minutes at a time, because I’d be awakened by a very dry mouth from breathing with my mouth open.
During my waking hours, I had to always have with me a little plastic saucer to cough and spit out chunks of blood and other body tissue that were leaking down my throat from my nasal passages.
Because my nostrils were packed solid, the big gobs of blood could only go down my throat and then get coughed up and out of my mouth.
The taste and sensation were horrendous, and I would cough and spit it up.
I remember being in a store, holding the saucer, when an “attack” of blood suddenly occurred.
Right then and there, I coughed chunks of blood and solid matter into the saucer, and some lady witnessed this. She kept staring.
The packing stays in for a whole week following surgery. This means that for a week, you can’t taste any food or beverages.
A few days after the nose job, my face began looking as though I had been beaten.
There was extensive bruising under my eyes, and my eyelids were swollen and bluish-purple-green. My nasal area was swollen and partially bandaged.
Three days postop rhinoplasty (not the author). Alison Cassidy, CC BY-SA 3.0/creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Wikimedia Commons
After the bandages come off, you’re not out of the woods. I had to massage my nose several times a day, apply a cream, and gently push my nose upward so that it would further mold into the shape that I wanted: ski slope shaped, slightly upturned.
I can honestly say I have a great nose. Most people, at least in my opinion, have a lousy one, one that turns downward; the tip being lower than the nostrils (a la Paris Hilton !).
The plastic surgeon said that the surgery fixed things so that my “snozz” will never turn downward as I get older. After all, the nose never stops growing.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Shutterstock/FREEPIK2
Diseases that Can Make You Smell Cigarette Smoke
Serious diseases can make you smell cigarette smoke even though nobody is smoking.
Smelling cigarette smoke or something burning can be a sign of a major illness.
However, phantom smelling (be it cigarette smoke, burning rubber or something foul) is more common than you would think — and is usually nothing to be alarmed about.
Nevertheless, it is important that you get checked out by a physician who understands smell.
You should keep in mind that benign conditions, not just serious disease, can make you smell cigarette smoke or burning rubber, says Jordan S. Josephson, MD, FACS, ear, nose and throat specialist; director of the New York Nasal and Sinus Center, and author of “Sinus Relief Now.”
Smelling cigarette smoke or something burning, in the absence of burning rubber or someone puffing cigarettes, is called phantosmia.
This is smelling something foul when nothing is around to actually be causing the odor.
So what are the serious diseases that can cause phantosmia?
Dr. Josephson says, “A tumor of the brain or the olfactory nerve can also cause phantom smells, decreased or absent sense of smell (hyposmia), or bad sense of smell (known as parosmia).”
Brain tumors in these locations are not the only alarming conditions that can lead to smelling cigarette smoke or burning rubber in the absence of these compounds.
Dr. Josephson explains, “We do know that this sensation can be related to neurologic problems such as a stroke, seizure disorder or epilepsy.
“The patient may not even be aware that they are having a seizure, epilepsy or a stroke because this (smelling cigarette smoke) may be the only symptom.
“If a brain tumor is the cause, it could be an aesthesioneuroblastoma.
“A brain tumor that would cause you to smell cigarette smoke or burning material would usually be located in the temporal lobe of the brain.”
Dr. Josephson adds, “If you suffer from recurrent or increasing episodes of parosmia [or phantosmia], then it is important for you to have this looked into by a board certified ENT doctor and/or a neurologist.”
The exam should include a CT (CAT) scan and a smell test.
If you occasionally smell rubber burning or cigarette smoke for no apparent reason, don’t panic and don’t assume you have a serious disease.
This problem is common and is often the result of many possible benign or non-serious causes including sinus infections which can be recurrent or recalcitrant.
The time to see a doctor is if the phantosmia or parosmia is persistent or frequent, and especially if it worsens.
Make sure you see a board certified ear, nose and throat doctor, also known as an otolaryngologist, who understands the nose and sinus.
