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No Sense Of Direction

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The advent of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation has been a godsend, especially for people with poor spatial orientation or sense of direction. Even those like me with adequate directional skills who were getting tired of thumbing through Thomas Guides have been grateful for GPS navigation. As a matter of fact, I can no longer imagine having a car without navigation built into it (thankfully, many car manufacturers are making this feature standard in some car models), and when I travel I make good use of the navigation application on my cell phone.

GPS and BrainHere is what I don’t like about GPS navigation. I don’t think people pay nearly as much attention to where they are going, and instead act sort of like drones as they follow the directions on the navigation system without looking at their surroundings. It is as though the virtual roads are more ingrained in our memories than the actual terrain on which we are traveling. This means that we never fully experience the mental mapping that usually occurs when we are fully aware of our surroundings. In addition, if we make a wrong turn, GPS systems simply recalculate, so we never learn to re-map, and instead blindly follow the adjusted prompts.

While typing this I ran across an excellent article on The Boston Globe site which is a must-read.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2013/08/17/our-brains-pay-price-for-gps/d2Tnvo4hiWjuybid5UhQVO/story.html

Honestly, I think we need to pay more attention to the real world in front of us instead of allowing technology to turn us into idiots. Go ahead and use the GPS, but be aware of your surroundings as you travel around. Your brain will benefit.

What Happened To A Good Old-Fashioned Phone Call?

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smartphonesThese days we walk around with cell phones that are technological marvels, a far cry from the behemoth units from the original mobile phone era. The term “SmartPhone” is an appropriate description for the most part, since Android phones rival the storage capabilities and functions of our laptop computers. We can do Google searches, map out a travel route, check our work schedules, update social media, listen to music, read books and watch movies and videos on our phones now. Residential land lines have become all but obsolete now. Another thing that has become fairly obsolete is the point and shoot camera. Cell phones have such high quality cameras now that there is no reason to have a separate dedicated camera.old-school-cell-phone

Because our phones can do so much, it is not uncommon to see people constantly distracted by their phones. I have actually seen people together at a restaurant, seated at a table, and looking at their phones without speaking to each other at all. I have also witnessed (and been guilty of same) people leave the table to use the restroom and look immediately at their phones, while their meal mates immediately look at their phones as well. Years ago such things would have been regarded as incredibly rude, but are to an extent part of the accepted norm now.

I have also noticed that many people will look at their phones right before going to sleep at night and right upon waking every morning. Whatever happened to looking over at your mate or spending time with your pets? Is your phone more precious than they are? A cell phone should never be the first thing to grab in the morning (though many people have resorted to using their cell phone alarms to wake them up in the mornings) or the last thing they look at in the evening. Cell phones have become a modern-day security blanket.texting on phone

Perhaps the one thing that frustrates me the most is that many people will engage in lengthy text exchanges. If there is a great deal to be said, especially if there is the exchange of a lot of information, or worse yet, a heated argument, it seems to me that speaking on the phone would be much easier and more considerate to the texting partner than continuing to engage in behavior that avoids inflection and a true connection with another human being. In addition, all that texting aggravates the thumbs so much that a medical condition called “Gamekeeper’s Thumb” should at this point be renamed “Texter’s Thumb”. Besides, how real are our communications with each other when we are so busy using abbreviations like “LOL”, “TY”,”OMG”, and emoticons like :-), 😦 and ;-P ?

Come on, guys! You might not remember that your cell phones are equipped to handle voice calls along with all the other nifty features that you allow yourself to get distracted by. Let’s not allow basic communication to break down as a result of being tethered to our cell phones. Girl on phone

In Defense Of Ibuprofen

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ibuprofenOver the years, numerous medical studies have explored the idea that ibuprofen interferes with muscle growth, with conflicting conclusions. I know that there are some weightlifters who will take ibuprofen on a daily basis to combat numerous pain issues so that they can lift more comfortably, but this is something I would NEVER recommend. As a physician I am well aware of ibuprofen’s remarkable ability to shut down acute inflammation, but I am also aware of the risks of taking high dose ibuprofen over an extended period of time. I think it is also important to bear in mind that 1) there are different types of inflammation found in the body, and 2) some inflammation is actually necessary for optimal muscle growth.

The reason why I broach this subject is that I also know people who lift who stubbornly refuse to take ibuprofen under ANY circumstances, stating that it isn’t worth the impaired muscle growth. These people could be in agony from a muscle strain, bursitis, arthritis flare-up, tennis elbow or any number of conditions which arise from localized inflammation, yet will refuse to take anything. I will see them at the gym, struggling to move the weight that they are accustomed to lifting, only to cut their lifting regimen short or sharply reduce the weight lifted. Some of these people are so intent on pushing through the pain that they often make things WORSE and have to stop training completely until their injuries subside. Now that is just stupid. It makes far more sense to tackle the acute inflammation systemically with ibuprofen and rest the area for a few days so that one can return to full capacity, rather than risk even greater injury which essentially forces one to stop training.

