According to an article in The Annals of Internal Medicine (2002),
exercise can reduce, or even eliminate the need for pain medication
taken for back or joint pain, but it requires your commitment to actually
doing a regular home program.

Now, when I was in practice, I sent many (most) patients to Physical
Therapy, but that was in addition to, not instead of, a home exercise program.
You see, once I undertook the treatment of any patient, I became responsible
for the result they would get, from their point of view, even if the patient ignored
all my advice and even if they did things I specifically told them not to.

I quickly learned that most people, left to their own devices, would
slide on this, avoiding any prescribed exercises, but they’d be only
too happy to blame their doctor (me) for a less than excellent result.

For that reason, I sent everyone to P.T., before and after knee or hip
surgery. And of course, in many cases, this was the main treatment.
I told them to make gains at therapy (where they had supervision), then
maintain those gains with exercises at home. That simple formula worked
pretty well for my entire orthopaedic career.

If they were well motivated at P.T. and did the required work at home,
they almost always had significant improvement. And many had an outright
“cure.”

Exercise is far preferable to the usual treatment for chronic pain, with continual
analgesic medications, which almost always results in disappointment, with
constant pain, not to mention drug resistance (diminishing effectiveness, requiring
constantly increasing amounts) and eventually, potential addiction.

It is true that exercise can take longer to control chronic symptoms, like
pain, swelling and instability. But it has considerable advantages over passive
treatments and, other than mild post exercise aching (a good sign that muscle
growth and strength is being stimulated), exercise has virtually no adverse side
effects.

In addition, exercise can actively boost your health and enhance your quality of life,
by increasing growth hormone release, relieving stress, enhancing libido, decreasing
insulin secretion, raising your metabolic rate, lowering your hypothalamic set point, and
as a result, fighting obesity (and thereby, the accompanying risks of morbidity and
mortality).

Over the long term, there is NO better treatment than a series of well
designed exercises, like those in my PAIN FREE PROGRAM. This is the great
secret for “curing” knee pain and almost any other kind of joint pain, as well. This
is the mainstay of long term treatment.

In the short term, for acute, severe pain, there’s no reason not to get immediate
relief with pain meds, and/or anti-inflammatories (with the proper precautions). But
as soon as the acute pain begins to subside, exercise should be introduced and
become an ever increasing part of the overall treatment plan, as pain meds are
withdrawn.

The fact is, yes, it takes some effort. But there’s nothing better than
the specially modified exercises in my program for relieving that stubborn
knee (or hip) pain, for good. I’ve prescribed them for better than 30 years, now,
and I’ve used them personally, for my own painful knees. So I KNOW they work.
And you’ll see results in 30 days… or less.

Try them yourself and experience the freedom from pain that only this
program can bring. Get it HERE. Don’t suffer any longer. Like Nike
says, “DO IT!” Your aching joints will thank you.

Til next time, my friend, be well.

Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,

Dr. Bill

“The Wellness Warrior” TM

If you wish to stop receiving our emails or change your subscription options, please Manage Your Subscription

Dr Bill’s Clinic, Inc., 816 Turtle River Court, Plant City FL, 33567© 2011 All rights reserved.

January 18, 2010

Back in my high school days, one of my closest friends was a guy named Vic. He was a strange kid, no question. He was a good looking kid of Italian extraction, who had an effete, almost feminine quality, but was tough as nails, was definitely not gay, as he nailed anything with a pulse in skirts (had excellent taste too, as I recall), and carried a ten inch knife down the front of his pants, at all times. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be in a fight with someone and I never saw him lose. The guy could really handle himself. 
 
Yet, he also wrote the most beautiful, sensitive poetry. He DID however, threaten to kill me, if I ever told anyone that he wrote it. He also had a soft spot for pets and kept goldfish. Definitely a boy of complex nature. 
 
But as odd as he was, his father was a real piece of work. Reputed to have worked for the CIA (and I never did find out whether that was pure BS, or if it was true–which it well might have been), he was a big, broad shouldered, barrel-chested, handsome man of Italian lineage, with a massive, leonine head and a thick, but well-trimmed mane of long, wavy, jet black hair, barely touched by gray, though he was 53 at that time.
 
(Funny that we once all thought that anyone over 50 was OLD… time tends to change your perspective, doesn’t it?)
 
He was a apparently a very sophisticated man, who was usually very well dressed in business attire, and he had that urbane manner of the continental European, who was both wealthy and well travelled. All of Vic’s friends were very impressed by him, me included. 
 
He was always relaxed and friendly with us, but he had this underlying air of subtle menace about him, a sense that there was danger there, just below the surface. Vic had told me how his father could suddenly convert from an apparent wealthy cogniscenti to a savage fighter, in an instant, surprising a would-be opponent and putting him down for the count, before that poor bastard even knew he was in a fight.
 
Youthful hyperbole? Who knows? I never saw any of that. I only had Vic’s word for it. But he DID look very capable of it. And I only know that nobody would dare to screw around with him. He was accorded a rare and wary respect, by all of us.
 
