Hundreds of thousands of patients are rushed to a hospital every year due to kidney stones and its subsequent discomfort. However, research has now found a fun way to get rid of these painful stones. The study was initiated after many patients reported that after taking a roller coaster ride at the amusement park, their kidney stones painlessly passed from the kidney through a narrow duct and into the bladder.
In one of its kind medical research inspired by patient accounts that they passed kidney stones after taking a ride at amusement parks, Dr. David Wartinger, professor emeritus at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, decided to do a deeper study into these claims. According to reports, the researchers discovered that taking a medium-intensity roller coaster ride indeed helped in painless removal of small kidney stones.
In the study findings, it was revealed that for the best results, patients must sit at the back where the thrill of the ride is at its core. By sitting at the back of the ride, you have a 63.89% chance of passing kidney stones. By sitting in the front, there was a 16.67% chance of passing stones.
For the purpose of the study, Wartinger and his team used a 3-D model of a patient's kidney and inserted three stones of various sizes into the lower upper and middle passageways. After seeking prior permission from the Disney Theme Park officials, the researchers rode the Big Thunder ride, holding the 3-D model in their backpack, 20 times in different seating positions.
The rsearchers analyzed the position of these kidney stones at the end of each ride. In the end, the scientists on the experiment said that "findings support the anecdotal evidence that a ride on a moderate-intensity roller coaster could benefit some patients with small kidney stones," Wartinger said.