I recently dealt with a bone spur which asserted itself with such exquisite pain that I was unable to bear weight fully on my left foot for 4 days. Instead of being stubborn and refusing to take anything, I took 800 milligrams of ibuprofen twice a day with food for a week. I also refrained from doing any high impact moves which would aggravate my foot and wore flat shoes for a week. Within the first 2 hours of taking the first dose of ibuprofen, I went from feeling like I was stepping on a knife to walking with only a slight limp. Was I concerned about adversely affecting my body’s ability to build muscle? Certainly not. Healing was my primary concern. Besides, there would have been no way that I could have trained the way I normally do while dealing with such outright pain, so it made sense to shut down the inflammatory process which was causing all the discomfort in the first place by taking the dreaded ibuprofen. I was smart about how I took it, and I did not take it for an extended period of time. Thankfully, it was a successful therapeutic treatment and I am glad I did it.

With all this said, I am still very cautious about prescribing high dose ibuprofen. The effects on the gastrointestinal tract are significant, so it is imperative to eat when taking this medication. I also caution people against taking too many doses throughout the day. A very real example occurred with a friend who was apparently taking high doses of ibuprofen (600-800 mg 4 times per day) without food for severe daily headaches. This practice resulted in a peptic ulcer which bled enough to cause her to pass out twice, landing her in the emergency room.

For those of you who have a habit of taking ibuprofen chronically, even if you are only taking 200 or 400 mg at a time, I highly recommend that you discontinue such chronic use. It is best to reserve ibuprofen for acute flare-ups.

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series: Exercise #1 – Smith Machine Lunges

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Stand at the Smith Machine and step forward with one foot so that you can come down into full lunge position without your knee moving over your toes anteriorly. Step with your back foot into a very deep lunge. With this movement, you will be performing pulse lunges on one leg, performing all repetitions before switching legs. Make sure to keep your hips level and your back neutral during this exercise, and squeeze your glutes as you perform the movement. In addition, try to come up only part way from lunge position, then go into your next repetition. Once all reps are completed on one leg, switch legs and repeat. Ideally, you would keep switching legs without any rest in order to maximize muscle recruitment.

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series: Exercise #2 – Single Leg Smith Squats

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Plant one foot on the floor with the Smith Bar on your shoulders. Come down into squat position on that leg, with your other leg tucked under you, until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Avoid twisting your hips during the movement, and avoid arching or curving your back. When you come up from the squat, only come up part of the way, and drive the pushing energy into the floor through your heel while you squeeze your glute. If you have knee issues, go with a very light weight.

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #3 – Supine Smith Machine Leg Presses

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Lie on a bench so that your hips line up with the Smith Machine bar. Place your feet on the bar at shoulder width or even a bit wider. Release the bar and allow it to slowly come down by flexing your knees and hips. Press the bar up, squeezing your glutes and pointing your heels up so that the driving force is through the posterior portion of your legs.

This move can be incorporated into your leg day once a week as an intense finishing exercise. I would not perform this exercise early in your regimen as it will result in excessive fatigue of the hams and glutes before you get a chance to progress to other exercises. Go as heavy as you can without compromising form or your ability to release the Smith bar. I also think it is best to face towards the mirror instead of out on the gym floor, as this can be a pretty revealing position for passerby to witness!

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #4 – Straddle Bench Jumps

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The best stability can be obtained from placing a bench under the Smith Machine bar and using the bar to hold onto as you jump onto the bench. Starting position is standing with your feet on the floor on either side, straddling the bench. You will jump onto the bench with both feet, then return to start. Move rapidly and without pausing. It is a simple move but you will definitely feel these and will be out of breath at the end of your set!

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #5 – Bench Step Overs

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Crouch slightly next to the right side of a bench. Step onto the bench with your left foot with enough room so that you can also step on with your right foot. As soon as you place your left foot onto the bench, you will hop, then place your right foot on the bench while the left foot comes down to the floor on the left side of the bench. Repeat movement so that you end up on the right side of the bench again.

This is a rapid movement in which you be moving constantly. If you want an extra pump, you can pulse the movement when you briefly plant your foot on the floor, just like I do in the video. If you choose to do this in double time, you will get a much more intense workout and will no doubt be out of breath!

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #6 – BOSU Squats

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Place a Bosu ball dome side up on the floor. Holding onto a weight plate at your belly, step onto the Bosu ball so that your feet are slightly narrower than shoulder width apart and you remain balanced on the ball. Squat low as if you are sitting into the squat (do NOT lean forward), and make sure to maintain as much contact with your heels and the Bosu ball as possible. If you do not have a weight plate, you can use a dumbbell, medicine ball or kettlebell, but keep it as close to your belly as possible to shift your center of gravity more posteriorly. When you come up from the squat position, only come up halfway, then go immediately into the next low squat.

Discussion of Bump to Rump Video Series Exercise #7 – Swing Lunges

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This exercise will challenge your balance, so I highly recommend performing this exercise without weights and your hands at your hips until you get accustomed to the movement. From a standing position, step into a front lunge, then immediately step into a back lunge with that same leg. Switch legs and repeat. As an option, you may wish to do all repetitions on one leg before switching, but I find that most people have better balance if they switch legs with each rep. The key to maintaining balance is to SQUEEZE your glutes when you perform these lunges and keep your hips level without twisting or bending.

For an extra blast on the glutes, you can do swing lunges with a pump. To do this, you will step into a front lunge, then pulse in a small movement at the peak of the lunge. Move immediately into the back lunge and pulse in a small movement at the peak. Don’t be surprised if your glutes burn at the end of a few sets of these!