Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Who Knew? Walking on Cobblestones is healthy!

I have no idea what reflexology is.

But I do have some interesting follow-up - - not that I think this has much to do with travel, nor walking on cobblestones while traveling in Europe.

I wrote to the Oregon Research Institue with a few constructive criticisms (mostly on how the lay press was reporting their work), and they wrote back with appreciation, saying they had been caught off guard by the way this has been picked up the lay media. The full article, in PDF format can now be read on their website - - http://www.ori.org/Media/pressreleas...e_june05.x.pdf - - for those who are interested.

The subjects were indeed "geriatric", age 60-92, (mean 72), and did not have (untreated at least) hypertension, though 59% were taking some medications regularly, as one might expect in this age group. The decline in blood pressure was modest, but real (about 5-6 mm Hg, both systolic and diastolic).

They took two weeks to "train" on walking on the (simulated) "cobblestones" (plastic mats - - which they now <i>sell</i>), first 6 minutes, then 12, eventually working up to 30 minutes at a time - - repeated then 3 times a week.

Of 494 subjects approached (or responded to advertising) about the study, only 180 were considered real candidates (138 not prepared to commit to 16 wks participation, 71 considered "too active" and 80 not considered healthy enough). Of that 180, almost 40% were then excluded on further screening (many of the same reasons).

So, this method of "balance training" may be appropriate only for a small subsegment of seniors.

Moreover, the lay press did not pick up the following "secondary outcome measures" which were NOT different between cobblestone walkers and "regular" walkers: self-assessed physical and mental scores of well-being, and perceptions of the health benefit of exercise.

As is so often the case, science writers report about half of the story in clinical research - - and get about half of that right.

Take home lesson? if your exercise program consists of walking around your suburban neighborhood on flat ground - - there could be a modest advantage to (sometimes?) going out to a park or other setting with a trail through the woods, where the terrain is less regular, and you have to put some conscious effort into where you step, and maintaining your footing.