Page2 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page3 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
HULA HOOP FITNESS
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Healthy hooping Ann Ross McWilliams spins a hula hoop around her wrist while Ansleigh Lormand mimics the technique around her neck. McWilliams makes her hoops out of PVC pipe and colorful tape.
There’s more to it than the toy you spun as a kid A
plastic hoop that spins around the waist took the United States by storm in 1958 when two inventors got an idea from watching Australian kids play with bamboo hoops in their exercise class. But what started out as a fad for kids has turned into a fitness frenzy. Hula hooping combines creative movement and prop manipulation, and if you don't believe swirling your hips can burn calories and tone your body, think again. ”Most people just think of the WHAM-O toy when they hear ‘hula hoop,’ but there’s more to it than that,” said Ann Ross McWilliams of Greenwood. McWilliams recently obtained certification in hula hoop fitness and has been teaching classes at The Beacon Wellness Center in Ruleville and at the ROC center at North Greenwood Baptist Church since June. “You can burn 300 to 600 calories by hooping for just one hour,” she said. “And it’s so much fun.” A recent study of intermediate female hoopers found that hula hooping expended calorie rates and raised heart rates similar to cardio kickboxing, step aerobics and boot camp classes. But the hoop that people are using to rapidly tone up and shed pounds is not the same toy you can pick up for a few dollars at the store. It’s a weighted hoop made of PVC pipe that spins much more slowly around the body.
Researchers say adding weight to the hoop makes it easier to spin. As a result, you can continue the activity longer and burn double to triple the calories. You don’t have to be a dancer to be a great hooper. You don’t even have to have good coordination. Hooping helps you to improve all that by teaching you to multitask. “One of the basics that we learn in class is how to walk and hoop at the same time,” McWilliams said. “That helps to improve coordination. Once we master that, we learn how to move around inside the hoop.” McWilliams teaches her students so many tricks and techniques that it’s hard to believe she is still relatively new to ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------See HOOPING, Page 15
On the cover Ann Ross McWilliams shows Mary Carter Bussey how to spin a hula hoop around her waist while standing on one foot. McWilliams teaches hula hooping in Ruleville and Greenwood to adults and children. Photo by Beth Thomas Cover design by Joseph Cotton
Ansleigh Lormand, left, and Mary Carter Bussey practice a few new hula hoop moves they recently learned in class. Since they started lessons, the girls have learned new ways to spin the hoop around various parts of the body and how to dance inside the hoop as it spins.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY BETH THOMAS
Page4 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page5 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
DENTON HOUSE
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New location, same mission
The Denton House has benefited greatly from its move into a larger building on Mississippi 7 in 2010. In front row, from left, are Shirley Outlaw, prevention trainer; Kate Dolan, alcohol and drug counselor; Melissa Peacock, clinical supervisor; Ayla Fletcher, student intern; Karen Davis, secretary; and Dorothy Robertson, outpatient substance
abuse coordinator. In back row are, from left, Jaymar Nash, Intensive Outpatient Program counselor and mental health therapist; Fred Guenther, alcohol and drug residential services coordinator; Jeff Dunn, secondary program manager; and Jacqueline Davis, alcohol and drug aftercare counselor.