I never did find out what happened to Vic’s mother, whether she had died, or if they’d been divorced, but Vic lived with his father in an apartment, a few blocks down from me, on 89th Street, a few doors up from Narrows Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. His dad kept company with a very handsome woman, also very well dressed and of some sophistication, who also had a very cosmopolitan air about her. 
 
I never did figure out exactly if she was his wife, or his girlfriend, but she apparently lived in another house or apartment, not with Vic and his Dad.
 
The truly impressive thing about Vic’s Dad, though, that I DID see, was his great physical strength. It was amazing, especially to my young eyes, at the time. And the moreso, because he WAS 53.
 
He would lie face down, flat on the floor, to eliminate all leverage, and pick up a solid iron 55 pound dumbbell with one hand, palm upward, and a straight arm. He would then curl it above and across his head, pivoting on his elbow, for multiple repetitions, with no discernable effort. Try that some time. It ain’t easy!
 
I remember bringing my then girlfriend, Linda, over with me to visit Vic, when his Dad was there. She was a line-girl for the Copa Cobana, a professional dancer with a really well-toned body and an aura of sheer animal magnetism, that I’ve rarely seen in anyone else. I introduced her to Vic’s Dad and she was really turned on by this “old” guy, at 53 yet! Unbelievable!
 
Whatever he had, I wish I could have bottled it. Woulda made a fortune. That’s for sure. Guy had it all: looks, self-posession, that aura of innate authority and that kind of forever strength, that age couldn’t wither. We all knew he worked out, to maintain it, but still…

I don’t know if he took supplements or not, but I’m betting he did. I’m confident that a guy like him, so obviously concerned with staying fit, virile and young, would be a big proponent of my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  if, of course, it had existed back then.

I never did find out what happened to him, or if he still lives. Vic and I sort of lost touch after college, when I went off to medical school and, though I’ve tried to find him, so far, no luck.
 
But the other day, I was watching TV when a commercial came on, with the tag line, “Forever Strength.” And for some reason, out of nowhere, I flashed on my memories of Vic and Vic’s Dad. HA! If he were still around, I’d use HIM as a model, for my next fitness program. 
 
As it is, you’ll just have to make do with the fetching blonde personal trainer, who is the model for the knee pain exercises and stretches in my new and expanded PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD: http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
Well, wherever Vic’s Dad is, I wish him well. He was someone I admired and looked up to, in my formative years and a really good guy. Y’know, I STILL can’t do that trick of his with the dumbbell… and I never could. The power that guy must have had….
 
Well, that’s it for today. Look for my new Podcast show, “The Wellness Warrior” on mypodcastworld.com and on iTunes. First episode is about the many health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids.  Til next time, my friend, be well. 
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow and your optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior”   TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 11, 2010

Later today, I go to see my surgeon for my post-surgical office visit. The incision is clean and dry, no redness (erythema), no drainage, no swelling and it appears to be healing very well. Nice and clean, with no signs of infection.
 
Of course, it’s a bit tender still, but nothing like it was for the first few days. As a surgeon myself, I know that it’s healing well, and I’m  grateful it is. But the doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient, or so they say. 
 
So, I will dutifully go to the surgeon and get his official evaluation and his blessing, before starting back on my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA,  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  my garlic, DR. BILL’S MAXIMUM ALLICIN FORMULA (only available for those already on my fish oil), which enhances the lipid lowering actions of the pharmaceutical grade, enteric coated fish oil, to make it a net cholesterol lowering agent, as well as lowering triglycerides.
 
Especially since this cold snap and nasty, rainy weather lately has made me feel my incision more lately, than before, I’ve really missed its natural anti-inflammatory action. Did you know that in a number of clinical studies, fish oil was found to have an equivalent effect to NSAID’s, but without their adverse side effects? It’s true. In fact, in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, fish oil use allowed some patients to reduce, or eliminate NSAID’s. 
 
And, as I’ve mentioned before, inflammation is a necessary part of this hernia repair, allowing the ingrowth of fibrous tissue into the implanted mesh. So I have had to forgo the comfort of my usual dose. But, as a result, all my joints are “talking” to me, my back is aching and of course, the incision site aches, too. So I’ll be glad to get the OK to start it up again.
 
I’ll also be glad to start some mild knee pain exercises for my aching knees, like those in my newly redone and expanded PAIN-FREE PROGRAM and full length DVD  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
Combined with walking and isometrics, I can begin the long process of rebuilding my fitness, a step at a time. Luckily, he did a subcuticular closure, meaning there are no sutures to be removed–a long suture under the edges of the skin gives a hairline scar and a tight closure. There wasn’t even a drop of blood, when I took off the initial dressing. Good job, all in all.
 
