Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia affects age groups differently
Young and middle-aged people with fibromyalgia report worse symptoms and a poorer quality of life than older people, says research from the Mayo Clinic.
Researchers divided 978 people with fibromyalgia into three age groups: 39 years or younger, 40 years to 59 years and those 60 years or older.
“Among the three age groups of young, middle-aged and older, symptom severity and quality of life differs,” says Dr Terry Oh, who led the work.
The team was surprised as younger people usually have a better quality of life and physical health. Continue reading
Cherished beds can damage backs
Clinging on to a beloved bed can damage back health, according to figures released from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA).
Sleeping triggers back and neck pain for 30% of people, yet 21% admit to changing their mattress less than once a decade and 10% have never changed it at all.
While a mattress is a significant investment for most, other items of bedding that can make a big difference to back and neck health are also overlooked; 64% of people admit to not testing a pillow before buying it. Continue reading
Discovery of the trigger of inflammation leads to hope for longer, healthier lives
Inflammation is behind many age-related diseases such as arthritis, gout, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. Even when it doesn’t cause disease it can still lead to loss of function and reduces healthspan (the portion of our lives spent relatively free of serious illness).
But a team from the Yale School of Medicine has discovered a vital trigger of inflammation: sensor Nlrp3 inflammasome. It means that instead of tackling each age-dependent disease separately, experts could umbrella them together, says the team in Cell Metabolism. Continue reading
Flat feet can cause lower back pain in women
The shape of women’s feet may contribute to their risk of lower back pain, says research published in Rheumatology.
A large US study of 1,930 women and men found that women who walk with flat feet were 50% more likely than those with normal or high arches to experience lower back pain. But the same relationship didn’t exist for men. Continue reading
Trainers are as good as rocker sole shoes for helping lower back pain
Rocker sole shoes, often used to help treat people with lower back pain, are no more effective than trainers, says research published in Spine. And trainers seem to be more beneficial for those with back pain aggravated by standing or walking.
A total of 115 people with chronic lower back pain were asked to wear either rocker sole shoes or trainers for at least two hours a day. Everyone attended an exercise and education programme once a week for four weeks and wore their assigned shoes during the sessions. Continue reading
