Young athletes specializing in one sport may hope it’s a ticket to an athletic scholarship in college, but a new analysis suggests the practice might also doom them to overuse injuries. Pulling data from five prior studies, scientists found that athletes aged 18 and younger who concentrated on a single sport were nearly two times…  read on >

Many people with spinal cord injuries suffer the loss of bladder control, but a small new study shows that stimulation of the lower spine might help them regain some of that control. The study included five male patients. For four months, they received 15 minutes a week of noninvasive, painless lower spinal cord stimulation conducted…  read on >

Scientists say they’re researching a way to destroy cancer cells that travel to other parts of the body. Many cancers become especially dangerous only when they spread (metastasize) from the initial location to other tissues such as the lungs, brain or bone, the University of Colorado Cancer Center researchers explained. The investigators found that when…  read on >

Radiation therapy for the most common childhood brain tumor can cause memory problems, new research suggests. Specifically, it can leave young survivors struggling to create memories of recent personal events, the small study found. But survivors’ ability to recall ones that happened before radiation wasn’t affected. “There are some known cognitive effects from radiation treatment,…  read on >

Improved treatment has nearly tripled viral suppression rates among HIV patients in the United States over the past two decades, researchers report. But viral suppression rates remain lower among young people and black Americans, the researchers add. About 1.2 million U.S. adults have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Achieving and maintaining suppression of the…  read on >

The human voice is produced by two bands of muscle tissue called vocal folds. When you talk, the folds come together as the air from your lungs travels through them. Air blows through the folds and causes them to vibrate, making sound waves that travel through your mouth, nose and throat. The U.S. National Institutes…  read on >

E-cigarettes produce chemicals that can damage a person’s DNA, the first step on a path that might lead to cancer, a new study reports. The saliva of a small group of e-cigarette users contained increased levels of three DNA-damaging compounds, the researchers said. These chemicals are formaldehyde, acrolein and methylglyoxal. Further, four of the five…  read on >

Most American parents would forbid their teen from getting a tattoo due to concerns about possible infection and future job prospects, a nationwide survey finds. The poll of more than 1,000 parents found 78 percent said they would not let their 13- to 18-year-old get inked. About half expressed concern about infection, scarring or transmission…  read on >

Sports-medicine research has called into question the value of warm-ups and cool-downs, and cast doubt on whether they really prevent muscle soreness. However, there are still other benefits to these pre- and post-workout steps, and to stretching after both. But it’s important to get the sequence right. A warm-up preps your body for exercise by…  read on >

Each day, adults pass about 1.5 quarts of urine through the bladder, the National Institute on Aging says. Keeping your bladder healthy can help prevent infection and incontinence, which tend to become more common as you age, the agency says. It suggests: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Most people should drink at least six…  read on >