So, I’m looking forward to a positive evaluation, now eleven days and counting, out from my surgery. This will take about six months to really mature, but this is a good beginning. Thank God! If there’s ever going to be a problem or a complication, it’s gonna happen in a doctor, guaranteed. 
 
Well, over the weekend, we had that plumber return and install a couple of new toilets for us. I went upstairs, to say hello and came up on him, kneeling on the bathroom marble floor, while setting the base of the commode. And, whaddyaknow…he was wearing KNEE PADS! Just like I told him to. 
 
You know, usually, I give folks good advice and more often than not, they ignore it. People often don’t respect or value what they don’t pay for. But not this guy. I told him I was proud of him. He said, “Hey, if I’m told something by a guy who knows what he’s talking about, I listen.”
 
Well, good for him. If he sticks with his new protection, he’ll be real happy a dozen years from now, when he DOESN’T have to suffer with patellofemoral arthritis. For more simple, but effective tips on preventing, or treating knee pain, try my LITTLE GREEN BOOK FOR ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
So that’s it for today, my friend. Talk to you soon. Til next time, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
“The Wellness Warrior” TM
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to  http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

January 6, 2010

Last night, or more correctly, last afternoon (it gets dark so early this time of year), I took my first outing in the car since surgery. We were down a few items in the larder, so we went to the local grocery store. My wife drove, since I can’t effectively respond quickly in case of emergency.
 
I thought it would be a chance to escape cabin fever and get a little ambulatory exercise. So I came along for the ride. We wrote a list, so we would get what we actually needed, and avoid impulsive shopping.
 
While walking with my cane down one of the aisles, a truly enormous young man turned round the corner ahead of me. This guy was gigantic–rolls of flesh encircled his body, where once there was a waist and his frame fairly quivered with every footfall. Seeing that I was on a cane, he very politely stood aside to allow me to pass–a good thing, too, because there was no way we were passing each other in that aisle, at the same time.
 
I nodded in thanks and continued on my way. But I got to thinking about what lay in this man’s future, if he doesn’t take stock of himself and get control of his body weight. Odds are good that his blood lipids are way out of whack, with sky-high cholesterol and perhaps high triglycerides, too.
 
He’s a cinch to have heart disease, with atherosclerotic plaque in his coronary arteries, perhaps his carotids and vertebral arteries, too. This would make him a set-up for heart attacks, strokes, even PAD (peripheral artery disease). He may well have high blood pressure, a seperate cause of heart disease and strokes.
 
In addition, he almost certainly has insulin resistance, if not full-blown diabetes mellitus Type II, with all the potential complications of that disease. A number of cancers, too, are associated with obesity, as well as a depressed immune system (which may well be WHY cancer has an increased likelihood in the obese).
 
There are other physiological consequences, too. Morbid obesity makes it much harder to breathe, easier to aspirate, easier to get pneumonia and more likely to get a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) with possible pulmonary embolism (which can also kill you). It also makes it more likely that you’ll develop sleep apnea, a condition that can lead to an increased risk of stroke.
 
Then, there are the mechanical, orthopaedic consequences. An increase in gross weight increases the load on the weightbearing joints. For every pound above the norm, you increase the joint reaction force on your hips and knees by a factor of at least 3-4 times. If climbing stairs, it’s up to seven times bodyweight; running, up to ten times.
 
Then, there’s the effect on your spine. Although this particular man was heavy all over, he had the typical “apple” pattern of central fat deposition, where the bulk of the adipose tissue is in the belly. This is what we in the trade call “omental fat,” present within the abdomen, on the omentum and interlarding the coils of the intestines.
 
Mechanically, this increased mass, hanging in front of the spine, has to be balanced, so you can walk around. The body does this by increasing the deep curvature of the small of the back (ie., the lumbar spine). Your shoulders are pulled back and your pelvis is tilted backward, to increase that curve (lordosis). This all happens automatically.
 
This exact same mechanism is invoked in the woman with gigantic breasts, too, though her back pain is more likely to be in the mid, or upper back. In both cases, it’s what’s up front that counts–the extra anterior weight is counter balanced by bending the spine backwards, which causes shearing and compression on the lumbar discs, worsens spinal arthritis, causes cramps in the paravertebral muscles and can cause, or aggravate, herniated discs, with severe back and/or leg pain.
 
So significant is this cantilevering effect from excessive anterior body mass, that in certain clinical circumstances, surgery is used to radically remove excess abdominal fat (paniculectomy),  or a reduction mammoplasty is done, to reduce the mass of breast tissue (which, though I know, as a physician, is sometimes clinically necessary, is a procedure, as an artist, that I consider an aesthetic disfigurement of the female form, akin to drawing a moustache on the Mona Lisa).
 
You must forgive me. Ever since I lost all my own excess flab, I’ve been impossible. Nothing worse than a convert, as they say. But you must admit that getting rid of that excess poundage is the single best and simplest way to “cure” a myriad of ills.
 
And this is the perfect time to do it. The Holidays are over. So are all those temptations. Time to get serious. So, what to do?
 
