Does listening to music make you run faster? New study has the answer.

Is it healthful?

Short ‘n’ healthful article: 

You’re ambling along, until suddenly your favourite song comes on. Your beat, your jam, your rhythm! What was once a leisurely stroll becomes a shoe scuffing sprint. Are you going insane, or does listening to music make you quick? Like, super quick. Well a new scientific study has the answer for you.

In this study a small group of runners went for, you guessed it, a run. The group were assigned to run with either fast music, slow music, or God forbid, no music. Those that listened to fast music ran at a faster pace, achieved a higher peak heart rate, but didn’t feel like they were working any harder than the other groups.

Therefore, based on this study, fast music may directly improve your sport performance, or at least optimise your training sessions, indirectly improving performance. 

Our verdict: moderately healthful, if your music is fast…

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The sexy, saucy science on cellulite treatments

Is it healthful?

Cellulite…… I paused to let that the shiver run down your spine.  It affects around 90% of the female population at one time in their lives!  So why/how does it happen and what does science say we can do about it?

Why/how it happens?

We’re not exactly sure why cellulite occurs, but the usual culprits: poor diet, smoking, not enough exercise and genetics are implicated. What we do know, is that cellulite occurs when the fat under the skin (the subcutaneous fat) pushes up into and disrupts the surrounding internal layer of skin (the dermis), which then gives off a bumpy appearance on the external layer of skin (the epidermis). Not good.

So, how can we fix it?

There’s two major options that have been studied: 1. Off the shelf cosmetic products AND 2. Conservative treatments offered by beauty therapists and/or plastic surgeons. Which one should you choose?

1…

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Should you ice after an injury? Science’s definitive answer.

Is it healthful?

Yes, it’s a question that has divided nations and torn families apart. In fact, I’m pretty sure this topic is what caused Tasmania to break itself off from the Australian mainland! Some will say: ice, ice baby; while others wouldn’t let  ice in the same room as their injury.

Pro-icers claim ice reduces inflammation, which is often excessive and disrupts joint function. Anti-icers, ironically, also believe ice will reduce inflammation, but they feel that inflammation is a natural process needed for healing. So, the question we ask science today is: to ice, or not to ice?

The science:

A review of studies looking at the effects of ice on recovery from ACL surgery, found ice reduced pain at 48-hours post-surgery, but had little long term effect on function (1). Round one, anti-icers!

Another review paper looked at icing following total knee replacement. Icing post-surgery decreased blood loss in…

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Will listening to music make you less stressed? New study says……

Short ‘n’ healthful:

As I embarked on my morning run, I was worried. No, I was stressed. I was ten minutes behind my morning schedule and if I didn’t reach Usain Bolt like speeds during my run, I was going to be late for work. Again. Then like clockwork, I inserted earbuds into my ears and the stress suddenly lifted.  As I heard about Jay Z’s 99 problems – of which a bitch was not one – and found out that, in fact, Eminem was slim shady, the real slim shady, my stress progressively lifted. Unfortunately because my stress levels were so low, I ended up being three hours late for work. Drat! On a positive note, this did prompt me to ask a question. What is that question, you question?  That question is: does listening to music make you less stressed?  

The science:

Apparently, I’m not the only one to have experienced the exact, above scenario. I say this because scientists have recently conducted a study to determine whether music decreases real world stress.

In this most stressful of studies, 55 university students were asked to rate the amount of music they had been listening to, their self rated stress levels and a measure of their stress hormone (cortisol) levels were taken. These measures were taken both during the semester and during the exam period. The study found that listening to more music was associated with statistically significant lower levels of self-rated stress and blood cortisol. Stress levels were found to be even lower if a student listened to music solely for relaxation. You ripper!

Is it healthful:

Usual story – these findings are from a single study and they are only correlational in nature. Meaning we can’t be certain that this isn’t just a coincidence. In saying this, listening to music may be slightly healthful for reducing stress. Listening to German death metal, maybe not so much.

I hope this has been healthful. Does music chill you out, man?    

Could exercise enhance your test taking ability? The scientific facts!

Short ‘n’ healthful article: exercise before a test

Now that I know everything, I don’t need to go to school (sarcasm).  But in another life, when I did go to school, I noticed I would always feel a bit sharper after I exercised. Perhaps it was just getting outside after 10 hours of solitary confinement, or maybe it was the exercise itself?  Regardless, I needn’t now worry about the mechanism, with a new study analysing whether an acute bout of exercise will sharpen up the old noggin. So, ladies and gentlemen, does it?

