An increasing interest in pain is reflected in the growing number of books about it. Some recent offerings:

• "Back Sense" by Ronald D. Siegel, Michael H. Urdang and Douglas R. Johnson ($12.95, Broadway Books). This book offers a self-treatment approach to chronic back pain "based on conclusive evidence proving that stress and inactivity are usually the prime offenders." The three authors — Siegel is a clinical psychologist at Harvard Medical School, Urdang has a master's degree in counseling psychology and Johnson is a physician in Massachusetts — are all former chronic back-pain sufferers.

• "Pain Free for Women" by Pete Egoscue with Roger Gittines ($24.95, Bantam). Egoscue, a San Diego anatomical functionalist and author of "Pain Free," presents alignment, posture and muscle-engagement exercises he says can alleviate not only chronic pain but also symptoms associated with other conditions, including PMS, allergies, chronic fatigue and depression.

• "Women and Pain" ($24.95, Hyperion). Mark Allen Young and Karen Baar present new research showing women experience pain differently than men. The authors identify and explain a variety of chronic ailments (hormonal, bone-related, neural, psychological, sports-related) and suggest conventional and alternative medicines, dietary strategies, mind-body approaches and exercises that might help. Young is an M.D. and specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a member of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a licensed acupuncturist.

• "Erasing Pain" ($24.95, St. Martin's Press). Matthew H.M. Lee and Mary Bezkor, M.D.s from the Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine in New York, answer questions patients have asked about pain and continue the Q-and-A approach in an overview of specific problems from abdominal pain to withdrawal from drugs and alcohol.

• "Your Pain is Real" ($25, ReganBooks). Emile Hiesiger and Kathleen Brady address the mysteries of chronic pain; controlling pain with and without medication or surgery; conditions affecting the head and neck; muscles, bones and joints; as well as back, nerve and sports-injury pain. Hiesiger, a pain-management specialist, is clinical associate professor of neurology and radiology at New York University School of Medicine.

• "Beyond Aspirin" by Thomas M. Newmark and Paul Schulick ($14.95, Hohm Press). The authors question the safety of the new anti-inflammatory medications known as COX-2 inhibitors (such as Celebrex and Vioxx) and offer a variety of herbal therapies as alternatives.

• "Instant Healing" ($21.95, Renaissance Books). Serge Kahili King explains how to use the power of words, imagination, touch and energy to treat a variety of ailments, from headaches to backaches to depression and even hangovers.

	Tanita HealthyJump

Tracking health

Balance Log from HealtheTech is personalized weight-management and nutrition-monitoring software that runs on Windows and Palm operating systems. Users specify preferred diet plan, activity level and goal weight, and receive a daily calorie budget and physical-activity targets. They choose from more than 3,000 foods and 300 activities to log exercise and diet. The Windows version is $59 and the Palm $49, from www.healthetech.com.

Checking sun, counting jumps

Tanita, the folks who brought us body-fat-measuring scales, has two new handheld monitoring devices. UV-Smart ($49.99) is a small oval monitor that measures exposure to ultraviolet light. Once outdoors, users can angle the monitor toward the sun and push a button once to measure UVA rays and twice to check UVB rays. The digital window indicates the strength of the rays as weak (minimal risk of harm from exposure), medium, strong or very strong (most damaging exposure). HealthyJump ($19.99) is a translucent blue jump rope with a counter in one handle to track rotations and calories burned. Available via www.tanita.com a retailer can be found by calling 800-9-TANITA.

Club news

• ZUM (pronounced "zoom") is a new club in Belltown (2235 Fifth Ave.) founded by Peter Shmock, a two-time Olympian and former director of strength and conditioning for the Seattle Mariners. In addition to standard strength and cardio machines, equipment includes bungie cords, tires, tubes, climbing ropes, balance beam, indoor sandpit and mini climbing wall. Other uncommon offerings include sports training, rehabbing from injuries, experimental and master classes, preparing for active travel vacations, training clubs, and Shmock's Outdoor Gym fitness field trips. Information: 206-443-3933 or www.clubzum.com

• Urban Physiology, a new "functional fitness gym" in Seattle's Mercer corridor (815 Mercer St., Suite 102), is based on the premise that no one training method should be used to develop a well-balanced fitness program. Its personalized programs draw from Pilates, strength training, balance/coordination drills, yoga, functional strength equipment, core stability and aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Founder is David Rea, a former dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and trainer at Sound Mind & Body. Classes — individual and small-group personal training as well as group classes — include yoga, Pilates, alignment, rehab, teen training and post-natal mom-and-infant. Information: 206-447-8661; www.urbanphysiology.com.

