With summer comes warm weather and swimming. But for some people, knowing how to swim may not be enough to ensure their safety. That’s because certain medical conditions bump up the risk for drowning in a big way, according to a new Canadian study. About one in three adults and children over age 10 who…  read on >  read on >

Occupational therapy or low-impact exercise might be the key to relieving long-haul COVID symptoms like extreme fatigue, breathlessness and brain fog, a pair of new studies from Ireland suggest. The studies reflect two different — in some ways, opposite — approaches to dealing with symptoms that tend to plague long COVID patients. One study taught…  read on >  read on >

As youth spring sports kick into high gear, it’s important to know about injury prevention and treatment, an expert says. Injury risks and preventive measures can vary by sport, according to Dr. Marcus Knox, a physical therapist in the department of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Young baseball pitchers are at…  read on >  read on >

Pterosaurs — the flying relatives of dinosaurs — could control the color of their plumage, researchers have discovered. Pterosaurs lived alongside dinosaurs, 230 million to 66 million years ago. The investigators analyzed a 115-million-year-old fossilized head crest of a pterosaur called Tupandactylus imperator found in northeastern Brazil. The bottom of the crest had a fuzzy…  read on >  read on >

Twelve companies have been issued warning letters about selling over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday. The products are unapproved drugs that are not recognized as safe and effective, according to the FDA, which has received reports of serious side effects including rashes, facial swelling and skin discoloration…  read on >  read on >

Staving off Alzheimer’s disease might just take a healthy diet, exercise and an active mind, a new study suggests. Women and men who follow a healthy lifestyle live longer — and longer without Alzheimer’s or other dementias, researchers say. “Eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables, berries, whole grains, and low in fried or fast…  read on >  read on >

By now, most people have heard that exercise is good for their health. A new review suggests it can it also make a difference in major depressive disorder. Researchers analyzed 15 existing studies with data on exercise and depression, finding an association between physical activity and depression risk. The investigators estimated that almost 12% of…  read on >  read on >

Sitting tai chi provides stroke survivors with recovery benefits similar to those achieved with standard rehabilitation, a new study finds. Tai chi involves a series of slow movements of the hands, arms, neck, legs and core combined with deep breathing. Researchers developed a tai chi routine that stroke survivors can do while sitting. “Tai chi…  read on >  read on >