Sports medicine, on the forefront of spreading a little love in this world
- Steven Stovitz, 717 Delaware St, SE, Room 420, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA; sstovitz{at}umphysicians.umn.edu
What pill can lower LDL cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, delay the transition from glucose intolerance to type 2 diabetes mellitus, lower percentage body fat, improve mood and sleep, decrease stress, and improve mental capacity, all with generally no side effects? None. So, you can give someone a lipid-lowering medication and then treat their muscle soreness. Add an oral hypoglycaemic and monitor their liver function tests. Then add an anti-depressant, but follow their weight closely. And don’t forget their sleeping pill. Alternatively, you might encourage a physically active lifestyle. Naysayers will claim that few sedentary individuals will start to exercise. However, new evidence is showing that we do not need to focus solely on “exercise.” Simple, everyday activities such as walking can often do the trick.
Sports medicine providers are in an optimum position to be champions for physical activity. We can encourage our patients to become more physically active, and treat those who have injuries that limit physical activity. There is a strong association between obesity and …
