Exercise is often recommended to combat stress and anxiety. But it might not be the solution to your pandemic-related worries, new research indicates. For the study, researchers analyzed data gathered from more than 900 pairs of identical and same-sex fraternal twins in Washington state during the early stages of the pandemic. While 42% said their…  read on >

As some school sports return this fall, a number of measures should be followed to keep students safe from the new coronavirus, an expert says. “The best way to prevent risk is to remind students of frequent hand-washing or have hand sanitizers readily available, especially before, during and after practice,” said Dr. Irvin Sulapas, a…  read on >

People with the heart-rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, may ease their symptoms with the help of a slower-paced yoga, a preliminary study finds. Researchers from India found that over 16 weeks of yoga sessions, a-fib patients saw their symptom episodes drop by about half. Their mental well-being got a boost as well.…  read on >

The odds are not good for college football conferences that have decided to press forward with their fall season despite the coronavirus pandemic, experts say. The Big 10 and PAC 12 have decided not to play sports in the fall, but the SEC, the Big 12 and the ACC say they will proceed with college…  read on >

With evidence mounting that COVID-19 can damage the heart, experts urge people to take precautions when doing vigorous exercise. Up to 30% of patients hospitalized with coronavirus infection have signs of cardiac injury, according to Dr. Sunal Makadia, health director of sports cardiology at LifeBridge Health in Baltimore. The prevalence of heart damage in milder…  read on >

For most people, wearing a face mask is a harmless inconvenience, but wearing the coverings may cause skin problems for some, one dermatologist explains. It’s been called mask-acne, or “maskne.” Dermatologist Dr. Allison Truong, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Group in Los Angeles, said that she is seeing many patients with this problem. Patients are complaining of…  read on >

If you’re getting back to a fitness program or gym after spending months in lockdown, be careful not to hurt yourself, a sports medicine expert urges. “One of the most common reasons people get injured is because they overexert themselves when their level of fitness is not where they want it to be,” said Dr.…  read on >

Most American parents know that sunscreen is important for their children, but there are gaps in their knowledge of its proper use, a new survey finds. The majority of the more than 1,100 parents of children aged 5 to 12 said they’ve at least sometimes used sunscreen on their kids, and that sunscreen is very…  read on >

If you love to play sports, it’s tough advice to follow after months of lockdown: Go easy. You may be tempted to jump right back into things as playing fields, courts, gyms and other athletic facilities reopen, but it’s best to take some time for conditioning first, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says.…  read on >

Parks can be good for your health, but fear of crime stops some people from using them, a new study finds. Previous research has shown that urban green spaces can lower stress levels, weight and heart disease risk, and that living near a park is linked to fewer days of anxiety and depression. This new…  read on >