Dr. Josephson has taught hundreds of physicians the technique of functional endoscopic sinus and nasal surgery, and was an instructor on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins Medical Center.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Pixabay/Alexas Fotos
Brain Tumor Can Cause Smelling Something Bad that’s Not There
Prenatal Vitamins vs. Regular Vitamins: What’s the Difference?
Is this just a gimmick or is there TRULY a difference between regular vitamins and prenatal vitamins? Isn’t a vitamin a vitamin? After all, aren’t all supplements the same?
I went as far as wondering if the word “prenatal” simply referred to when the vitamins were being taken (“prenatal” meaning prior to the baby’s birth), as opposed to a special type of supplement.
I’ve always thought that the only difference between supplements was whether or not they were organic/natural or synthetic.
“Many people do consume prenatal vitamins when not pregnant,” says Randy Fink, MD, Director of the Center of Excellence for Obstetrics & Gynecology in Miami, FL.
“Many women feel they see a recognizable benefit to their hair and nails from the prenatal, and ‘prenatals’ are also marketed for women in the pre-conception period.
“But is there a difference between the prenatal vitamin and a standard multivitamin?”
The term “prenatal,” when applied to supplements, actually refers to a particular composition of the supplement, rather than a time period for taking the supplements.
Thus, there is indeed a difference in the makeup of prenatals when compared to regular, conventional supplements.
Dr. Fink explains, “The prenatal vitamin will contain slightly different doses of some of the micronutrients when compared to a multivitamin.
“For instance, folic acid and iron levels are higher in prenatal vitamins. Zinc levels are typically higher in prenatal vitamins, as is the level of vitamin C.
“But prenatals contain less vitamin A, as high doses can be toxic to a developing fetus.”
The term “micronutrients” refers to vitamins and minerals in general. (“Macronutrients” refers to carbohydrates, fat and protein.)
Iron and zinc are valuable minerals — needed for optimal functioning of the body, especially a body that is carrying a baby.
Before supplements were formulated in a laboratory, women who were pregnant somehow managed without prenatals, right? Well, perhaps not.
After all, before modern medicine, the infant mortality rate was exceptionally higher than it is today. In fact, during ancient times, it was very high.
This is why the life expectancy for primitive man has typically been calculated to be exceedingly low: The infant mortality rate is factored in, which markedly brings down the average!
In addition to the high infant mortality rate during earlier times, the rate at which women died in childbirth was far greater than it is today. Nevertheless, the human species survived and proliferated.
It’s conjecture whether or not the consumption of prenatal vitamins could have made a major difference for women before the advent of modern medicine.
However, if your OBGYN recommends prenatals, it’s wise to take this advice; supplementation according to the physician’s guidelines certainly won’t harm a pregnant woman.
Creating an environment where the very best of medicine and gentle gynecology are practiced and where patients come first has always been Dr. Fink’s goal.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Is Vaginal Itching Driving You Batty? Causes & Treatments
What causes vaginal itching, and what can be done about this?
Vaginal itching is common and very annoying, and it has an assortment of causes.
The solutions to vaginal itching, of course, will depend on what the cause of this is.
“Vaginal itching is a common problem for many women,” says Dr. Corinne Bazella, OB/GYN with University Hospitals Case Medical Center.
“The common causes include yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and contact irritation from hygiene products.”
The vagina normally has a population of “good” and “bad” bacteria.
When the ratio of these bacteria becomes off balance (more “bad” and less “good”), bacterial vaginosis results, and other symptoms of this include odor (usually fishy), burning and a white or grey discharge.
Dr. Bazella says, “The vagina has a delicate balance of good bacteria, or Lactobacillus, that create an environment preventing overgrowth of yeast and odor causing bacteria.
“Many things can interrupt that balance including douching, intercourse, tight clothing, hormonal changes, and hygiene products resulting in itching and discharge.”
