Injuries / Health Concerns

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• I have been walking up and down the 5 flights of stairs to my office each morning and lunchtime. I was told yesterday that I shouldn't walk down the stairs, only up the stairs, as it puts undue pressure on my knees and could be harmful. Could you please let me know if this is true? I recall in the book that you said you sometimes walk up the 14 flights of stairs to your office (I don't recall you saying you walk down).

• I have recently finished reading Strong Women (and Men) Beat Arthritis and have been following the program in order to deal with my rheumatoid arthritis. I've been pleased with the results, however I have a question that I can't seem to answer... In the Sept-Oct edition of Arthritis Today they have printed a supplement guide, which includes information on flaxseed (which I have been taking religiously!). It states that flaxseed should be avoided by "women with hormone-sensitive breast and uterine cancer, and by people with high cholesterol." At the same time they also state that "flaxseed lowers total and LDL cholesterol, reduces risk of heart disease and cancer...” Since I am a breast cancer survivor, I need to know whether or not I should be avoiding flaxseed... Can you shed any light on the matter? Is it safe for me to be taking flaxseed? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

• I have been doing the Strong Women program for several years - with great success. For about the last month, I have had a sore rotator cuff muscle. Can I do the other arm exercises (biceps curl and upward row) and not aggravate my rotator cuff? I miss doing my arm exercises and I don't want to lose that muscle tone.

• My husband and I are trying to get pregnant. I saw on the FAQ that pregnant women should not start a strength-training program. But I will already have been doing the program for several months. Once I am pregnant can I continue with the program? Or should I stop and then start all over again once I have given birth? Thank you for your time. As with so many others, your program changed my life!

• My wife has degenerative disc disease (DDD). I am quite impressed with your thorough research and your synergistic approach to the problem. However, like many other treatises, everything seems to apply and point to knee and hip problems. Is there proof (not just assumption that if it works for one thing it will work for another) that your approach is as effective with spinal problems? The doctor says that my wife has spinal stenosis. The pain goes down her right leg. It has been in her ankle at times and in her arm. I guess my real question is whether following your exercise program for strengthening the muscles as opposed to a supervised swimming program is worth the effort?

• I understand that your group at Tufts is doing exercise programs for people with HIV. Can you tell me a little about the program?

• I have glaucoma - is it safe for me to do your strength training programs?

• I am 52, menopausal for 4 years, and have noticed a decided curve to my upper back. I've had x-rays, so I know there haven't been any fractures, and have been told that this is just "normal" aging. I also know that my spinal bone density has declined 17% in the last four years. Are there ways to reverse that curve since it isn't caused by fractures? I don't want to accept this as "normal" if I can fight back.

• Can you please explain the announcement that came out yesterday, June 19, 2001, which stated that older women who have a high bone density are 50% more prone to breast cancer. I, as well as many of my co-workers who all use your program, found that statement particularly alarming.

• I have read that forward bending postures in yoga are dangerous for women who have osteopenia or osteoporosis. Are twisting postures safe?

• For a couple of years, I had wanted to begin strength training. I read your books to give me the impetus. They worked. I joined a local YMCA and got the expected and some unexpected results. For about two years before that, I was suffering (and I don't use that term lightly) from hemorrhoids. I tried everything: creams, hydrocortisone, increasing fiber, all which produced temporary relief if any at all. My doctor said that short of surgery, there wasn't any way of getting rid of them.

• I'm a 67-year-old woman in fairly decent condition. I have been doing the Strong Women program at a gym with a fitness trainer. I have found that I am quite fatigued the day after a session, enough to need a short nap. My muscles have been pretty sore the next day also. I have reduced the weight on the various machines. I have increased the time between sessions to two days. Do you think my body, my muscles, will gradually adjust or do you have any further suggestions. I am enjoying the fitness sessions on the machines and would not want to give up.

• I have a slight problem with varicose veins and notice that after using legs weights I have some discomfort in my legs. I'm wondering if wearing heavier socks would help since this would distribute the weights more evenly on my legs. Basically, I'd like to know if it is ok to lift leg weights if you have varicose veins?

• I am 46 years old and have been following the Strong Women Stay Slim program for over a year. Aerobic exercise makes my face break out. I wash after exercise, but I still have a rash of bumps that sometimes turn red. Have you heard of this problem?

• Do you know whether anyone has done any research on using strength training as a therapy for repetitive strain injuries?

• As a result of post-polio syndrome I have lost all strength in my right leg and hip, and my left hip has been giving me a lot of pain of late. Will I be able to handle the exercises you lay out in your book?

• I am on a beta-blocker, which keeps my heart rate low, and it is very difficult to get my heart rate in my target zone (122-148). What can I do? Is it safe to raise my heart rate from my norm of 60-70 to 122-148 three times a week for 20 minutes as my personal trainer would like me to?

• I'm an active 70-year-old and I've enjoyed exercising with the weights a lot. This year, since doing the weight lifting, I have developed many spider vein marks on my lower legs, ankles and feet. Could this be caused by the exercises?

• I had my blood pressure checked lately and it was high. With hypertension, is strength training advisable since weight lifting raises blood pressure?

• I've started working out at a gym. I seem to have pulled a muscle in my shoulder, and I'm not a happy camper. I had surgery on that shoulder last year and am kind of worried about stressing it. I have bursitis in both shoulders and don't want to make them worse. I'm wondering if you have any info about which machines a shoulder bursitis sufferer should avoid?

• I have been doing the exercises every other day for several weeks. My problem is that my wrists are REALLY sore. Do wrists need to get stronger? Or am I doing something wrong like gripping too tight or bending my wrists? If this is a common symptom of doing something wrong, can you tell me? I really want to resolve it and stick with the strength training.

