Should we eliminate sidewalks?
Has modern civilization impacted our health in
ways we didn't imagine?
My father and I had an interesting discussion
this weekend about the new reflexology mat studies coming out. These studies
specifically talk about the effect on the elderly on walking on simulated bumps.
It specifically talks about stability as being one of the benefits.
My father talked about living on the
farm where there were no sidewalks and how you had to pick up your feet. He said
a lot of surfaces were uneven and challenging.
Civilization has flatten our pathways
with concrete and pavement. But has it been at a price? Shoe beds are flat. The
surfaces we walk on are flat. So the amount of stimulation we receive is
extremely limited.
The elderly
frequently lose the gluteus medius, a small muscle on the side of the hip that
helps cantilever the hip mechanism so the leg on the opposite side has enough
clearance to swing through the air. Because of the effects of shoes and surfaces
over a lifetime this muscle loses tone and therefore the elderly will shuffle
rather than lifting their feet. The results are catastrophic with hip fractures
costing by some estimates 20 billion dollars a year in the US
alone.
Is it time to focus on this
problem with a well developed program of reflexology mats and other forms of
stimulation? It isn't just the incredible expense but the human toll as well.
Posted: Mon - January 26, 2004 at 04:29 PM