If you are troubled by vaginal itching, it would be a smart idea to undergo a pelvic exam from your OB/GYN to rule out any medical causes, or to possibly get a diagnosis, recommends Dr. Bazella.
Pregnant women especially should be examined if bacterial vaginosis is suspected, because BV is associated with premature and low birth weight babies.
Research indicates that untreated BV can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight infants (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2021).
The imbalance of vaginal bacteria associated with BV can lead to inflammation and infections that may affect the uterus and amniotic fluid, potentially leading to preterm labor.
Additionally, BV has been associated with an increased risk of complications such as miscarriage and postnatal infections (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).
If you are suffering from vaginal itching, Dr. Bazella explains, “The second aspect is prevention by avoiding the causes: douching, scented liquid soaps and vigorous washing.”
When you think about it, you will realize that douching is actually a very unnatural thing to do.
Ancient woman never douched; chemicals didn’t exist in those days.
Though douche commercials make the product sound like something very healthy, nourishing and natural, the opposite is true.
Douches contain compounds that are not at all natural to the body, no matter how pleasant their fragrance or pretty their package.
Scented soaps as well contain chemicals, and vigorous washing can irritate the skin around the vagina as well as the actual vaginal opening.
Nevertheless, the vagina should be cleaned daily, but this does not have to be with fancy or scented substances.
Dr. Bazella suggests, “The safest and healthiest way to clean the vagina is to rinse with warm water, avoid washcloths and soaps, and wear cotton breathable underwear.”
Can cancer cause vaginal itching?
Dr. Bazella explains, “Cancer can cause vaginal itching, but that would be a very uncommon first sign.
The usual first sign is unusual vaginal bleeding. This can occur in both cervical and endometrial cancers.”
Dr. Bazella’s expertise includes abnormal uterine bleeding, adolescent gynecology, contraception and menopausal care.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Siriluk ok
Can IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) Lead to Cancer or Polyps?
If you have IBS, you may be fearing eventual cancer, wondering if irritable bowel syndrome can lead to or increase cancer risk.
The symptoms of IBS are nearly identical to the symptoms of colon cancer.
Symptoms of IBS can be scary, and include alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation — which can occur with colon cancer as well.
Abdominal pain is another classic feature of both irritable bowel syndrome and colon cancer.
Ten to 20 percent of the U.S. has IBS; this disorder is diagnosed after other possible causes of the symptoms have been ruled out.
Is there a connection between IBS and colon cancer?
“IBS never leads to bowel polyps or cancer,” says Santosh Sanagapalli, MD, a consultant gastroenterologist, endoscopist, colonoscopist and specialist in esophageal and bowel disorders.
“IBS is a type of functional GI disorder,” continues Dr. Sanagapalli.
“We term it ‘functional’ because in such conditions, the structure of the bowel is completely normal, but there can be abnormalities in the way it functions.
“Hypothetically, if we removed a piece of bowel and looked at it under the microscope, it would appear completely normal.
“However, the bowel may have issues with the way it contracts and relaxes, and may be abnormally sensitive to normal functions of the bowel, e.g., digestion and bacterial fermentation of food contents in the bowel.
“While these abnormalities in function of the bowel can lead to troublesome symptoms, no damage is being done to the bowel or body.
“There is therefore never any risk of needing surgery, and never any risk of cancer developing.”
Why can both IBS and colon cancer cause thin bowel movements?
The abnormal contractions with IBS can result in voiding pencil-thin stools.
In colon cancer, the tumor partially obstructs the anus, so that the stools being squeezed out have a limited space to exit, making them narrow.
Stop Fearing Colon Cancer just Because You Have IBS
A report in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (2010) has reassuring news.
IBS is not a marker or a predictive value for future colon cancer or even precancerous polyps.
The study investigated colonoscopy results of people with IBS.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome and NO alarming symptoms such as unexplained weight loss or blood in your poops, you do not need a colonoscopy.
