Title: Range of motion assessment of elderly arthritis sufferers at Montana (USA) Radon Health Mines

Authors: Barbra E. Erickson

Addresses: Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, California State University, PO Box 6846, Fullerton, CA 92834-6846, USA

Abstract: Radioactive radon therapy is a little-known pain relief modality in the US, although it is an accepted therapeutic choice in many parts of Europe and Japan. Radon therapy has been extensively studied by European and Japanese physicians and scientists but information about the specific therapeutic applications of radon in the US is limited to anecdotal and ethnographic data. The purpose of this pilot study was to use range of motion measurements to evaluate the effect of radon therapy on joint flexibility in elderly arthritis sufferers at the Free Enterprise Radon Health Mine in Montana (USA). Finger, shoulder and/or neck flexibility of 21 participants were measured before, during and after a course of radon therapy, using a goniometer and an arthrodial protractor. Results were mixed but indicate overall patterns of improvement. Larger controlled studies should be undertaken to test joint flexibility and other quantifiable effects of radon therapy.

Keywords: arthritis; joint flexibility; low dose radiation; radon; therapeutic applications; low radiation; radioactive radon therapy; pain relief; motion measurements; elderly.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLR.2006.012007

International Journal of Low Radiation, 2006 Vol.3 No.4, pp.325 - 336

Published online: 09 Jan 2007 *

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