hard core

Medical analysis: Bone deformity, mineral loss & joint pain due to hard floor praying

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article4412074.ece

Sema Yılmaz^{1, 3} , Hamide Kart-Köseoglu¹, Ozgen Guler² and Eftal Yucel¹

(1)	Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey

(2)	Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey

(3)	Vatan cad., Devrim sit., B/blok No:29/4, Selcuklu, 42040 Konya, Turkey

Received: 10 March 2007 Accepted: 24 September 2007 Published online: 10 October 2007

Abstract Prayer is one kind of worship that is composed of repetitive action during praying in Islam. The prayer is performed five times a day, every Friday, bairams and death ceremonies. The aim of this study is to search the role of this repetitive action on knee, hip osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Forty-six patients who had been performing the prayer at least for 10 years, and 40 patients who had not performed the prayer, were included in this prospective study. Each patient was evaluated with standard questionnaire form, joint examination was done and various laboratory parameters were studied. Anterior–posterior radiography of the pelvis and weight-bearing knees of each patient were examined. Each film was evaluated by two investigators separately and first scored by using Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) scale, then the width of the joint space of hips and knees were measured directly using a steel ruler and recorded to the nearest half millimeter. Bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and femur was measured. Patients having Heberden’s nodes, Bouchard’s nodes, and carpometacarpal disease were frequent in worshiper group. Joint space width measurements and assessment according to K&L scale did not differ between worshipers and non-worshipers. BMD of lumbar spine was decreased in worshipers and also decreased with patients having Heberden’s nodes, Bouchard’s nodes, female gender and age. Prayer has no effect on knee and hip osteoarthritis, and may be related with hand osteoarthritis. It seems to have negative effect on lumbar BMD, but further investigations are needed.

Keywords Prayer - Osteoarthritis - Osteoporosis

Perhaps tatami mats or a sandy beach in the shade of a coconut palm might be more healthy.

~peace~