The study:

In this most fabulous of studies a group of year 9-12 children, at separate times and in a random order, completed a school class and then took no break from class, or a 5, 10, or 20 minute exercise break before completing a maths test. The study found that those that took a 10 or 20 minute exercise break before the test performed moderately better than those that took no break at all.  So, all in all, if you do an acute bout of exercise before taking a test, it’s probably going to enhance your test taking ability. Tell your teacher this!

Is it healthful:

Yes, acute exercise appears to moderately enhance subsequent academic performance. For this reason it is moderately healthful in this scenario.

While the study was conducted on a fairly large population, it is a single study of a small age group, so we can’t say for definite that exercise enhances academic performance in all people. However, the theory very much makes sense and if I wasn’t so lazy, I’d reference a few other studies mirroring this one.

I hope this has been healthful. Do you also get smarter when you exercise?     

Are shape shoes the answer to a better booty? The scientific facts!

Change the world? Nah, I just want an ass like Kim Kardashian. Well in order to get “dat ass”, you have to wear shape shoes, according to the ass herself.  Yes, shape shoes.

What are shape shoes, I hear you ask?  Well, my friend, they’re shoes that look like canoes. Yes, they’re shoe canoes!  Apparently the odd shape of these shoes makes your lower limbs unstable when you walk, causing you to contract the muscles of the lower limb more than normal. Additionally, the rocking back and forth of the shoes is said to lead to greater activation of the glutes, giving you a fabulous fanny, dashing derriere and a plush posterior! Yum.

The companies themselves have released many “research papers” on the topic, showing these shoes to: sculpt yo’ ass, make you mo’ muscular and probably cure cancer. Today we’re giving those papers a bit of a miss and focusing on the proper scientific literature on the topic, to answer once and for all: will shape shoes shape you? 

So, will they?

Great question! Let’s see.

In one very small study, individuals were asked to stand and then walk along a plate in normal shoes, or shape shoes (Reebok Easy Tones). While they did this sensors were attached to their muscles – including, but not limited to, their butt!  When individuals stood on the plate, the force going through the plate and the activation of the muscles was the same in both groups. This indicates, at least, that standing in shape shoes isn’t going to sculpt your butt, or any other muscles!

What about walking? When walking there was no difference in gluteal activation between the two shoes. There was a very minor increase in quad muscle activity, but after statistical analysis the authors stated this may have been due to chance (1). It looks like Kim might be lying to you!

But before we unequivocally accuse Kim of fibbing let’s scratch deeper. A second study (small again) showed a shape shoe to slightly increase the force placed through the lower limbs. However, shape shoers, there was NO increase in gluteal, or other lower limb, muscle activation when compared to normal shoes (2) Suggesting, again, that shape shoes are unlikely to sculpt that behind of yours.

Okay, Kim, one last shot for redemption.  A third study was more positive. It found rocker shoes to slightly increase calf and quadricep muscle activity. However, once again there was no notable change in gluteal activity when wearing shape shoes (3).  So what does this mean? Are shape shoes healthful?

Is it healthful?

Booty building: When it comes to toning your bottom, walking or standing in shape shoes isn’t going to have any effect, based on current data. Yes, the scientific evidence isn’t strong; but in the studies to date there isn’t a single sign of increased gluteal activity, or any evidence to suggest that shape shoes might work for this. The verdict: unhealthful.

Strengthening other lower limb muscles: Shape shoes MAY increase the amount you work the calf muscles and quadriceps when walking. However, this is a MAY and I very much doubt this will lead to a significant change in the appearance or function of these muscles. For this reason, shape shoes are unhealthful, or slightly healthful for toning lower limb muscles. 

Before I finish, I should note that there is good evidence that rocker type shoes may be beneficial for certain ankle conditions. But that isn’t the focus of this article.

As always, I hope this has been healthful! What are your thoughts? Have you tried shape shoes?

Pilates: are you wasting your money?

The scientific facts on Pilates. Hint: you could be wasting your money!

Is it healthful?