The short answer is simple: a lean protein diet, with fresh, low glycemic index vegetables and fruits, increased fiber, lots of water. And a couple of softgels of my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA, twice a day.
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
This highly concentrated, enteric coated, ultra pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil will provide the essential long chain fatty acids, to balance the overabundance of omega-6 fatty acids, so common in the Western diet, these days.
 
Then, you need to kick up your metabolism to a higher level, so you burn adipose tissue, instead of deposit it. The single best way to do that, bar none, is…(drum roll…) EXERCISE. Big surprise, right? 
 
Walking can be done by anyone. And if you’re that one in a million who can’t walk on dry land, walk in a pool. As soon as you can, step up into a real exercise program, like my new and improved PAIN-FREE PROGRAM & DVD
 
  http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
Exercise will boost your metabolism, build muscle, burn fat tissue, and, in the case of this program, relieve knee pain, long term. 
 
To further boost your metabolism, add my Heart Charging Formula, to supercharge your cellular mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses that provide the cells the energy for everything they do.
 
http://www.favoriteformulas.com/CoQ10formula 
 
So don’t wait any longer. Just DO these simple things and just watch your health improve! Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for optimal health and wellness,
 
DR. BILL
 
“The Wellness Warrior” TM
 
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2010 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 16, 2009

This past weekend, the bride and I took our annual trip to the Big Apple, to see the lights and the big tree at Rockefeller Center. Although New York is always a spectacular place to visit, like the song says, when “…it’s Christmas Time in the City,” it’s a tough experience to beat.
 
The City had on its Holiday finest, with spangly, twinkling lights everywhere. There was the giant glowing snowflake, suspended over the crossroads of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, Trump Tower in all its golden Christmas finery, Tiffany’s, Cartier’s, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, with its panorama of animated electric snowflakes on a blue field, above the entrance, just opposite the white stylized, trumpeting angels that line the pavillion, leading to the Rockefeller Center Tree, standing in all its stately glory, above the Golden statue of Prometheus and the famous skating rink.
 
On 50th and Sixth Avenue, there was the giant display of enormous red Christmas ball ornaments, piled one on top of the other, each of which must be about ten feet in diameter. And sparkling white lights which festooned the surrounding trees, everywhere.
 
The weather was crisp, but not frigid and, though it rained one day, the following day was beautiful and clear. This year, I noticed a number of scaffolds around some of the buildings, perhaps renovating, or cleaning the facades.
 
You can see a lot when you’re on your feet, instead of driving. I made note of the passersby on the street. Hardly anyone was especially heavy and most were fit. Why would that be?
 
Well, when you look around, most people are walking briskly along, with purpose and speed, to wherever they’re going. I can tell you, from having lived at several different times in the City, that when you’re there, you walk everywhere. And health clubs are everywhere, too. So people in the City do stay pretty fit (at least the ones on the street, in Midtown Manhattan). 
 
There are a few teaching points to be had, here. Walking is an exercise that everyone can do. And it apparently results in people who are fit and apparently healthy. And even those who don’t walk briskly have access to exercise. Food for thought.
 
Well, Friday night, we had tickets to see “MAMMA MIA!,” at the Wintergarden Theater. This is a play, based on the music of the 80′s Rock Group, ABBA. It’s been made into a film (which I haven’t seen, yet–I wanted to see the play, first), starring Merryl Streep. But, as a special treat, we had a pre-theater dinner in the Russian Tea Room, a New York landmark restaurant, which, in all my years in New York, I had never been to. The occasion just never came up, though I kept meaning to go. So this was the night. Finally.
 
The decor was striking, the service, excellent and the food, scrumptious. Also, not cheap, but then, this IS the City, so that’s expected. But the quality was outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed every morsel. Apparently, I’ve been missing out on a good thing, all these years. No use crying over the proverbial spilt milk, though. I finally got there and it was wonderful. That’s what’s important. Needless to say, now that I know how good it is, we’ll be back….
 
Then, it was time for the show. And in keeping with the New Yorkers’ examples, we walked, despite the cold, from 57th to the Wintergarden, on Broadway. We had good seats in the orchestra, with a good view of the stage. Once we were settled, I thought it a good idea to get in a quick pit stop, before the show started.
 
As is often the case in these theaters, access to the facilities was up (or down) a steep flight of stairs. I watched, with more than a little sympathy, as some vastly large women winced with pain, as they attempted the climb to comfort. Based on what I saw, many of them have arthritis of the knee. Besides losing some gross tonnage, the conservative non-surgical treatments I reveal in my newest healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY   http://www.drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html  could really help them to eliminate that knee pain and restore their function. One simple thing they could do, even if they were disinclined to do the knee pain exercises I teach, is to start taking an ultra pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, like my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA   http://www.favoriteformulas.com 
 
Like NSAID medications, but without their bad side effects, fish oil has omega 3 fatty acids, with proven, natural anti-inflammatory properties, that will reduce knee pain and swelling, improve motion and slow the progress of arthritis. 
 