• Some yoga fans in Arlington are practicing in "The Big Red Barn," built in 1948 by dairy farmer Clifford Rod. Once used for barn dances and high-school football practices, the space was restored in 1998 for classes in yoga and dance. Tai chi was recently added, and plans are in the works to include massage and other bodywork. Information: 360-435-7193 or www.movementarts.com

Wilderness health

"Don't Get Sick: The Hidden Dangers of Camping and Hiking" by Buck Tilton and Rick Bennett ($8.95, The Mountaineers Books) includes tips on camp cleanliness, food management and germ prevention as well as signs of common wilderness diseases and what to do if infected.

Cancer fatigue

"Too Tired To Exercise?" a free lecture on cancer-related fatigue, will be offered June 14, noon to 1:30 p.m. at Highline Hospital and June 15, 10:30 a.m.-noon at Cancer Lifeline (6522 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle). For information and details on ongoing Cancer Lifeline classes, call 206-297-2100.

Star Trac's Pro treadmills have fans built into the console.

Treadmill breeze

One popular side benefit of flywheel rowing and bicycle machines is the breeze they blow onto users. Now indoor walkers and runners, too, can feel the wind in their hair: Star Trac's Pro treadmills feature cooling fans integrated into the console. The new models also have footpads on each side of the deck's side rail to measure user weight, which helps calculate calories burned. The new features, found only on commercial models, come at a price: $7,495. Details: 800-228-6635 or www.startrac.com

Pressuring down

All types of regular aerobic exercise decreased blood pressure in all groups of people in an overview of more than 2,400 people and 54 studies over 35 years. Systolic blood pressure decreased 3.84 mm Hg and diastolic 2.58 mm Hg; the studies' subjects had been previously inactive. In the report, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the Tulane University researchers said aerobic exercise — those studied included walking, jogging, cycling and swimming — is a simple and inexpensive tool for preventing and treating high blood pressure, especially since even small decreases can lessen the need for drug treatment, cut costs related to treatment and reduce the number of deaths from heart disease.

Meeting, missing standards

In a nationwide evaluation of physical activity, 32.4 percent of Washington state residents were found to get the recommended amount of physical activity; 50.6 percent were found to get an insufficient amount, and 17.0 percent were inactive. Recommended in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2000 was physical activity for 30 minutes at least five times a week, or vigorous activity at least 20 minutes three times a week.

Guidelines too low?

Federal exercise guidelines may not be enough for weight control, according to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A study found that among women with a tendency to put on pounds, physical inactivity alone accounted for more than 75 percent of their weight gain, said Roland Weinsier, a professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He said the current USDA guidelines of 30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity may need to be increased to as much as 80 minutes per day to prevent weight gain.

	Shuttle-Bike

Strength-training basics

The American College of Sports Medicine recently (February 2002) released a new overview of resistance training for adults. Though aimed primarily at fitness professionals and therefore somewhat technical, it addresses progression (increasing loads lifted), periodization (varying workouts), single-joint exercises (such as a biceps curl) and multiple-joint exercises (squat), increasing power and endurance, and guidelines for older adults. The document, as well as other ACSM "position stands" including those on weight loss, nutrition, exercise and Type 2 diabetes, can be downloaded from www.acsm-msse.org.

Pedal on water

Shuttle-Bike is an Italian pedal-powered watercraft (distributed in this country by a Kirkland company) that uses a conventional bicycle, steers with its handlebars and can reach 4 mph cruising, 6 mph max. The two inflatable pontoons, pedal-powered inflation pump, stainless-steel bike-support frame and aluminum-alloy propeller gear housing compact into a 25-pound backpack. $695. Information: 425-823-7763 or www.shuttlebikeusa.com

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