However, having IBS doesn’t mean you should let your guard down when it comes to colon cancer.
A person with IBS may eventually develop colon cancer, but this development would have NOTHING to do with the IBS! It would just be a coincidence.
If you have an odd change in bowel habits lasting longer than two weeks with other new GI symptoms, consult with a gastroenterologist to rule out colon cancer.
Dr. Sanagapalli is a gastroenterologist and director of the Esophageal Disorders Center at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst. He performs diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures, and enjoys providing comprehensive and holistic care to patients with a wide variety of disorders affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Juan Gaertner
Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100309161842.htm
Should Elderly People Do Deadlifts?
Shirley Webb, 78, from Illinois, can deadlift 225 lbs. for three reps, as of 2016.
If you’re elderly (65-plus), you should do deadlifts.
Deadlifting is a compound (multi-joint) strength training exercise.
When I was a personal trainer, I had my elderly clients doing deadlifts.
But at various gyms I’ve been at, I’ve never seen elderly men or women, other than my clients, performing barbell deadlifts.
This isn’t because they can’t. It’s because the aging population (and so many personal trainers, even) has no idea how valuable the deadlift is to the older body.
“Deadlifts, when done correctly, are beneficial for older adults,” says Monica Charlton, a senior exercise specialist and certified Silver Sneakers/personal trainer out of New Orleans.
“I have my clients do three rounds of eight deadlifts in my weekly Low Impact Class,” continues Charlton.
“We even do single-leg deadlifts if the participant wants a harder option. Obviously, the participant should have clearance from a doctor if they have back issues like bulging or herniated discs and scoliosis.”
So Why Aren’t Elderly People Deadlifting?
Some may think it’s dangerous because it’s a sport associated with huge men bending the bar as they lift.
Another reason why an elderly person will shy away from deadlifts is because he or she might think it’s too difficult to learn.
I have a surprise for you: Every woman who has ever picked up a laundry basket has done a deadlift.
The action of leaning over to pick up a laundry basket or box of Christmas decorations is similar to a deadlift.
The irony is that an elderly person is more likely to get injured (low back) stooping over with incorrect form to pick a pair of shoes or space heater off the floor, than while performing a barbell deadlift with proper form!
Research from the University of Michigan Health System highly recommends compound (multi-joint) strength training for the elderly.
“No matter what age an individual is, they can experience significant strength improvement with progressive resistance exercise even into the eighth and ninth decades of life,” says Mark Peterson, PhD, in the research paper.
Why the Elderly Should Do Barbell Deadlifts
Shutterstock/ Ihor Bulyhin
Charlton explains, “Deadlifts are a great exercise because when done properly they work your quads, glutes, hamstrings, lats, traps and delts, just to name a few muscle groups.” It also works the lower back, abdomen and arms.
The elderly should perform deadlifts because this motion has applications in everyday living, such as in bending over to pick things up, including grandchildren, pets, your bowling ball in the back of the closet, etc.
How Can Elderly People Learn to Do the Deadlift?
“When doing deadlifts, you want to make sure to keep your spine neutral,” says Charlton.
“Otherwise, the weight will put a lot of pressure on your spinal discs causing injury.”
- Never let your back become rounded.
- Shoulders should always be higher than the hips.
Don’t let this advisement scare you away. By incorporating deadlifts into your exercise regimen, you will MUCH LESS LIKELY suffer injuries from the tasks of daily living including gardening, yardwork, shoveling snow, housework, and picking a potted plant or toddler off the floor.
Elderly people can learn to master the form. All you have to do is practice the movement at home … using only your own body weight against gravity. And then you can progress from there.
“But the guy in the picture looks like he’s been deadlifting for years!”
You need not lift as much weight as a Senior Games competitor to reap the rewards.
“For seniors who have been lifting [in general] for many years, doing a deadlift with a spotter, and starting with a lower weight depending on the health of your body, can be beneficial,” says Charlton.