VA sending veterans for drug, alcohol treatment D
enton House has earned a reputation all over Mississippi for good work in alcohol and drug treatment, and its offerings have only gotten better since the move to its current building, says Fred Guenther, alcohol and drug residential services coordinator. The Life Help facility moved to its site on Highway 7 in 2010 from another building that was at least 70 years old, Guenther said. “There were things there that we couldn’t do,” he said. “We simply couldn’t do them because we didn’t have the space, we didn’t have the facilities and we couldn’t even be organized properly in that setting.” The current location not only offers a more modern look and more space but also has led to the awarding of some significant contracts, including two with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “They would not have awarded those contracts to us in those beat-up buildings,” Guenther said. v v v Denton House now can serve 32 men and 12 women at a time, an improvement over the former site’s capacity of 20 men and 12 women. The first major addition for the new facility came in August 2010, when Denton House received approval for a transitional program. This offers clients
secondary treatment for 60 days beyond the 30-day period of primary treatment. Then, in 2011, Denton House landed two contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs — one sponsored by the VA addictions treatment program and one by the Health Care for Homeless Veterans program. The VA didn’t start sending people to Denton House until this January, but the facility has served 50 veteran clients since then. The maximum number who can be served at once is 20, and the average is about 10, Guenther said. “There have been enough of those veterans that they’ve pretty much been half of our male clientele at any time,” he said. “And they’re still coming, and we enjoy the relationship very much.” Denton House does not accept women for its veterans’ program. The veteran clients have included people from Louisiana and Arkansas as well as Mississippi. Some have longstanding relationships with VA facilities; others just ended up in the Jackson VA hospital by circumstance and were referred to Greenwood from there. Guenther said the VA did require that Denton House make some security-related improvements to the building, such as adding a lock on the front door. Overall, the VA arrangement has worked well, he said. Denton House also works with Life Help’s other facilities to help those who need crisis care, treatment
for depression or other services — often on short notice. Most of the veteran clients have had no ties to Greenwood other than Denton House, but many have stayed in touch and expressed gratitude for their treatment, Guenther said. “‘I’m glad to say that most of the men who’ve left here have left here having had an experience they appreciate,” he said. “And we know that because they call us and talk to us.” Not a lot of people do that after seeking treatment, he said. “A lot of civilian clients who go to treatment, the last thing they would ever think about is staying in touch with the treatment center,” he said with a laugh. “You know — ‘once out, that’s it, I’m gone.’” v v v
Just as good word of mouth has helped bring veterans to Denton House, the facility’s reputation has resulted in a steady stream of referrals from drug courts around the state, Guenther said. The 4th Circuit, which includes Leflore County, was the third in the state to add a drug court, doing so in 2002. Now 17 circuits have drug courts, and a number of them send people to Denton House. These includes the McComb-based 14th Circuit, which had the state’s first drug court. So why do courts in these other places
STORY AND PHOTO BY DAVID MONROE
send people to Denton House? One consideration for potential clients is cost. In some other treatment facilities, the admission fee might be around $3,000, but at Denton House, it’s $1,250 or less. Guenther said they’re not making a profit and don’t expect to, but they try to keep the fees low because they know most people can afford only so much. But there’s another simple reason for the referrals, he said: “Because we’re good.” He said many people have praised the Denton House staff members for their courtesy. Just being polite on the phone can go a long way, especially when a prospective client or relative might be inclined to tell his or her life story to a listener, he said. Denton House also has forged relationships with people in health care, the courts and other fields around Mississippi. Some of these relationships came about by chance — someone meeting someone else at a conference, for example — but they have helped the facility’s reputation grow, Guenther said. Having experienced leaders such as Dorothy Robertson, outpatient substance abuse coordinator, also helps, he said. “Dorothy’s been around for quite a while, and I’ve been around for long enough — not quite 20 years,” he said. “And we’ve got plenty of contacts in the department and outside, plenty of friends, and they trust us.” !
Page6 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page7 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
ALLERGIES
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“I can’t test you for everything at the grocery store. I’ll bankrupt you, and you don’t have enough blood.” Dr. Sam Sprehe
Allergic to what? Dr. Sam Sprehe, a board-certified allergist with Greenwood ENT and Allergy Clinic, can treat your allergy problems. But first, he recommends taking a nondrowsy, over-thecounter antihistamine, such as Claritin or Allegra.