I swear, one of these days, I’m going to just give out cards, with the website printed on them, to likely candidates, when I see them. 
 
After we were reseated, the show came on. I was curious to see how they would string together a bunch of ABBA songs into a coherent story. Having now seen it, I can say it was pretty ingenious. And it was a lot of fun.
 
We enjoyed it, though we both still like JERSEY BOYS, better. While I’m glad I saw this, I wouldn’t run right back to see it again. With JERSEY BOYS, I would. But all in all, it was a full and pleasure-filled day.
 
The next morning, after breakfast, we got a car and drove out to visit the Southampton house. Just a little restorative peace and quiet, before we head back to Florida, the family and all the cats, for Christmas. I still can’t believe how fast this month has flown…
 
Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

December 8, 2009

Have you noticed lately that you haven’t been hearing much about the dreaded Swine Flu, H1N1? For a while there, we were being bombarded by horror stories every day, how many died, dire predictions of disaster on every chanel and passionate debates and discussions by experts on both sides of the vaccination question. Then, almost all of a sudden, nearly nothing.
 
Why is that?
 
Perhaps it’s the fact that this latest scare tactic turned out to be a bust. Just the other day, I heard someone say on TV that she believed that the worst had passed and that the pandemic would continue to diminish as a public health problem in the days and weeks to come.
 
After much consideration and weighing all the factors, I had pretty much decided NOT to get the vaccine for myself and my wife. It might still be a good idea, if you haven’t gotten the vaccine yet, if you’re in a particularly high risk group, like health care workers (who you would think would already BE vaccinated by now), or pregnant women or young mothers with vulnerable children.
 
But it’s good to remember that the seasonal “regular” flu season is not yet over. You can still get THAT. Especially now that the Holiday Season and Christmas Shopping have arrived. That means that you’re more likely to come in contact with large groups of people, who may be contaminated with viruses, flu and otherwise.
 
So it’s probably a good idea to maintain some common sense practices, that should help protect you from the flu and from common colds, as well.
 
First up, wash your hands, every time you think about it. I know that sounds lame. It also sounds like your sainted mother. But it’s of critical importance. If you are out and use a public restroom, DO NOT immediately touch the handle of the exit door, or you will re- contaminate your hand. Instead, use the last hand towel to open the door (if it has a handle), then discard the towel. This is a no-touch technique.
 
Keep your hands away from your face, especially mucous membranes, like your eyes, nose and mouth. That’s the most likely way for you to get infected.
 
Try to avoid crowded venues, with large groups of people in close proximity. This would include stores, stadiums, theaters, airports, even gyms, etc. That’s a pretty good argument in favor of a home exercise program, rather than a gym, a program like my PAIN -FREE PROGRAM, which you can get here:   http://www.drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
This recommendation alone will reduce your chances of contracting any disease, by reducing chances of exposure to people who may be carrying infectious agents. And obviously, avoid anyone who appears to be actively sick, sneezing, coughing, etc.
 
DON’T shake hands with anyone. That’s a terrific way to pass germs from one person to another. Nod your head with a smile and say hi, instead. If you forget, or feel you MUST shake hands, carry a small bottle of Purell (I personally prefer the Vitamin Shoppe sanitizing gel, which also has aloe, which is good for the skin). These gels don’t sterilize your hands (which means killing virtually ALL germs), but they DO sanitize them, meaning they dilute and kill quite a few of them, thereby reducing risk.
 
Take a zinc supplement daily (something like 50mg a day is fine) and carry some Zycam with you, in case you begin to develop the sniffles. This has zinc in it and zinc is an immune booster. 
 
Make sure you are getting plenty of B complex vitamins, vitamin C and perhaps even some colostrum (which contains some IgG and other immune boosters), either from your diet, or supplements. Anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories are also helpful. These would include curcumin (turmeric), ginger, even fish oil, like my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA  http://www.favoriteformulas.com  
 
If it’s OK with your doctor, get and keep a prescription of Tamiflu (an antiviral drug), in case you do develop flu symptoms. This won’t prevent or cure the flu, but it will shorten the course of the disease and reduce symptoms.
 
Make sure you exercise daily. Exercise has been shown to boost the immune system and that’s your main defense against illness. Eat a healthy diet, with lots of greens, fruits and berries, which are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 
 
Drink plenty of water, to keep your mucous membranes moist and intact and your kidneys flushed.
 
And, be sure to get adequate vitamin D, either from daily exposure of 20-30 minutes a day to the sun, or from oral supplements. Have your doctor check your levels every three months, especially during the winter months. The test you want is 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D. These levels will tell you if you have enough. And vitamin D turns out to be a very potent substance for protecting you against diseases of all types, infectious and otherwise (even cancer).
 
If, despite all your efforts, you do become sick, STAY HOME. Don’t go to work and infect everyone there with your “bug.”
 
