Balance~body~mind~spirit
Quest Educational Foundation - Balance Programs
FAQs- QEF
How long has the QEF been using cobblestone mats? In other words,
what's your track record?
As a first adopter, the QEF has been using cobblestone mats for over four years in a self-directed, weight-bearing curriculum application in partnership with Generations United and the United Skate Schools Group. Our Balance Bookends and "Toes Knows" INTERGENERATIONAL BALANCE programs have helped countless older students (and many youngsters) become fitter, more relaxed, more agile and have a more symmetrically aligned posture and balanced gait.
Toes Knows? What’s that?
It’s a long story but here’s the Reader’s Digest version. Starting in the 2002 the Quest Educational Foundation started a program that focused on increasing physical activity in elder-centric environments using an inter-generational model focused on mobility, independence and aging.
The flagship class called Balance Bookends brings children 4-9 together with elders that are interested in maintaining a high-level of movement security.
(It is a one-of-a-kind program (designated "promising") in the Generations United (www.gu.org) member program data-bank.)
An off-shoot, called Eas-i-Chi, was developed in 2007-08 based on the Intergrative Chinese Medicine practice of acupressure stimulation in conjunction with an accessible Tai Chi format.
A further refining of this program led to Toes Knows. A class that specifically engages wee ones with "vintage adventurers" so both can benefit from a fun, well-paced, partner-based physical interaction. This program’s biggest benefit is the "take away" aspect of the learning that encourages personal growth and interaction beyond the instructional setting. It recently found a sister program called Silly Yoga that we’re looking forward to offering in 2009-10.
Are there wider applications and/or do you achieve broader benefits
from the use of cobblestone mats?
Most definitely. Eas-i-Chi Walking Sessions can be viewed as a threshold activity that puts people on the path to a recreational, rehabilitative mind set. For instance, researchers from Sweden's Karolinska Institute found that people who exercise in middle age are far less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other dementia when they are older. Dr. Miia Kivipelto of the Institute's Aging Research Center studied a group of nearly 1,500 patients 69 and older, whose exercise habits have been monitored for nearly 35 years. To her surprise, she discovered that people who engaged in "leisure time physical activity" at least twice a week as they passed through middle age, had a 50 percent lower chance of developing dementia, and a 60 percent lower chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, when compared with their more sedentary colleagues. A 2006 study has found that one hour of physical activity three times a week can extend longevity as much as 20 percent.
In fact, here is a letter from
one of our students that touches on that exact issue.
I have noticed that at the age of 62, I
do not have the balance that I had 20 years ago. I can not imagine
how much worse it would be if hadn't found your program and taken up
these natural movement, coordination and balance classes? Am I
right?
Phillip C. -Mature Adventurer
In a word: YES. How well people get around
and keep their
balance in a later stage of life is linked to the severity of
changes in their brains,
new research published in Neurology, March 2008 suggests.
Age-related white matter brain changes, also called leukoaraiosis,
are
frequently seen in older people and differ in severity, and
the new study suggests that they are associated with gait and
balance disturbances.
Neurologists, geriatricians and family doctors often send older
patients
for brain scans to rule out severe brain atrophy (wasting), a tumor,
stroke or brain infection because of mild mental difficulties,
unsteadiness or depressed mood, and get back white matter changes as
the
main finding, Dr. Hansjoerg Baezner told Reuters Health.
Baezner, from University of Heidelberg in Mannheim, Germany,
and colleagues studied the impact of age-related white matter
changes on functional decline in 639 men and women between the ages of
65 and 84 who underwent brain scans as well as walking and balance
tests. Of the group, 284 had mild age-related white matter changes, 197
moderate changes, and 158 severe changes.
They found that people with severe white matter changes were twice
as
likely to score poorly on tests of walking and balance as those with
mild white matter changes. They further found that people with
severe
changes were twice as likely as the mild group to have a history of
falls. The moderate group was one-and-a-half times as likely as the
mild
group to have a history of falls.
"Walking difficulties and falls are major symptoms of people with
white matter changes and a significant cause of
illness and death in the
elderly," Baezner said in a written statement. "Exercise may
have the potential to reduce the risk of these problems since
exercise is
associated with improved walking and balance. We'll be
testing whether exercise has such a protective effect in our long-term study
of this group."
The researchers say monitoring white matter changes may be useful in
the
early detection of walking problems, which have been linked to other
health problems.
It's not clear why some people's white matter changes are worse than
others or what causes the changes; however, studies have shown a
link
between these changes and insufficiently treated high blood pressure
and
diabetes.