Cause of problem not always obvious F
Right now, grasses are stopping pollinating, and weeds are just starting, Sprehe said. shrimp. “So the summer kind of wanes a little But the real culprit can be a sneakier bit,” he said. “Now because of the temsource: the seasonings. perate climate of the Delta area, they “I had a gal who was convinced it was overlap quite a bit because there’s not shrimp allergy. We had to break down all any specific seasons. Up north, you can the spices in Zatarain’s crab boil to find really tell when summer starts and fall out she was allergic to sage,” said Dr. starts.” Sam Sprehe. When beginning an allergy practice The board-certified allergist with here, Sprehe worked with Mississippi Greenwood ENT and Allergy Clinic sees State to better specify sources of allergy it all when it comes to Delta allergies. problems in Greenwood. They can be divided into two main cat“We pick up everything that’s sweeping egories: things you inhale and things you up out of north Louisiana, east Texas, eat. Arkansas. Anything that starts to the Inhalants are divided into seasonals — left and moves right, it’s going to hit us,” trees, grasses or weeds that only cause he said. trouble during a certain time of the year Mississippi State helped identify what — and perennials, which are constant species of trees and grasses cause probnuisances. Those include mold — which lems here, leading to a more sophisticatSprehe said is a huge problem around ed panel given to test people who think here — as well as pet danders and dust they might have an allergy. It’s also mites. resulted in giving allergy shots that are easting at a seafood boil leads to a bad reaction, and your first thought is that you’re allergic to
more specific to what people are allergic to, Sprehe said. The first step in treating someone with a possible allergy is to take a long, careful history, Sprehe said. Next he starts them on a non-drowsy, over-the-counter antihistamine. “Claritin and Allegra are wonderful, and they used to be prescription drugs,” the physician said. “They don’t sedate anybody, and they’re relatively cheap. You can get a month’s worth for less than twenty bucks at Walmart.” A steroid nose spray is also used to stabilize the nasal membranes, so you don’t react so violently to whatever you’re allergic to. The sprays are used immediately after showers because the nose is open from the steam, Sprehe said. That procedure is all 70 percent ever need, he said. The rest require allergy shots. The tests for allergies don’t require pin sticks anymore; doctors simply draw a blood sample.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHARLIE SMITH AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
They don’t take a shotgun approach of testing for every possible allergy. “I can’t test for you everything at the grocery store. I’ll bankrupt you, and you don’t have enough blood,” Sprehe quipped. “We do things that make sense based on their diet.” Patients complete a 10-page food diary of what they eat every day, giving doctors clues about what needs to be checked. Managing allergies is key. Someone who is just allergic to grasses can take a nose spray and allergy pill beginning in May and stopping in September, Sprehe said. With food, obvious ones can be avoided. “If you’re allergic to shrimp, well, it’s pretty hard for somebody to slip you a piece of shrimp without you knowing you’ve eaten shrimp,” Sprehe said. “But if it’s corn or if it’s milk, those are tough. Those are hidden in a lot of stuff.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------See ALLERGIES, Page 15
Page8 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page9 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
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Herbal healing Dr. Reba Bailey, a naturopathic physician, stands in her office in Carrollton. Bailey says that when she and her family moved from Oxford to Carrollton, she didn’t intend to set up a practice.
Bailey says she wants to treat cause, not symptoms “I don’t believe God put us C here to take 20 pills a day to
ARROLLTON — Dr. Reba Bailey came to Carrollton with her husband to put her son Max, 8, in a small school. “We lived in Oxford, and they had 18 first grades,” she said. A naturopathic doctor who also sells herbal formulations online, Dr. Bailey said she did not intend to set up a practice. But her desire to help others who have not found relief elsewhere got her started in Carrollton, where she opened a practice in July. “My son was playing ball, and I met the coach’s wife and treated her,” she said. “I started seeing people at my house and making house calls. I’m not going to turn anyone down.” Bailey earned a degree in microbiology from the University of Mississippi and then went to University of Mississippi Medical Center, intending to become a regular medical doctor. However, she said she had trouble “wrapping (her) head around” the type of medicine taught, so she left and went to Birmingham, where four years later, she received a degree at Clayton College of Natural Health. At Clayton she studied herbal pharmacology, clinical nutrition, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine as well as a standard medical school curriculum. She knows how to do acupuncture but says she does not do it. After looking around Carrollton for a place to open a naturopathic practice, she located her office just behind the courthouse at 600 Green St. Although she prefers