So, these are a few tips to keep you healthy in these waning days of the Swine Flu Pandemic and the regular Flu Season, as well. Has the Swine Flu flown? It’s probably on the way out, but don’t let your guard down, yet. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for optimal health,
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html 
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html 
 
P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html 
 
P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html 
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
All rights reserved

I was going through my emails today for the web site, trying to stay ahead of the spam and junk emails that infest every inbox out there. And I happened to notice an email that piqued my interest. 
 
It said “Blast From The Past” in the subject line. Hmmmm? What could that be? OK, I’ll bite. I clicked to open it.
 
What a pleasant surprise! It was from a nurse I worked with during my orthopaedic residency at St. Luke’s Hospital Center, back in 1975 to 1978. She was the Head Nurse, in fact, on one of the major orthopaedic floors, Clark 6 (presumably named after a hospital benefactor named Clark). She wondered if I remember her and indeed I do.
 
In fact, seeing her email reminded me of a fairly dramatic incident that occurred one day on the ortho ward on that floor, which involved both of us.
 
It seems that there was a ginormous black lady who was in one of the four bedded rooms. I forget why she was there, as she wasn’t my patient, but odds are good she had some fairly severe painful orthopaedic problem–maybe an acute low back pain, or a severe decompensation of an arthritic knee. Doesn’t really matter, but it had to be something pretty major to justify an admission…
 
But she was lying in one of four beds in the room; the other three beds were occupied by patients on respirators, as it happened. 
 
Anyway, I was elsewhere in the hospital when the other nurses on the floor paged me frantically. Seems this head nurse got herself trapped in this lady’s room, when both her husband and his friends, and her boyfriend and HIS friends decided to visit her at the same time.
 
Poor nurse was trapped in this volatile situation at the back of the room, with the potential combatants blocking her escape route. The nurse was in back of the room, looking (quite reasonably) scared — I mean, she was a tiny young girl and there were these giant guys, yelling at each other and about to come to blows, right in front of her.
 
I arrived, full of the overweening confidence of youth, karate training and the authority of the physician in charge (with much more nerve than brains). And I was outraged that they were behaving this disgraceful way, in a room with three other very, very sick patients. 
 
“HEY!” I shouted at them, as I came in between the warring groups, “This is a hospital, dammit! Not the zoo! If you guys can’t behave, get the hell out!” They were so stunned by this show of audacity, that they shut up and actually began to head toward the door (much to my surprise).
 
But just as I thought I would get away with this, one of the guys in the boyfriend’s gang said to the husband, “You jus’ gonna do whut he say, man?” And with that, the husband, also a huge guy, reached for the talker and just knocked me away like a leaf, on his way to him. He wasn’t even trying–I just got flicked away as a byproduct of him reaching for his real target. I got the hell out of there and had the nurses call the cops. Another day in Paradise.
 
In retrospect, I was lucky to get out of there with my skin intact. Nurse was shaken a bit, but no injuries, thank God. Cops calmed everyone down (amazing what good a few drawn guns will do) and no one was hurt. Better lucky than smart, I always say….
 
I would’ve loved to hear the conversation between that husband and wife, though. Bet it would’ve blistered my ears
 
Anyway, all this came back in a rush with seeing the nurse’s name on that email. Hard to believe it was so long ago. Well, despite my rather inflated sense of invincibility in those days, I WAS in good shape then. These days, not the same…have to work much harder to retain any semblance of strength and flexibility. And of course, when you’re young, you don’t have to depend on exercise just to stay out of pain.
 
I had no knee pain at all in those days. Today, if I don’t keep up with my knee program, like those quad setting exercises and terminal leg presses that I teach in detail in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, at   http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html  they start to “talk to me” in just a few days. It’s really amazing. I remember my parents saying that “youth is wasted on the young.” I didn’t understand what they meant then, but I sure do now.
 
So, if you’re like me and you have to work to keep your knee pain at bay, try my proven knee exercises at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html   You’ll be glad you did. Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION

Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Last night, I was on a conference call with a number of friends and information marketers from all over the world. And during the discussion, memorable advertisements of the past were referenced. Most notably they recalled the famous cartoon ads that were commonly seen in the back of comic books, as well as Popular Mechanics and other pulp books, throughout the sixties and seventies, that promoted the “Dynamic Tension” bodybuilding system of Charles Atlas.
 
You know, the ones that show the iconic “97 pound weakling,” Mac, who is humiliated in front of his girlfriend on the beach, when he gets sand kicked in his face by a bully. Mac then sends away for the Charles Atlas Dynamic Tension Course, becomes a he-man and punches out the bully at their next encounter. 
 
This little illustrated vignette is considered by many marketers to be one of THE most effective and successful ad campaigns ever run. And of course the “97 pound weakling” has become part of our national culture, recognized even by people who have never seen the original ads.
 