Elderly men and women can practice the deadlift without holding any weights, or by holding a broom stick or even the laundry basket.
What about senior age people who’ve never strength trained at all and do very little exercise at all?
Charlton explains, “For those just starting to strength train, deadlifts are not an ideal exercise to begin with.
“Instead, a beginner should focus on squats [body-weight or with dumbbells] and lat pull-downs because they’re a lot easier on the body when it comes to mastering the correct form.
“Seniors should always talk with a personal trainer before they attempt any strength training to get help on the proper form so they end up reaping the benefits of training, not causing severe injuries.”
Novices should faithfully stick to strength training to eventually begin doing the deadlift. Many gyms provide five- and 10-pound bars for beginners.
The Great Mimicker
The deadlift mimics what you do in real life. As an elderly person becomes stronger from deadlifting, they will notice a big improvement in many everyday actions:
- Getting in and out of cars and deep chairs
- Lifting grocery bags out of the trunk and setting them on countertops
- Even walking up stairs.
The instructions for safely performing a deadlift apply to the elderly as much as they apply to any novice of any age.
Monica Charlton’s personal training services include fitness/body composition assessments, nutrition planning, running programs and customized programs for clients with disabilities or injuries, as well as older and mainstream clients.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110331163539.htm
Holding on Treadmill: the Shoulder Bob & Why It’s Wrong
When I was a personal trainer I made sure that all my clients learned to walk properly on a treadmill.
It’s amazing how many people have this all wrong. But the problem is actually easy to fix.
Though fear of falling off is a leading reason for why people hold onto a treadmill, there’s something about that shoulder bob that tells me that fear of falling off isn’t relevant to why they do this.
The shoulder bob seems to be more habit than safeguarding—a habit that in many walkers gets carried away over time—their shoulders bob up and down, like buoys in choppy water.
What kind of walking is this, anyways? It’s not how people walk when they’re not on a treadmill. I’ve never seen the shoulder bob off a treadmill.
The locking up of the arms totally throws off the gait, transforming it into something very artificial.
It’s unreal walking. Fake movement—fake in that it has no carryover once the walker steps off the machine.
People who do this are fooling only themselves. They may never find this out, though, as long as they don’t have to ever do brisk and/or prolonged real walking for extended periods off the machine.
At a gym I used to train at, I’d always see this one particular man—he was in his 50s or 60s—and his shoulder bobbing was so pronounced that it hurt just to watch him.
His posture was crazy (which included a hyperextended back) and his feet barely made contact with the tread because his locked-out arms were supporting so much of his weight.
The Shoulder Bob Can Injure the Shoulders
Shutterstock/lunopark
“This pushes the humerus up into the acromion and can lead to rotator cuff impingement and pain,” says says Joseph Ciotola, MD, orthopedic surgeon at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital at Mercy Medical Center.
In other words, the upper arm bone gets pushed into a small space in the shoulder joint–there’s not enough room for this to happen–and the tip of the bone ends up pressing against a nearby tendon, irritating it.
Over time, this contact can cause “fraying” of the tendon: painful impingement.
Of all the ways to hold onto a treadmill, the shoulder bob subtracts the most body weight.
The side positioning of the arms and hands puts the walker in a position to literally lift their weight off the tread and “lip synch” their walking.
Yes, the shoulder bob is the lip-synching of treadmill walking. It’s feet-synching.
If shoulder bobbers have difficulty walking without so much support, then they should slow down. Often, this type of walker has the speed set at around 4 mph, sometimes 4.5, and walk-synchs this.
Reduce the speed to 3 mph and take your hands off. If this is difficult, I hope by now you know why.
Walk-synching is so far-removed from real walking, that it does nothing to improve your ability to walk without subtracting your weight. It does nothing to improve aerobic capacity.
Reduce the speed enough so that you can actually do real walking (arms moving naturally at your sides) without becoming overwhelmed with fatigue.
Dr. Ciotola