am a firm believer in modern medicine, but traditional doctors have our place, too.” She was influenced by her father and grandmother, who believed in natural medicine, if any. “Every morning my dad would have hot water and apple cider vinegar. It helps to keep the body clean,” she said. “My grandmother on his side didn’t take any medications and lived to be 99, still wearing high heels to church and driving.” Bailey said she has a specialty in parasitology and is writing a book about it. In 2006, she created her own formula — a full-body parasite cleanse called Humaworm Formula. She realizes the name is not enticing, but she says many people around the world use the herbal creation. She also makes formulas for other diseases, such as Dr. Reba Bailey diabetes, autism, ADHD, fibromyalgia and arthritis, among others. She says she has seen good results in that patients set appointments, she will take walk-ins if many patients. she is not busy at the time. “I can’t help people with genetic problems, but if the Bailey says she practices “common-sense medicine” and cause is environmental, I can help,” she said. was led into her field by her Christian beliefs. Bailey does massage along with herbal medicine for “I don’t believe God put us here to take 20 pills a day to patients whose bodies don’t release fluid. live,” she said. “Modern medicine treats symptoms. Why Also working at the clinic are Barbara Shepard, who not find a root cause? I believe our bodies are meant to assists in the internet business, and Lynn Ware, office heal themselves.” manager. However, she says she does appreciate the value of Naturopathic doctors are not allowed prescribe pharmodern medicine. maceutical prescriptions or bill insurance, including “If I’m in an accident, I want to be taken to a hospital, Medicare and Medicaid. ! where a doctor could set any broken bones,” she said. “I
live. Modern medicine treats symptoms. Why not find a root cause? I believe our bodies are meant to heal themselves.”
STORY AND PHOTO BY RUTH JENSEN
Page10 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page11 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
PAIN MANAGEMENT
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Chronic problem Millions of Americans will suffer all their lives
D
r. Ahmed Abdel Aziz knows a lot about the causes of chronic physical pain and how to treat it. Aziz, 47, is the director of the Greenwood Pain Management Center. “The statistics, according to the National Center for Health, show that chronic pain results in a loss of productivity of nearly $100 billion a year,” the physician said. It is estimated that 76.2 million Americans suffer some sort of chronic pain. “That’s more individuals than have diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined,” Aziz said. “That gives you a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” Aziz said pain can sometimes be helpful, such as when a child touches a stove. “Pain is important to prevent injury,” he said. “But when it becomes chronic, it doesn’t have a useful function.” Chronic pain is typically defined as pain lasting for more than six months that results in a loss of productivity, he said. “We treat chronic pain patients of various origins,” he said, “whether it’s related to disc problems, like neck and low back pain caused by herniated discs, diabetes neuropathies — patients who have longstanding diabetes and who have, for example, burning feet and hands. We treat cancer pains; we treat osteoarthritis pains and sickle cell anemia pains.” Aziz and Dr. Todd Besselievre operate the Greenwood Pain Management Center, located at 1312 Strong Ave. The center has a staff of 10. The center — the only pain center in the Delta — draws patients from around the region, including places such as Tunica, Greenville and Lake Village, Ark. Aziz has been with the center since June 2004. A native of Egypt, he received his degrees in anesthesiology and a pain management fellowship from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Aziz said patients are referred to the center by their primary-care physicians and by specialists, such as neurosurgeons, before being considered as candidates for back and neck surgery. The constant interaction between the primary-care physician and the center helps ensure that the pain management doesn’t interfere with a patient’s other medical treatments and medications, Aziz said. Treatments include pain medication; physical therapy, which is referred to the hospital’s occupational rehabilitation clinic; and injections. Aziz says some of his patients are shortterm and others are long-term. That depends largely on the primary-care physician’s treatment plan. “The majority continue to come for the rest of their lives simply because of the phobia of prescribing pain medication among primary-care physicians,” Aziz said. Aziz says the majority of his patients suffer from neck and low back pain. “Much of it is repetitive minor trauma, such as whiplash and from manual work,” he said. Aziz says patients are typically seen
Dr. Ahmed Abdel Aziz, operator of the Greenwood Pain Management Center, says that neck and lower back pain is the most common problem he encounters with his patients. Aziz says herniated discs are a big problem in the Delta. every two weeks or monthly depending on the severity of their pain. Typically visits are more frequent in the beginning; then once the patient hits upon a regimen that works, the visits become
less frequent. New developments in pain management include a variety of surgical procedures, such as the implanting of a spinal cord stimulator, which interrupts the pain sig-
nals from the lower back. The center can conduct a trial to see if the patient is a candidate for such a procedure, although many people in this area don’t want to take that risk, Aziz said. !
