Posted by Bob Martin

Paul Brown, a physical therapist on the staff of Back in Motion, told Portland Rotary that “arthritis is a normal thing to happen” as people age. “It’s natural and likely to occur in the neck, lower back, the area above the thumb, and at the site of previous injuries.” The secret to treating arthritis, Brown said, is exercise.

Brown said that the Center for Disease Control maintains statistics on medical needs and reports that diagnoses of arthritis have high rates of comorbidities with diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. “Physical exercise improves all of these conditions,” Brown said. “But there’s not enough awareness of the value of physical exercise. He pointed to the state of Maine which has much higher rates of comorbidities than the national average. “With the exception of Portland, where rates are lower, the state of Maine is not a good example of how to live a healthy life.” Brown reported that 33 percent of Mainers suffer from heart disease and arthritis.

Brown said the Arthritis Foundation (arthritis.org) recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week. “Any exercise is valuable,” he said. “Even if you can’t do 150 minutes, just keep the joints moving.” He also said that body weight impacts the severity of heart disease and arthritis. “So get your weight down and do 150 minutes of exercise a week.” He recommended following a plant-=based diet and taking the time to determine which foods exacerbate inflammation. “Everyone is different, so diet will be different for everyone. Tom Brady avoids nightshade vegetables because he’s sensitive to them for inflammation.”

Brown recommended the services of a physical therapist who is trained to look at body mechanics to develop a theory as to why pain is happening in order to develop exercise solutions. He also demonstrated a number of exercises that help in the treatment and prevention of arthritis. (Videos demonstrating these are on the Arthritis Foundation website arthritis.org.)

Paul pointed to Bob Traill as one of the most inspiring people he knew. “He’s exercising regularly, almost every day. Look at him: he doesn’t look a day over 75!”

 

(L - R: Bob Traill, Paul Brown, and President Don Zillman.)