FAQs- QEF Eas-i-Chi Walking Session
"It is the perfect approach for those that endure standing on their feet for long periods or participate in sports such as running, jogging, hiking, golfing, long distance walking, chasing after small children or grand children...
Is there a general body of knowledge about cobblestone mats and empirical scientific evidence of these affects?
Acupressure response is a non-invasive "natural healing art" which
is gaining widespread popularity in the realm of complementary and
alternative medicine. (As witnessed by extensive research grants and
projects currently funded by the National Institutes of
Health--Institutes on Aging and the Institute for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine.) The effectiveness of the cobblestone walkway
was established by a NIH grant funded study conducted by the Oregon
Research Institute (ORI) which found that cobblestone mat walking exercise
improved physical function and reduced blood pressure to a greater extent
than
conventional walking.
New York Times Magazine heralded Cobblestone Walking Mats as one of the most noteworthy ideas of 2005. Why?
Under the heading "Cobblestones Are Good for You" NYT Magazine cited the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society report conducted by the Oregon Research Institute (ORI) and funded by the National Institute on Aging and concluded "if you want to be fitter, more relaxed, more agile, the prescription is to walk on cobblestone mats." This research examined the millennia old Eastern tradition of walking on cobblestone paths. In Chinese parks it is a common sight to witness people walking in bare or stocking feet on paths made from a pattern of laid river-rounded cobblestone. For centuries upon centuries practitioners have reported feeling soothed and invigorated after such walks.
What are some of the specific health benefits from walking on cobblestone mats?
When ORI replicated the effect of cobblestone walking in the laboratory they found their control group had significantly lower blood pressure, a smoother, more functional gait, greater core body strength and better balance than a control group that did not employ cobblestones.
I've read the ORI Report Improving Physical Function and Blood Pressure in Older Adults Through Cobblestone Mat Walking: A Randomized Trial and was wondering, could the lower blood pressure reported by cobblestone mat walkers be the result of increased confidence in balance ability?
If you mean by having more confidence, participants felt less anxious about falling and, as a result, had lower blood pressure: that may be part of the benefit. We certainly rely on the balance system stimulation and the mind~body connection that stems from the self-confidence of feeling more stable, better balanced and having a good walking gait to enhance the wellness and fitness activities we employ in conjunction with use of the cobblestone mats.
What makes the QEF product or program
unique?
The QEF Eas-i-Chi® Walking Sessions
Program is the only one that is protocol-proven and client-tested in
a curriculum-based format as noted and sponsored by funding from the
NIH/National Institute on Aging.
It's really a question of theory and practice. Where the ORI work
was done in a basic laboratory setting using empirical methodology,
the QEF has been using the mats in a applied, practical
curriculum-based application. What we uncovered was not only the
importance of placing your feet on the mats, but properly preparing
and pacing our students during the experience by adopting a
Listening, Teaching, Learning and Leading~Guiding program.
How long does it take to sense
improvement in my balance or feel some of the other physical
function benefits?
You will experience benefits in 6 to 8 weeks. In fact, the process may occur so gradually and automatically that people may notice you moving better and more effectively before you even do!
What is the recommended duration and
frequency of Eas-i-Chi® mat walking?
Following ten days of introduction, your body will be
sufficiently acclimated to the stimulation to expand to the rest of
the walking program. You can then use your mats daily if you wish,
up to twice a day for a maximum of 20 minutes each time with no
particular step session lasting more than five minutes.
Are there wider applications and/or do you
achieve broader benefits from the use of cobblestone mats?
Most definitely. Eas-i-Chi® Walking Sessions can be
viewed as a threshold activity that puts people on the path to a
recreational, rehabilitative mind set. For instance, researchers
from Sweden's Karolinska Institute found that people who exercise in
middle age are far less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and
other dementia when they are older. Dr. Miia Kivipelto of the
Institute's Aging Research Center studied a group of nearly 1,500
patients 69 and older, whose exercise habits have been monitored for
nearly 35 years. To her surprise, she discovered that people who
engaged in "leisure time physical activity" at least twice a week as
they passed through middle age, had a 50 percent lower chance of
developing dementia, and a 60 percent lower chance of developing
Alzheimer's disease, when compared with their more sedentary
colleagues. A 2006 study has found that one hour of physical
activity three times a week can extend longevity as much as 20
percent.
How about evidence of specific physio-therapeutic
benefits?