“The statistics, according to the National Center for Health, show that chronic pain results in a loss of productivity of nearly $100 billion a year.” Dr. Ahmed Abdel Aziz STORY AND PHOTO BY BOB DARDEN
Page12 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Page13 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
SPORTS INJURIES
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Sprains, strains Caitlin Wilson of Winona watches as athletic trainer Brian Anderson of the Greenwood Leflore Hospital Outpatient Rehab and Wellness Center does an ultrasound on her knee. Knee injuries are common among those who participate in sports.
Many times, athletes’ injuries preventable, expert says I
f you’ve ever played sports in high school or college, there’s a good chance you’ve had to deal with at least one of the common injuries that hamper athletes. A couple of the biggest problems athletes may incur are sprains and muscle strains, according to veteran athletic trainer Brian Anderson of the Greenwood Leflore Hospital Outpatient Rehab and Wellness Center. Sprains are injuries to ligaments, the tough bands connecting bones in a joint. Suddenly stretching ligaments past their limits deforms or tears them. Strains are injuries to muscle fibers or tendons, which anchor muscles to bones. He said strains are called “pulled muscles” for a reason: Over-stretching or overusing a muscle causes tears in the muscle fibers or tendons. Anderson has 15 years’ experience as an athletic trainer, and on Friday nights, he can always be found on the sidelines of high school football games in Leflore, Carroll or Montgomery county. He also helps out area schools in other sports as part of the center’s outreach program. In terms of muscle strains, Anderson sees more problems in the hamstring, which is made up of three muscles in the back of the thigh. The hamstring can be over-stretched by movements such as hurdling or kicking the leg out sharply when running. He says hamstring injuries can be slow to heal because of the constant stress applied to the injured tissue from walking. “You kind of have to let pain be your guide before you are back to full activity,” Anderson explained. Greenwood’s Michael Nix, a registered physical therapist for Professional Physical Therapy and Wellness Center in Belzoni, has helped the Pillow Academy football team in years past. He says the most common sports sprain occurs in the ankle. Ankle sprains, according to Nix, typically occur when the foot turns inward. This turning stretches or tears the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, which are relatively weak. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------See INJURIES, Page 14 Greenwood’s Sherlonda Givens works to rehab a posterior shoulder muscle injury at Advanced Rehab. STORY AND PHOTOS BY BILL BURRUS
Page14 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Treating sports injuries Ankle sprain For immediate relief for pulls and strains, follow the R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) treatment plan. Because many problems resulting from sprains are due to blood and edema in and around the ankle, it is important to minimize swelling. After applying the ice, wrap the ankle in an ACE bandage or wrap to keep it supported and compressed. An anti-inflammatory can be helpful to reduce pain and inflammation for the first seven to 10 days after the injury. ! Rest. Avoid weight bearing for 24 hours or longer for a severe sprain. ! Ice. Apply ice (bagged, crushed ice wrapped in a thin towel) to the ankle joint. To avoid frostbite, ice should not be left on the area longer than 20 minutes at a time. Ice 20 minutes every two hours for the first 24 hours to control swelling. ! Compression. Wrap the ankle with an elastic bandage (start at the toes and wrap up to the calf) to help prevent swelling and edema. ! Elevation. Raise the ankle above the hip or heart to reduce swelling. ! If swelling doesn’t subside in 48 to 72 hours, seek medical treatment for a complete evaluation. ! If unable to bear weight within 48 hours, seek medical treatment.