This reference has a special meaning for me, because I’m one of the few guys around who actually met Charles Atlas, later in his life. Of course, when I met him, he was Mr. Siciliano to me.
 
I worked as a delivery boy for an Italian fruit store to earn money after school, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in the mid-sixties. I pedalled this enormously heavy bicycle up and down the hills of Bay Ridge (so-called because of the hills), delivering the fruits and vegetables carried in its basket to my boss’ customers. It gave me some spending money and a pair of rock hard thighs, from the hours of pedalling.
 
Well, one day, my boss Mr. Scotto, an old world Italian, who made his own wine in the basement of the store, told me to take an order of fresh oranges to an apartment house on 88th Street and Shore Road in Bay Ridge, just down the street from Fort Hamilton High School (where I would one day go). He told me that this guy I was delivering to was Charles Atlas. Yeah, sure. I thought he was pulling my leg….
 
So off I went. I found the apartment, noted the name “Siciliano” on the door and rang the doorbell. And who should open the door, but HIM. He was much older than his photographs, but unmistakable. He had a full head of white hair and a rather large head. He was still a big handsome guy, with mile-wide shoulders and a very pleasant, affable manner. Holy crap! I couldn’t believe it! Old man Scotto had been telling me the truth.
 
On my right was a life-sized mural, painted on the wall next to the door, of him, as a nude young man, posed like a classical Greek statue, clothed only in a strategically placed fold of a royal purple robe. I just stared at him, probably with my mouth open. “You…you’re really him…” I said.
 
He just smiled and then, Atlas shrugged. “Well, I was a young man then,” he said quietly, with a gentle smile, referring to his painting. Then he gave me a tip, advised me to live a clean life, drink plenty of fresh orange juice and exercise. Then, he sent me on my way. I never saw him again. But I did meet him. How cool was that?
 
I later looked up everything I could about him. Born in 1893 in Calabria, Italy, as Angelo Siciliano. He emigrated to the USA with his father in 1903 and took the name Charles. At age 15, he was attacked on the streets of Brooklyn, where he grew up. The following year, he actually did have a bully kick sand in his face at Coney Island beach. He decided to do something about it.
 
During a visit to the Brooklyn Museum, he became aware that the muscles on the Greek and Roman statues were a product of exercise. After flirting with free weights and pulley exercises, but being disappointed with his results, he became inspired by a lion he saw at the Prospect Park Zoo. He theorized that the heavily muscled cat developed its muscles by pitting one muscle against the next. He developed a system of isometrics based on that idea and literally transformed himself into the paragon that the world came to know as Charles Atlas.
 
He was originally nicknamed Atlas by his friends, after the classical Greek statues, and took the name legally in 1922. He won the title of “Wold’s Most Perfectly Developed Man” in 1921 and 1922. He started a small mail order business to sell his exercise system that didn’t do much until he partnered with Charles Roman, an advertising man, in 1929. 
 
It was his new partner that wrote the famous ad and created the term, “Dynamic Tension” to describe the Atlas System. This system was not only a series of exercises (some of which are similar to those I teach today in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can see at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html ) but also advice on diet, health, grooming and correct behavior. 
 
Through Roman’s efforts the business thrived, despite the Great Depression, and Charles Atlas became the iconic figure of physical male perfection that we know and remember today.
 
Charles Atlas died from heart failure (for which he had a family history) at age 80, in Long Beach after a jog on the beach, December 23, 1972. But his legacy lives on. And, as a young man, I was lucky enough to meet him. Only once, but I remember….
 
Til next time my friend, be well. And have a great weekend.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

After my heartrending session at the vets yesterday morning, I was pretty down. I’d lost a loving companion of 13 years and even though I really had no choice and it was the right thing to do, it was painful. I didn’t feel much like doing anything. I’m a pretty upbeat, positive and basically optimistic person (you kind of have to be, to be a surgeon–part of the job description), but like everyone else, I have my moments of gloom, especially when I have a good reason.
 
Well, despite feeling beat up (emotional stuff has always knocked the crap out of me, whatever it is), rather than mope around feeling sorry for myself, I decided to take some positive action. First, I practiced some controlled, deep breathing, even while driving. It’s amazing what a simple thing like deep breathing can do for your mental and emotional state.
 
It has a calming, rejuvinating effect. And it helps you get and maintain some emotional control, when you’re upset. By taking control of your breathing, you seize the initiative in your life. Oddly enough, it really helps in times of trouble.

Next, I drove to the local mall, where I did a number of rapid walking circuits around the entire mall, alternating both floors. This was not only good exercise, dialing up my heartbeat, stimulating my metabolism and promoting even more deep breathing, but the constant activity, the background chatter, the continually changing venue, as I passed all the different store fronts, were sufficiently distracting, so I couldn’t focus on my loss.
 
Then, I spent time doing a number of the specially modified knee exercises that I teach in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can see for yourself at http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
By the time I was done with all that, I felt much calmer and much more in control. I was still sad, of course, but it’s amazing what a little exercise and deep breathing will do for you–it’s the best cure for what ails you. It brightens your outlook, brings you back into the flow of life, and even provides much needed perspective. Lots of benefits, just from getting your blood pumping.
 
