Heading the ball can be a dramatic, game-changing play during a soccer match. Unfortunately, soccer players pay a price every time they make this move, a new study argues. Bouncing a soccer ball off your head disrupts a person’s brain even if it doesn’t result in a concussion, researchers reported June 18 in Sports Medicine-Open.…  read on >  read on >

Throbbing, swollen knees hobble many seniors, but there are many solid means of treating knee arthritis that don’t involve meds, a new evidence review says. Knee braces, water therapy and exercise all effectively ease the ache of wear-and-tear knee arthritis, researchers reported today in the journal PLOS One. “They reduce pain and improve mobility without…  read on >  read on >

Think you need to spend hours lifting weights to build muscle or get stronger?  Researchers at Florida Atlantic University say just a few smart, focused sets may be all it takes this summer to see real gains. The study — available as a preprint on SportRxiv — reviewed results from dozens of earlier studies on…  read on >  read on >

Most folks tap away at their smartphone for fun, communication or information. But such tapping may also help them track the progress of a rare degenerative brain disease, researchers say. Five simple smartphone-measured tests of movement control can provide quick and regular insight into the motor function of someone with Huntington’s disease, researchers reported June…  read on >  read on >

BowFlex, a fitness equipment brand, is recalling more than 3.8 million adjustable dumbbells because their weight plates can fall off and hurt users. The recall follows more than 100 reports of injuries, including concussions, broken toes, bruises and scrapes, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The recalled weights are popular because they…  read on >  read on >