Health professionals say there are four critical muscle
balance principles important for maintaining flexibility,
increased range of motion, breathing and proper posture and
symmetrical alignment. The four principles are:
- That flexibility and a good range of bodily motion
exist.
- That the muscles on opposite sides of the body are of near
equal strength.
- That opposite pairs of muscles balance your gait when
striding and walking.
- That the muscles around the head and in the lower spine are
in proper alignment
When we ran some tests on thirty-five cobblestone walkers using
the precise measuring instruments of the kinesiologists, we found
that our participants improved their performances remarkably in
range of motion measurements and strength indices. Flexibility
increased 20-50%. Muscle conditions went from 26 imbalanced muscles
to only 4 after two weeks of two-a-day 15 minute walking sessions In
another set of tests, we tracked the balance of muscles that affect
a good walking gait in our participants, the third postural measure
of general good health. We initially found that 42% of the
participants had some gait mechanism impairment although none had
serious impairments. These imbalances are the kind of impairment
that all of us accumulate from stress and habitual patterns of
incorrect muscle recruitment. We found that three weeks of daily 20
minute cobblestone walking sessions corrected all of these problems.
Lastly, there are a number of things that can cause the
skull-to-sacrum motion--the fourth measure--to get out of tune.
Trauma to the head, whiplash, prolonged tension, jaw or bite
problems, and drugs are some of them. We have found that a
combination program of Eas-i-Chi® walking sessions and
the correct shoes (see next FAQ) corrects this problem as it
exercises the small muscles around the ankle responsive to fore-aft
stability, reduces forces on the joints, strengthens tendons and
ligaments and permits our body to become the natural movement and
mobility device it's designed to be.
What if I wanted to extend my Eas-i-Chi®
walking mat experience?
However, we have also used (in our Balance Bookends curriculum) and highly recommend a product that certainly extends balance center stimulation, enhances posture and facilitates your gait with every step you take through out the day. Vibram FiveFingers® allow you to relive that child-like sensation. FiveFingers footwear enhance your sense of touch and feel, while improving foot strength, balance, agility, and range of motion. Many outdoor enthusiasts have found this shoe to be the ideal for multiple sports and activities—for core strength training, yoga, tai chi, labyrinth walking and Pilates.
For more info. see: Why were you born with bare feet? http://www.alun.dk/eng/artikler.asp?id=436
Is there any scientific evidence to show
that your attitude toward life helps you physically, not just
mentally?
Yes. In a study published by roReport journal 12 healthy
long-term meditators who had been practicing Transcendental
Meditation for 30 years showed a 40-50% lower brain response to pain
compared to 12 healthy controls. Further, when the 12 controls then
learned and practiced Transcendental Meditation for 5 months, their brain responses to pain also decreased by a comparable 40-50%.
http://www.neuroreport.com (August '06 issue). Transcendental
Meditation could reduce the brain's response to pain because neuro-imaging
and autonomic studies indicate that it produces a physiological
state capable of modifying various kinds of pain. In time it reduces
trait anxiety, improves stress reactivity and decreases distress
from acute pain. According to Orme-Johnson, lead author of this
research, "Prior research indicates that Transcendental Meditation
creates a more balanced outlook on life and greater equanimity in
reacting to stress. This study suggests that this is not just an
attitudinal change, but a fundamental change in how the brain
functions.
Research, & what People are saying about the Cobblestone Walkway
Improve your balance! Lower your blood pressure! Exercise and massage your feet with this unique walking mat and Tai Chi Movement-based program. In studies, compared to conventional walking the experience of walking on the river-like surface of these cobblestone mats improved our participants’ balance, and measures of mobility, as well as reduced their blood pressure. Oregon Research InstituteRon Sims, Executive Public Health - Seattle & King County
Clinically and empirically shown to Improve circulation, sooth the
nervous system and reduce overall stress.
"Cobblestone walkways are the perfect approach for those that endure
standing on their feet for long periods or participate in
conditioning sports such as running, jogging, hiking, golfing, long
distance walking, chasing after small children or grand children..."
Vern Gambetta, "The Leading Conditioning Coach in the USA" Gambetta
Sports Training Systems, Sarosota, Florida
"I am 59 years old and suffer from high blood pressure. I started
the QEF
Eas-i-Chi®
mat program about a 6 weeks ago and I have seen a dramatic change in
my blood pressure levels. Even my doctor is amazed. I am usually
skeptical of non-westernized medicine, but this ancient Chinese
concept really works!" - Sophie from FL.
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