It’s Saturday morning.  As the scent of caffeine fills your nostrils and drags you from your bed to your nearest cafe in a zombified state, your senses are enlightened. Fluorescent free runs, tantalisingly tight tights and Lululemon logos fill your eyes, but what on earth are these people cueing up for?  The answer, Pilates.

Used by physiotherapists, dancers, gyms and the obvious, Pilates studios, the popularity of Pilates has reached pandemic proportions. So is Pilates just overpriced weight training for the young and trendy, or is it the panacea its proponents claim it to be?

Pilates for back pain:

Many (including health professionals) believe that Pilates and core strengthening are the only solution to crippling low back pain.  If this is you, it might be time to rethink this mantra.

Three great quality studies tell us that Pilates is better than rest in the short term, but is no more effective than…

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Does sleep alter sports performance? Here are the shocking, scientific facts.

Short ‘n’ healthful article:

It’s 8PM.  You’re in bed because you’re playing in the grand final tomorrow and you want to be fresh. Fresh to death (FTD). Heck, it’s the biggest game of your athletic life!

Fast forward six hours and you guessed it, you’re still in bed; oh, and you’re still awake. Wide awake. Yes, you’re as giddy as Gordon Ramsay on his ninth coffee.  You worry and hope that this sleep deprivation won’t impair your performance tomorrow. Should you be worrying? Let’s see what the science has to say!

The science:

Yes, a recent review paper analysed the available data on the topic to date and found the following exciting findings – so, agh, maybe don’t read this if you’re about to go to sleep!

1. Decreased sleep was generally found to impair sports performance. Endurance sports performance was more effected than anaerobic (powerful) sports performance. This is likely since endurance exercise requires prolonged motivation, which is impaired with sleep deprivation. Dang!

2. Evening sports performance appears to be more impaired by sleep deprivation than morning performance.  Bad news if you’re a professional beer ponger like me!

3. Sleep deprivation earlier in the night is better than that later in the night. So whatever you do, don’t wake up!

4. There is some evidence (of a fairly poor quality) that extending sleep times in the weeks prior to a competition can enhance performance in that competition.  LeBron James reports doing this, so it must work!

Is it healthful:

Yes, sleep is moderately healthful when it comes to sports performance, particularly if you’re an endurance athlete, or playing sport in the evening. Adding on a few hours of Captain Snooze in the weeks before competition may make you a little more LeBron like. All in all, you were right to worry!

I hope this has been healthful! Do you find sleep alters your sports performance? 

Short ‘n’ healthful: why cherry concentrate might make you a better athlete.

A recent scientific study, has shown that it might be time to pop your cherry juice cherry. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it appears that drinking cherries may make you a better athlete; maybe even a better person if Lance Armstrong is anything to go by.

In this cherry of a study, 16 cyclists were randomly split into two groups. One group drank 35mL of Montmorency tart cherry concentrate twice daily for eight days, while the other group consumed a similar tasting placebo drink. Yummy!  On the fifth day both groups completed an intense cycling session replicating road race demands.  

Following the intense cycling, the group that consumed the cherry juice supplement did not exhibit a decrease in muscle strength, or cycling economy, while the placebo group did.  Additionally, markers of DOMs were lower in the cherry juice group.  

All in all, this was by no means an awesome study, but it suggests that regular cherry juice supplementation might improve recovery and if you cycle, run, or play any sport at a competitive level it may provide you with a slight edge over those damned opponents of yours. We’ll provide a more comprehensive review on the topic at the end of the week, but for the time being consider this an appetiser.

Our verdict: slightly healthful (based on weak data).

I hope this has been healthful. Your thoughts?

The top science backed ways to get healthy!

Is it healthful?

A Fitbit, Lululemon tights and a brand spanking pair of fluorescent Nike Free Runs.  Yes, you’re looking like wealth and boy are you motivated to exercise. Excellent!

Fast forward a week and your Free Runs are losing their lustre, your Fitbit sits on your bedside table judging you silently as only an inanimate/relatively inanimate object could, and the only exercise your Lululemons get is the walk from your home to the local coffee shop.  We’ve all experienced this before, or some sort of variation on this.  So what are the scientifically proven ways to get healthy? More Lululemon? Probably not.

Physical health strategies:

Gym memberships, personal trainers and dieticians:

The data is limited regarding the effects of having a gym membership on exercise performed. Although, it is a well known fact that gyms make a lot of money from people not using their memberships! In fact, a review study found…

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