Injuries
Hamstring Treatment for hamstring injuries depends upon the severity of the injury. Due to the pain and limited ability to use the muscle, a third-degree strain usually results in a visit to a physician for evaluation and treatment. Less severe hamstring strains may be treated at home. These general treatment steps are commonly recommended for mild or moderate hamstring injuries. ! After an injury it’s important to rest the injured muscle, sometimes for up to two or three weeks, before you can return to sports. ! R.I.C.E: Rest, apply ice and compression and elevate the leg if possible. ! An anti-inflammatory can help reduce pain and inflammation. ! A stretching program can be started as soon as the pain and swelling subsides. ! Use a strengthening program to rebuild the strength of the injured muscle in order to prevent re-injury. Make sure you increase this gradually. ! A thigh wrap can be applied to provide support as the muscle heals. Shin splints Rest is the best treatment for shin splints. For immediate relief use the R.I.C.E. treatment method for controlling pain and inflammation. Return to activity gradually with non-weight-bearing activity (cycling, swim-
Try to not place ice directly on skin. Anderson said one common mistake made when icing sprains is keeping the injured area under ice for longer than 25 Continued from Page 13 minutes at a time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“The body will signal hypothermia, and, Nix says for immediate relief, follow the as a self-defense mechanism, will send R.I.C.E. treatment plan: rest, ice, compres- more blood to that area,” Anderson said. “And that’s not what you want when sion and elevation. Many of the problems you’re trying to reduce swelling.” resulting from sprains are due to blood A high ankle sprain is slower to heal, and edema in and around the ankle; Nix said, and a doctor should probably therefore it is important to minimize examine it to make sure the bones in the swelling. After applying the ice, wrap the ankle in an ACE bandage or wrap to keep lower leg did not separate. “Sometimes preventing common sports it supported and compressed. An antiinjuries is beyond our control, but many inflammatory can be helpful to reduce times sports injuries are preventable,” Nix pain and inflammation for the first seven said. “We can bring on injury ourselves to 10 days after the injury.
ming) in your workouts until pain-free. ! Strengthening and stretching exercises are helpful. The ankle injury rehab program can also be used for shin splint rehab. ! Tape your shins to reduce stress. ! Wear proper footwear. ! Replace shoes as needed. Tennis elbow Rest is the first treatment for tennis elbow. Stop all activities that cause the pain and use the RICE treatment method to reduce pain and swelling. Conservative treatments are often all that is needed for a full recovery of a tendinitis, which usually resolves itself in a few days to a few weeks. If tennis elbow pain is due to a deterioration of the tendon (tendinopathy), it can take two to six months to fully recover. Many cases of lateral epicondylitis become chronic problems that progressively get worse if the athlete continues activity despite nagging elbow pain. If elbow pain lasts more than a few days despite rest and conservative treatment, you should see a physician for an evaluation and a referral to physical therapy. A physical therapist may use ultrasound or other modalities to help heal tendinopathy. The specific rehab depends upon the exact cause of the injury and the diagnosis; however, the most common rehab methods include ultrasound, medications, massage, braces or splints.
because we’re not conditioned for the activity. A good stretching and strength training program can help fight off some injuries.” Here’s a look at some other common sports injuries and how they can occur: ! Groin pull: Pushing off in a side-toside motion causes strain of the inner thigh muscles or groin. ! Shin splints: Pains down the front of the lower legs. They are most often brought on by running — especially when starting a more strenuous training program such as long runs on paved roads or hard surfaces. ! ACL knee tear: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) holds the leg bone to the knee. Sudden cuts or stops or getting hit
from the side can strain or tear the ACL. This is potentially the most severe of the common sports injuries. Always, if you suspect an ACL injury, see a doctor immediately because a completely torn ACL usually will require surgery. ! Tennis elbow: Caused mainly in racket sports due to, overuse of the forearm extensor muscles, along with repeated impact.Other factors that may contribute to tennis elbow include lack of strength, poor technique, and increases in duration or intensity of play. The injury causes pain on the outside of the elbow, usually during or after intense use. In some cases, lifting or grasping objects may be difficult, and some have pain that radiates down the arm. !