• I recently purchased your book and am excited about getting started on the program. But my question is regarding my mother. She will be 87 years old in May. She lives alone and is managing fairly well, but I believe many of the problems she does have are related to strength deficiencies. I truly feel that the strength training would be of great benefit to her. But feel we need to be very cautious about starting this in a woman her age without adequate supervision. If you have any suggestions, I would be most appreciative.

• I recently started your strength training program, and just learned that I have arthritis. I want to continue the training and am at 10 pounds. I have no problem with ten pounds, except that a few hours later my wrists begin to ache badly. Thank you for any suggestions you might make.

• I recently read an article linking testosterone levels in women to libido. After 10 months of working out, consisting of 2-3 sessions weekly on Nautilus weight training equipment with progressively heavier weights, 2-3 aerobic workouts per week, and a modified diet (I'm now 50 pounds lighter), I've found that my sex drive has significantly increased (I'm soon to be 42 years old). Of course, I'm also now totally addicted to working out. I know that it can be attributed to psychological aspects of improved body image, self-confidence, etc., but I was wondering if there are physiological reasons for it also...does increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat also cause a women's body to produce more testosterone?

• Are you still recommending the lateral pulldown with the bar behind the neck (from the gym chapter of Strong Women Stay Young)? Someone warned me that doing them in that manner was bad for the neck.

• I have a back problem and find it hard to maintain a regular exercise program because of lower back pain. I try to do yoga and I walk on my treadmill, any other suggestions?

• I have a medical condition. Can I still do strength training?

• Do you have any suggestions on how to keep your neck and shoulder area relaxed while doing the upper body exercises? I keep getting a stiff neck and sore upper shoulders.

• Can you tell me how to do Kegel exercises correctly? I am a Strong Woman who would like to stay dry!

• My mother-in-law is 75 and has osteoporosis. Her physician recently told her that with her degree of osteoporosis that exercise might be dangerous and that she could break a bone spontaneously, especially if she used heavy weights or "did the exercises wrong." What is your opinion on this?

• Does water aerobics have any effect, positive or negative, on bone density? I'm 43 and have osteoporosis of hip, osteopenia of spine. Some have even speculated that my osteoporosis may be the product of my early years when I was a competitive swimmer, and swimming was my ONLY exercise.

  I'd like to know if there's any research out there concerning strength training and Parkinson's Disease. Could it be of benefit in an older patient with advanced Parkinson's?

• I would much appreciate any tips you may have on curing shin splints, which I seem to have developed out of the blue.

• My 13-year-old daughter really wants to follow the strength-training program with me. I've read that strength training for young boys can be detrimental. My daughter is fairly physically mature. Do you have any advice or caution?

• Two years ago I started a weight program after reading Strong Women Stay Young After 6 months I was lifting 8 lbs. when I noticed small capillaries breaking in my hands. I went back to using 4 lbs. but still have problems. What should I do?

• I have a question regarding the aerobic bouncer, or rebounder. I have one of these and love to use it. How effective is this for osteoporosis? I generally work out on it for at least 30 minutes, 6 days a week and use fast disco music when I am not using the video. I just purchased Dr. Nelson's new book Strong Women, Strong Bones and am going to start the exercises she recommends but would like to continue with the bouncer.

• I have been reading Strong Women, Strong Bones, and I see that postmenopausal women are not supposed to do the jumping exercise. Why not?

• I have an under-active thyroid and have been taking Synthroid for a year now. I recently gained weight - in spite of the fact that I walked everyday (for two months) and did some resistance exercises at home. What must I do to lose weight?

• Do you have any information regarding pre-menopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis?

• My wife was diagnosed with osteoporosis last winter and is on a medically supervised weight-bearing exercise program at a local gym, as well as taking Fosamax. We have had no difficulty finding sources of advice and information about exercise *FOR* osteoporosis (such as yours) but we've had a hard time finding information about exercise *WITH* osteoporosis... Where can we get information about what's safe and what's not for someone in her condition?

• I have osteoporosis in my hip and spine. My doctor recommends strength training and suggested that I do the Leg Press. I have been doing the Strong Women Stay Young exercises and I would prefer not to exercise at a gym. Is there anything else that I can do?

• I tried to start the Strong Women Stay Slim program and much to my dismay, I aggravated my tennis elbow by lifting 1 lb weights. So I stopped. I saw my doctor 3 times and also had acupuncture over several months, which helped a little bit. What should I do - only get strong in my legs and all muscle groups associated with my arms are hopeless until this intractable tennis elbow goes away someday?

• I have been lifting weights on this program for two years. I also walk two miles three times a week. I am 47, 5'2" and I use 12 or 15lb hand weights and about the same in leg weights. My question for you originally came from a dentist friend who regularly does bench presses and squats. He warned me that the exercises you have suggested might be putting more stress on my elbows, knees, and hips that those joints were intended to take. Have you done any research on this?

• In your research for your book, Strong Women, Strong Bones, did you find that a weight-training regiment alleviates perimenopausal/menopausal symptoms, i.e., night sweats, hot flashes, disorientation, and insomnia? I ask this because over the last three months (and a new trainer) I have found that I no longer am experiencing any side effects of menopause, which I have had for the last several years.

• I have recently read about the benefits of strength training and would like to get started. But I am 32 weeks pregnant at present. Is there any way I can do the program?

• When I do the knee extension to a full stretch, even with minimal weight, my knees make the most awful noises, and also hurt (with sharp pains). If I don't go all the way, my knees are noisy, but don't hurt. So should I persevere with the full stretch, or would I be better off not trying to stretch completely?