We all have excuses for not making it to the gym, the most common being “I don’t have time.” Making time for an hour, or even a half hour, each day can be a challenge considering a full workday and managing kids and extracurricular schedules. A “7-Minute Workout” may sound too good to be true, but scientists are saying there are in fact proven results. Research on the 7-Minute Workout was published last year in the May-June issue of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal. The main conclusion from their research and development of a 12-step high intense interval training (HIIT) workout plan was that a HIIT workout achieves all the benefits of prolonged endurance training in a shorter period of time. For instance, a few minutes of training at a maximum intensity produces ideal molecular changes within the muscles that are comparable to changes that happen during several hours of running or bike riding. However, it’s important to remember the key part of this training to achieve maximum results: intervals. Instead of wearing your muscles down by doing all the exercises in succession in 7-minutes, brief periods of recovery between exercises (such as just for

When New York Mets  captain and third-baseman David Wright was injured in April 2015, he thought he would recover from a pulled hamstring and return to the field in no time. However, following a series of injuries since 2011 (a stress fracture, continuous lower back discomfort and tightness, and then the April 2015 hamstring pull) and this season’s particular increased intensity, Wright was ultimately diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis in May. Wright is seeing a physical therapist, undergoing rehab for his stenosis seven days a week, and though he says he will return to play as soon as possible, his diagnosis is still new and it is undetermined when exactly he’ll once again be an active player on the roster. Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal, causing compression of the spinal nerve roots in the lower back. This can lead to leg pain, tingling, numbness or weakness that is typically worse with standing, walking or activity. Spinal stenosis most commonly occurs in people over the age of 60, but can occur in younger people if they are born with a narrow spinal canal. Symptoms of spinal stenosis develop over time, since the joints located around the vertebrae

When seeking pain management therapy for muscle pain, foam rolling is often used to treat people at all fitness levels. When used properly, a foam roller can be like an at-home massage. Medically referred to as a “self-myofascial release,” foam rolling can help in the recovery of overactive and sore muscles, and ultimately pain. Foam rolling targets the fascia, the soft tissue portion of the connective tissue in the muscle that provides support and protection (the tissue that surrounds your muscles). If your body experiences overuse, trauma or—believe it or not—too much inactivity, the fascia can become restricted, thicken and shorten, and result in inflammation and pain. For instance, a restricted fascia near your IT Band can cause your knee cap to move and track incorrectly, a common cause of Runner’s Knee. A proven way to release the inflammation in the fascia is to slowly stretch your muscles, and a foam roller helps facilitate this. The goal of this therapy is to help relax your muscles, improve joint range of motion, reduce soreness and improve tissue recovery. Once your fascia is loose, your other muscles and joints can move more freely and your mobility and balance will be improved. Foam

As doctors work to elevate the standard of medical care, more and more we’re hearing about personalized medicine as a treatment option– the emerging practice that uses an individual’s genetic profile to guide decisions made in regard to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. This is because treatment options simply aren’t one size fits all. Patients are looking for solutions that work best for their bodies, but treatment plans are often prescribed based on the success in a larger test group. People with the same disease who are treated with the same medicine often have different responses. According to a recent survey, 98% of those polled would want to know if their genetic makeup indicated an increased risk for life-threatening diseases. Most recently (and most famously), Angelina Jolie proactively chose to avert her chances for breast cancer by undergoing a double mastectomy surgery  after test results showed she carried BRCA1, the same genetic marker for breast cancer that her mother, who died from the disease, carried. In addition to acting as a preventative measure, personalized medicine could also be a solution to improve adherence to prescribed medical treatments. A recent Forbes article reported that non-adherence (patients who choose not

America’s addiction to coffee certainly has its benefits. Previous studies have shown that benefits of drinking coffee include boosting your metabolism, providing a powerful source of antioxidants, and lowering your risk for several diseases. For the 61 percent of Americans who drink coffee daily (according to the National Coffee Association), a new study linking coffee consumption and a lowered risk for heart attacks is yet another reason to reach for that extra cup of joe. The study, published in the medical journal Heart, looked at the association between regular coffee consumption and the prevalence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) in over 25,000 young and middle-aged men and women. CAC is a known early indicator of cardiovascular disease and the clogging of arteries, which can result in heart attacks. A large part of arterial plaque consists of these calcium deposits – which is why it’s commonly known as hardening of the arteries. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers saw that the more coffee consumed (three to five cups a day), the lower the detectable CAC levels in the test subjects. However, any more than five cups of coffee a day resulted in a higher CAC level, causing the researchers

Spinal stenosis—the narrowing of the spine, occurs commonly in the lower back or neck. it most often affecting people over aged 60, although symptoms can begin in the 50’s. When narrowing of the spinal canal occurs in the lower back, pressure is put on your nerve roots, resulting in  low back pain, as well as cramping, weakness, or numbness of the legs. The spine is what helps us sit up straight, walk, and bend. When spinal stenosis occurs, the pressure on the nerves causes neurologic dysfunction leading to symptoms that make it difficult to move properly, such as: Numbness, weakness, cramping, or pain in the legs, thighs, or feet Pain extending down the leg Abnormal bowel and/or bladder function, also known as cauda equina syndrome, which is an emergency Partial or complete leg paralysis Pain from lumbar spinal stenosis typically gets worse when walking, whether you’re walking up or down a hill, ramp or steps. Many patients are unable to work or enjoy everyday life due to severe pain. As the condition progresses, spinal stenosis can sometimes lead to the slow and steady loss of leg strength. The symptoms are classically relieved with sitting. There is no medical cure for