Later on, I checked my email and I was really moved by the number of subscribers that took the time and trouble to write me, with support and sympathy. It really meant a lot and I deeply appreciate it. It’s nice to know there are folks out there who understand, who’ve been through this themselves. It helps…it really does.
 
By way of appreciation, I’m passing on to you that my pal, Dr. Dharma, The World’s #1 Brain Longevity Expert, is having a special Election Day Sale on his Brain Longevity Supplements. You can do something to protect your memory, and your personality from the ravages of Alzheimer’s with these nutrients–I use them myself. And now you can save a pile of cash, too. It won’t last, though, so go on over to  http://drbillsclinic.com/brain_longevity.html  NOW, and get while the gettin’ is good.
 
And speaking of Election Day, if you haven’t yet, get out and VOTE. People have fought and died to give you the right to choose your own future. You don’t have the right to complain, after the fact, if you don’t vote, now. Regardless of who you support, make your voice heard.
 
Til next time, my friend, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
 
Dr. Bill
 
P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved

Just a few minutes ago, while sitting in my study and reviewing my emails, I came across an article on one of the health care alerts about Tiger Woods. You may recall that Tiger has been out of the tournament circuit since his ACL reconstruction. As a result, we haven’t seen or heard much from him or about him in recent months. And the sport of Golf has been the poorer for it.
 
He made history by winning the Masters, against an outstanding opponent, while in constant pain from a double stress fracture of his tibia AND a chronically torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Despite wincing in obvious pain, he never gave up. He never considered quitting. He said he just put the pain aside and focused on his goal. No question but that he has the heart of a champion.
 
He was asked about whether or not he thought he’d be ready to compete this Spring. And, not surprisingly, he said he would be. He also reported how hard he was working on his rehabilitation. He obviously truly understands the necessity of doing the hard work of exercise, after a major joint reconstruction, in order to get an excellent postop result.
 
There are a number of lessons to be learned from Tiger’s behavior and his attitude. First, he accepts the reality of his situation and pays the freight up front. He pulled out of further competition this year, in order to give himself the best chance of a good long-term result with surgery he realized was unavoidable. 
 
His case is an excellent example of a truly necessary surgery. There are times when the mechanical problem demands the mechanical solution, especially when the patient is an athlete, making high level demands on the injured knee during his sport.
 
Next, he recognizes the need for HIS commitment to the aggressive postop rehabilitation program. Exercise is key to an excellent result. This is especially true after ACL surgery, where some of the most common complications include a stiff knee (arthrofibrosis), with loss of motion, recurrent instability and weakness. It’s only through range of motion exercises and strategic strengthening exercises that the potential created by the surgeon can be realized.
 
Finally, his attitude is exemplary. The man always focuses on his future goal. He never even considers not achieving it. In his mind, it’s not a question of IF he recovers and returns to his sport, but WHEN. There is little you can’t accomplish if you BELIEVE you CAN and WILL achieve your goal.
 
So don’t be surprised when he comes back, stronger than ever, next year. In his mind, he’s already SEEN it, he’s already DONE it.
 
Now, on the other hand, over the years, I’ve seen a number of patients who had a chronic ACL injury who were not athletes. They had no pain, no history of instability, like giving way or falling, and they were doing just fine with normal, everyday activities. In these people, although some surgeons would talk them into ACL surgery, I always tried them first on a strict regimen of exercises, like those in my PAIN-FREE PROGRAM, which you can see at  http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
You see, there are people who have alignment of their capsular tissues (meaning the direction the fibers run) that can compensate for an absent ACL. These combine with other factors, such as the position of the MCL attachment, and are collectively called “secondary restraints.” They provide another level of stability, even without the ACL. In these people, surgery may indeed be unnecessary. They may do just fine with a number of the non-surgical methods I present in HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY, which you can get here at  http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
The key is that you need to distinguish between what is necessary and what is unnecessary surgery. And the way to do that is to see how you do with a conservative, non-surgical program, first. Hey, like a haircut, you can always cut more, but once cut, you can’t put it back. So, to relieve knee pain and restore knee function, go to   http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
 
And it should go without saying that you should get a professional evaluation, preferably by an orthopaedist, if you have persistent symptoms, especially buckling or giving way, or if you have snapping, catching or locking of the joint. Those are mechanical signs and may need further evaluation. Get your doctor involved early. And don’t be afraid–no one can operate on you, or make you do anything you don’t want to do. But that’s the best way to get all the facts. THEN, you can decide what you want to do.
 
That’s it for today, my friend. Til next time, be well.
 
Yours for a pain-free tomorrow, 
 
Dr. Bill

P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
 
P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
 
P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
 http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
 
FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
 
Copyright, 2008 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD
All rights reserved