Gymnasts make it look easy, but mastering those floor exercises and balance beam moves can take a toll on the brain. Researchers studying preseason and regular season concussion rates in college sports found that women’s gymnastics led all others for its concussion rate in the preseason. The rate was 50% higher even than that for… read on > read on >
All Do It Herself:
Get in the Swim: Summer Pool Safety Tips
Summer is here and so, too, is swimming season. As fun as a pool can be, it’s also a major safety risk if you don’t take the appropriate precautions. An expert from Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, offers some tips for a safe pool season. “If children or non-experienced swimmers will… read on > read on >
Long COVID Can Make It Tougher to Exercise, and Research Is Revealing Why
Lack of energy for exercise is a common problem for folks with so-called long COVID. New research pinpoints the most likely reason why: diminished capacity to get the heart pumping fast enough to support the effort. The name for this is chronotropic incompetence. “The amount of aerobic exercise an individual can do is limited largely… read on > read on >
There’s a Best Time of Day to Exercise for Folks With Type 2 Diabetes
If you’re one of the millions of folks living with type 2 diabetes, you know that regular exercise can help you keep your blood sugar in check. Now, new research suggests that working out in the afternoon may help maximize these benefits. The new study wasn’t designed to say how, or even if, exercising in… read on > read on >
With Training, Soccer Headers Might Be Safe for Teen Players
Limited “heading” of a soccer ball in youth sports may not cause irreversible harm, as long as players are properly trained, a new study finds. This study from concussion researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) looked at the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after the impact. They did this using six different tests.… read on > read on >
When Arthritis Strikes, Keep Moving
Your achy joints may suggest that you take it easy. Don’t listen to them, experts say. If it hurts when you get up from a chair or climb stairs, you might have osteoarthritis. If so, it’s best to keep moving. “While the pain from osteoarthritis worsens with activity and improves with rest, exercise is still… read on > read on >
Exercise Might Boost Your Tolerance for Pain
One potential solution to reducing chronic pain: Get moving. A new Norwegian study finds that physically active folks have greater pain tolerance compared to sedentary types. Those with higher levels of activity also had higher pain tolerance, according to the report published online May 24 in PLOS ONE. “Becoming or staying physically active over time… read on > read on >
Nowhere Safe to Play: ‘Play Deserts’ Keep Kids from Fun Physical Activity
The problem of “food deserts” in many parts of the United States has gained attention in recent years. Now, researchers are highlighting a similar issue: play deserts. In a recent study, investigators at the University of Georgia found that in many areas of the country — particularly the South — families have few safe, free… read on > read on >
Why Taking Your Kids to the Park Is Always a Healthy Idea
Need an activity to do with your kids on spring and summer days? Go to the park. Outdoor play is good for physical health, mental well-being and reduced stress in children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “Whether it’s sunny or snowing, playing outside is good for children, physically and mentally,” said pediatrician… read on > read on >
Exercise No Threat to People With an Inherited Form of Enlarged Heart
People with the rare heart disorder hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can safely engage in vigorous exercise, according to new research. This finding could lead to fewer activity restrictions for people with this condition, which involves the heart muscle becoming thickened and enlarged. HCM is an inherited disorder that affects about one in 500 people worldwide. It… read on > read on >