Contact:
Robin Waxenberg
212/489-8006
rwaxenberg@nyc.rr.com

News Conference
Keynote Speech Summaries

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2006 – To address the serious problems affecting Americans as they age, and to offer the latest research on how baby boomers and seniors can stay healthy, fit and injury-free, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) teamed up to host “Booming Seniors” – an educational forum, held today at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York, from 9:00-11:30 a.m.

Throughout the morning, top health care experts addressed the specific muscuoloskeletal challenges of baby boomers and active seniors. Below are some of the highlights presented.

Wear, Tear and Repair: Options to Maintain Mobility
Key Findings from Vonda J. Wright, MD, MS

• The key to active aging is exercise.
• Twenty-five percent of 41.3 million gym members are age 55 or older; exercise participation in this age group is growing at three times the rate of those ages 34 to 54.
• Sports injuries are on the rise among baby boomers: There was a 33 percent increase in injury from 1991 to 1998.
• The top four reasons for inactivity are fear of falling, unwillingness to take action, resistance to exercise and fear of injury.
• Access to activity and the important role of health care professionals in encouraging activity is critical. If more older Americans engage in physical activity, medical costs (including medication, hospital care and doctor visits) would be reduced.
• Osteoarthritis (OA) affects half of all people 65 years and older.
• Compared to their non-arthritic peers, those with OA are twice as likely to report musculoskeletal injuries and three times as likely to report knee injuries.
• Joint replacements are on the rise: Total knee replacements will increase by 673 percent by 2030 and total hip replacements will increase by 174 percent.
• Joint replacement can help patients resume exercise programs and activity.

Key Findings from Marjorie J. Albohm, MS, ATC

• Customized exercise prescriptions can help booming seniors improve and maintain mobility.
• The goal of any exercise program should be to maintain mobility, stay physically active and develop and maintain fitness parameters like flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, strength and balance to prevent new injuries and halt the progression of old ones.
• Before embarking on any new exercise program, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis and assessment to establish a baseline to track improvements.
• When trying to minimize symptoms and prevent injuries, it’s crucial to listen to your body as you exercise to ensure you’re not making things worse.
• It’s important to incorporate activities that promote physical fitness into your daily life.

Fracture Prevention: A Call to Arms (Hips and Vertebrae)
Key Findings from Laura L. Tosi, MD

• The burden of bone disease can be reduced if at-risk individuals are identified and appropriate interventions are timely.
• Bones are increasingly susceptible to osteoporosis and fractures as we age.
• Osteoporosis and low bone mass in people aged 50 and older is a major public health problem.
• Among people discharged from the hospital after a hip fracture, one in three men and one in four women die within one year; among those who survive, half will permanently require a cane or walker for the rest of their lives.
• Americans experience 1.5 million fractures annually.
• Fractures beget other fractures – in fact, a history of fragility fracture is more predictive of future fracture than bone density.
• Although men experience fractures less often than women do, they are at a higher risk of re-fracture than women.
• Steps people can take to prevent fractures include obtaining a medical evaluation for secondary causes of osteoporosis, nutrition monitoring, DEXA (bone density test) and “falls” evaluations, strength and balance exercise programs and ongoing medical therapy.

Key Findings from Brian M. Franklin, MS, ATC

• Falls are the leading cause of fractures and the leading cause of falls is a loss of muscle strength – active boomers and seniors need to anticipate risks and participate in prevention.
• Conditions that predispose people to injury are mechanical arthritis (ankle, knee, hip or back injury), biological arthritis, neurological injury of disease and loss of motion.
• Keys to preventing accidents that cause fragility fractures include knowing your surroundings (environmental assessments), medical treatment to identify causes of dizziness, maintaining a healthy diet, and early and complete treatment of ongoing lower-extremity injuries (e.g., ligament repair, joint replacement, etc.)
• Strategies for fall prevention include focusing on muscle strength and flexibility exercises, balance training and use of walking aids.
• Management of osteoporosis includes early detection and treatment, along with a weight-bearing strength exercise regimen.

Case Histories
Edward A. Toriello, MD, FACS

• Toriello underwent back surgery (a lumbar microdiscectomy) in May of 2005 and a total knee replacement in February of 2006.
• He returned to work a few weeks after the back surgery and five weeks after the knee surgery.
• After rehabilitation, Toriello is now back to riding his exercise bicycle 30 minutes per day.
• He also performs a weight-training regimen three times per week and has regained the mobility and range of motion lost before each surgery.

Christal Phelps Steele

• As the first violinist and acting associate concertmaster for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Steele sustained more than a decade of musculoskeletal
• injuries and chronic pain from exercise and the wear and tear of traveling and performing.
• She tried a variety of rehabilitative techniques but she continued to feel out of alignment and imbalanced.
• Having joined the orchestra in 1973, Steele was forced to stop playing for nearly two years in 2002, after the pain became too strong and she was unable to comfortably hold the violin.
• She ultimately received the care she needed to return to the stage and resume physical activities.

Exercise Presentation
Gene Schafer, MA, ATC

• Schafer, the owner of the ARC Athletics fitness and rehabilitation facility in New York City, led those in attendance in exercises that incorporate strength, flexibility and balance, using exercise alone, as well as exercises with BoSu balls and balance boards.
• He also discussed the importance of modifying activities we take part in as we age, and he highlighted the benefits of Tai Chi, yoga and pilates as part of an ongoing fitness regimen.