Having just returned from a two week summer holiday the theme of inactivity, recently featured on the BBC Health page, is fresh on my mind!
We often hear about the importance of activity and the various health benefits it can have, there are adverts on the TV, leaflets posted through our doors advertising fitness groups and notices in school about what there is to get involved in.
A recent study published in the Lancet has taken the opposite approach investigating and reporting on the effects of inactivity! Here is the summary..
The study suggests that inactivity caused 9% of the deaths worldwide in 2008, equivalent to 5.3 million. Or roughly "one in 10 deaths from diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and breast and colon cancer."
It is recommended that adults do 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate exercise each week, such as brisk walking or gentle cycling, anything less than this being considered inactivity.
The Lancet study also found people in higher income countries were the least
active with those in the UK among the worst, as nearly two-thirds of adults were
judged not to be doing enough exercise. This could be related to the lesser percentage employed in manual labour and the increased income in some cases allowing for luxuries such as washing machines instead of manual chores.
Increased physical activity is a priority within public health as an increase will ultimately lead to improved health, reduced disease and fewer deaths. Achieving this is easier said than done, perhaps the first steps are being put into place, improving access and providing information are key! For example I have recently seen new "outdoor gyms" in local parks to encourage physical activity, access is easy, the environment is a safe one and most of all the facilities are free!
Monday 23 July 2012
Thursday 5 July 2012
Kinesio Tape
"Kinesio tape" has in fact been around for a few years, since 2008, however it has become more and more popular in the past year and I have seen the tape being worn by rugby players in the six nations and most recently by Mario Balloteli in Euro 2012 however the name of the tape was unknown to me. The recent article on the tape by the BBC, which is in fact called "kinesio tape"has allowed me to find out more!
The tape got its name from kinesiology which is the scientific study of human movement!
The article by the BBC can be found here, another source of information is the introductory video by Kinesio themselves which can be found here
The tape is described to have four main effects: to encourage correct muscle function, improve circulation, provide pain relief and repositioning of a subluxed joint (a "partial dislocation" of a joint)
The scientific claims which have not yet been proven as research is still ongoing are that the tape lifts the skin enabling the circulation of lypmh and blood and therefore relieving pressure. As there is less pressure on the pain receptors less pain will be felt and the reduction of fluid in the named area will lead to less inflammation.
There is also the power of the placebo effect to be considered, having used the tape myself once during a rugby tournament it may have simply been my belief which allowed me to see "results". Perhaps the injury would have improved without the tape? The tape provided support however any old tape would have also done this, its impossible to tell whether the pain and swelling reduction was aided by the Kinesio tape.
Until the research is complete the claims can't be verified however at present medical professionals and physios are using the tape to treat patients with injuries, particularly those obtained in sport.
The tape got its name from kinesiology which is the scientific study of human movement!
The article by the BBC can be found here, another source of information is the introductory video by Kinesio themselves which can be found here
The tape is described to have four main effects: to encourage correct muscle function, improve circulation, provide pain relief and repositioning of a subluxed joint (a "partial dislocation" of a joint)
The scientific claims which have not yet been proven as research is still ongoing are that the tape lifts the skin enabling the circulation of lypmh and blood and therefore relieving pressure. As there is less pressure on the pain receptors less pain will be felt and the reduction of fluid in the named area will lead to less inflammation.
There is also the power of the placebo effect to be considered, having used the tape myself once during a rugby tournament it may have simply been my belief which allowed me to see "results". Perhaps the injury would have improved without the tape? The tape provided support however any old tape would have also done this, its impossible to tell whether the pain and swelling reduction was aided by the Kinesio tape.
Until the research is complete the claims can't be verified however at present medical professionals and physios are using the tape to treat patients with injuries, particularly those obtained in sport.
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