Page15 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================
Allergies
Long John Silver’s. Peanut is a common allergy, but Sprehe said there’s no cause for concern Continued from Page 7 with a peanut warehouse ---------------------------------------------------------opening this summer in Seafood allergies are Greenwood. very common in the Delta, “Yes, there’s going to be a Sprehe said. lot of aerosolized material “And that has to be broin the air, but we don’t ken down into crustaceans really have any long-term like the things that turn studies anywhere to show red when you boil them that a peanut plant, any like crayfish, shrimp, lobmore than a cotton seed ster, crab, versus the other mill, is going to sensitize a things like fish, bass, catpopulation to an allergy,” fish,” he said. he said. Sprehe said workers Sprehe said industries from Heartland Catfish do a great job today of have been forced to retire washing their byproducts or quit because they are so they aren’t released into allergic to touching catfish, the air. even if wearing gloves. “It’s not just belched out Sprehe said there’s some into the community. It’s not cross-reactivity: If you’re Many people are allergic to seafood, such as shrimp, but burped out all over town. ... allergic to shrimp, you sometimes the real problem is the spices used in the These people are very might be allergic to related preparation of the food. responsible,” he said. crustaceans such as lobBut he said someone A freshwater bass same allergies as a sea sters or crayfish. But it with a peanut allergy bass on the coast, but it doesn’t cross family lines to caught in a pond in might want to think about oysters or mussels, he said. Carrollton could cause the wouldn’t apply to cod at not working at the plant.!
Hooping
sizes,” she said. McWilliams has discovered that the exercise not only is great cardio but also Continued from Page 3 relieves back pain. ---------------------------------------------------------- “I have a really bad back, hooping herself. and hooping has helped me She picked up a hoop for so much with that,” she the first time three years said. “I just love how it ago at a festival and has works everything from your been spinning and dancing ankles to your head.” ever since. “A friend of She even makes her own mine was into hooping, and hoops. “It’s pretty easy to she asked me to grab one do,” she said. “I can have and come join her,” one made in about 10 minMcWilliams said. utes.” “I made a complete fool of McWilliams said she myself and was quite started making hoops embarrassed,” she laughed. But the lack of skills in the beginning only fueled her interest, and she started looking up information on it. “I realized, ‘Hey, I can do some of this stuff,’ and I’ve been into it ever since,” she said. McWilliams didn’t catch on to hooping right away. “Everybody learns at a different pace, and it took me a little longer to get it than some of my friends,” she said. It took McWilliams a couple of years to gain enough confidence to hoop in front of people. “I was a backyard hooper. I wouldn’t let anybody see me until now,” she said. McWilliams can now spin multiple hoops at one time, throw them and jump through them among other tricks. She even has a few hoops with LED lights that she performs with just for fun. “I just kept trying and trying until I finally got it,” McWilliams said. When she finally got the hang of it, she decided she wanted to introduce other people in Mississippi to this fitness plan. “I love the feeling of finally getting into that mood of accomplishing something I’ve been trying to do for a long time,” McWilliams said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to teach it. I love to see my students finally catch that, too. It brings a smile to my face to know they’re excelling.” McWilliams’ students range from age 6 all the way to late 60s. “Hooping really is for all ages, shapes and
because she wanted to spread hooping throughout the Delta. She keeps plenty on hand for her students to use whenever she teaches a class, and she keeps a few hoops in her car just so people will notice them and ask about them. “A lot of times I’m able to tell people about what I do, and they want to start hooping,” McWilliams said. “When people touch one or play with one for a minute, it gets them interested, and they want a hoop of their own.”
For McWilliams, hooping is more than just a quick, easy way to tone up. It’s a true passion. “Hooping really can change lives,” she said. “It’s my goal to show people in Mississippi that there is a form of exercise out there that’s easy and fun to do and anyone can do it.” For more information on the health benefits of hooping or to join a hooping class, visit McWilliams’ Facebook page, Ann’s Southern Hoops, or email her at annross31@yahoo.com. !
Page16 Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 HEALTH AND FITNESS =======================================================================================================================================================================