October 27, 2005

Q I am very interested in muscle-building, and I have been lifting weights for a number of years with good but not great results. In the gym where I train, there is always new scuttlebutt about the best way to stimulated muscle growth. (I won’t take steroids.) People tell me that ultraslow lifting is the best way to train. Can you comment on this?

A The technique also goes by the name of superslow lifting. Most weightlifters take two seconds to lift the weight, pause for a second at the maximum lift, and then lower the weight in four seconds. In raising the weight, muscles are shortening, and the lift is called a concentric muscle contraction. In the lowering phase, muscles lengthen, and that is eccentric muscle contraction. Eccentric contractions are believed to contribute more to muscle-building than concentric contractions, so a weight should never be allowed to drop to the starting position quickly.

The ultraslow lifters say to take a full 10 seconds to raise the weight and a full 10 seconds to lower it. They maintain that lifting in this fashion taxes the muscles more and is a greater impetus to muscle growth and strength. One reason given for this is that in lifting somewhat quickly, momentum is imparted to the lift, and the momentum lessens the strenuousness of the lift.

However, in order to lift slowly, a person must lift lighter weights, and it seems to me that it reduces some of the appeal of the slow-lift theory.

In one comparison between the ordinary method and the slow method, however, those who used the slow technique showed a greater increase in strength gain. Other studies have failed to confirm this finding. If you want to try it, do so. It won't hurt you. And if you want to read a good article on this weightlifting method, ask your local library to obtain for you the April 2005 issue, of the Strength and Conditioning Journal. Turn to page 32, where you'll find an exposition of this technique by B.K. Greer.

Q For the past three years, my granddaughters, ages eight and ten, have been practicing gymnastics two hours a day, four times a week.

I have heard that this much exercise can delay puberty and interfere with growth. They are both small for their age but are otherwise healthy.

I would like to know if they are overdoing exercise — and if they will have future problems.

A No official organization has specified the amount of exercise that is unhealthy for children of any given age. Specific sport organizations, like Little League Baseball, however, have issued guidelines to limit certain activities, like throwing, depending on the age of a child.

Exercise is necessary for bone growth. So, all children should be encouraged to take part in some form of exercise.

All the same, high-intensity exercise without sufficient time for recuperation can inhibit bone growth and can make children susceptible to injuries.

Signs of overdoing include repeated injuries, such as one sprained ankle after another, one sore shoulder after another or an elbow that doesn't stop hurting. A delay in puberty is another indication that the exercise routine might have gotten out of hand. So is a failure to grow.

You didn't give me your granddaughters' heights, but I can give you the 50th-percentile heights for girls of their ages. They are 51 and 54 inches respectively. If your granddaughters fall much below those measurements and if that is not a genetic trait, I would be concerned.

A child's psychological health must also be considered. Are they happy spending this much time on gymnastics?

Q How long does it take for a broken bone to heal?

A It depends on the bone and the kind of break. A broken finger heals in three to five weeks. A broken forearm bone takes about six to eight weeks.

Dr Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)