Wellness Tips Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Orthopedic & Sports Medicine

10,000 Steps a Day May Halve Dementia Risk

As the global population ages, cases of dementia are also on the rise worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that some 55 million people currently have dementia, and the number is set to rise to 139 million by 2050.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that Alzheimer’s disease, the commonest form of dementia, affects around 5.8 million people in the United States alone.

The greatest risk factors for dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, are aging and genetics. Dementia is most common in those aged over 75, and having a close relative with dementia may increase a person’s risk of developing the disorder.

Other risk factors that we cannot control include sex — females are more at risk than males — and ethnicity. However, lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical exercise, controlling blood pressure, and keeping the brain stimulated, can decrease a person’s risk of dementia, even for those who have one or more risk factors.

And physical exercise need not mean sweating it out at the gym or taking up a new sport.

According to a study recently published in JAMA Neurology, simply increasing the number of steps a person takes each day can decrease their dementia risk by as much as 50%.

How did the study proceed?

The study used data from the UK Biobank. The 78,430 participants, of whom 44.7% were male and 55.3% female, had a mean age of 61.1 years. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease and dementia when they enrolled in the study. Researchers followed up with participants after a median of 6.9 years (6.4–7.5 years).

For the study, participants had to wear an accelerometer on their dominant wrist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to measure physical activity. The researchers then used an algorithm to work out the step count from the data collected by the accelerometer.

The researchers controlled for variables such as age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, smoking, overall health, and diet when analyzing the data.

At follow-up, 866 participants, or 1.1%, had developed dementia.

“The Alzheimer’s Association is conducting a clinical trial combining exercise with other lifestyle factors, like diet and social/ cognitive engagement, to determine if these factors in combination reduce risk of cognitive decline,” she added.

Dr. Porsteinsson agreed: “There are definite limitations to observational cohort studies but advantages as well. They are hypothesis-generating, that is they point us toward what we may want to study further in a controlled, randomized study. The good news here is that there is a bulk of evidence that suggests that exercise is beneficial in staving off dementia.”

What the study found

“This is an important study that may help inform public health guidelines around the amount of physical activity necessary to reap health benefits,” said Dr. Sexton.

“These results are not surprising given the robust data we have linking physical activity and better cognition. A strength of this paper is it used an objective, widely-understood measure of step count rather than self-reported data,” she noted.

The researchers found that both the number of steps and stepping intensity were associated with reduced dementia risk. For the greatest benefit — a 50% reduction in dementia risk — participants had to walk around 9,800 steps per day. Above this number, no further benefit was seen.

However, the good news for those who cannot achieve this many steps was that just 3,826 steps a day reduced dementia risk by 25%.

Dr. Porsteinsson agreed that any exercise will help reduce risk. “[It’s] never too late to get started and even a relatively small effort is beneficial and can then be added to as endurance improves,” he told us.

Purposeful steps, defined as more than 40 steps per minute, such as when going for a walk, increased the association with reduced dementia risk.

Stay active for mental and physical health

This study adds to building evidence that staying active as you age can maintain physical and mental health and improve longevity.

Another large-scale study of almost 650,000 military veterans found that being physically fit reduced dementia risk by up to 33%. In this study, even a small amount of exercise was found to help reduce dementia risk.

An analysis from the Alzheimer’s Society of 11 studies found that, out of taking regular exercise, not smoking, moderating alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a healthy diet, it was regular exercise that had the greatest impact on dementia risk.

For Alzheimer’s disease, regular exercise reduced risk by up to 45%.

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

How to Walk Towards Healthier Knees

in Knee Injuries, Knee Pain, Wellness Tips

Article featured on ScienceDaily

A new study published today in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint.

“Until this finding, there has been a lack of credible treatments that provide benefit for both limiting damage and pain in osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and first author of the paper.

The researchers examined the results of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multiyear observational study where participants self-reported the amount of time and frequency they walked for exercise. Participants who reported 10 or more instances of exercise from the age of 50 years or later were classified as “walkers” and those who reported less were classified as “non-walkers.”

Those who reported walking for exercise had 40% decreased odds of new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers.

“These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said Lo, who also is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety at Baylor and the VA. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.”

Lo said that walking for exercise has added health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health and decreased risk of obesity, diabetes and some cancers, the driving reasons for the Center for Disease Control recommendations on physical activity, first published in 2008 and updated in 2018. Walking for exercise is a free activity with minimal side effects, unlike medications, which often come with a substantial price tag and possibility of side effects.

“People diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis should walk for exercise, particularly if they do not have daily knee pain,” advises Lo. “If you already have daily knee pain, there still might be a benefit, especially if you have the kind of arthritis where your knees are bow-legged.”

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

What to Do When You Overdo It

in Wellness Tips

Article featured on Summit Ortho

Summer is a glorious season when we can enjoy getting out into our state’s natural beauty after a cold winter. In the summer months, people flock outside to the garden and do yard work; play sports like golf, tennis, or tennis; do spring cleaning; or go hiking, cycling, or swimming. With all of these options at our fingertips, it’s easy to overdo it.

Getting active is good, but if you overdo it, you might find yourself having aches and pains in joints and tendons or even numbness or tingling of fingers.

What to do if you overdo it

Ice is best in the first few hours or days after an overuse injury — 20 minutes two to four times a day is good.
Gentle massage and stretching is also helpful. Ice can make the area feel stiff, so ease into massage and stretching after ice.
If the pain persists, heat might be more helpful in the days to follow. “Heat can be especially helpful if you suspect any arthritis pain could be contributing to your situation,” Evenson said.

How to avoid overdoing it next time

Evenson is a big proponent of prevention. “A few simple steps can prevent overuse injuries from happening in the first place,” she said.

Here are some quick prevention tips:

Don’t skimp on the warmup — five to 10 minutes of dynamic warmups, that is, gently going through the motions you’ll be using during the activity itself, will help warm up the muscles and lubricate the joints, getting them ready for the full activity.
Take breaks periodically — doing a half hour each day is better than doing four hours in one day.
Use good ergonomic tools and good body mechanics during the activity.
Start slowly — tennis may be your new favorite sport, but you’ll want to cut your play sessions short at first to avoid injuries.
Stretch after the activity — static stretching for up to 30 seconds can help with flexibility.
Know — and heed! — your limits.
Stay hydrated — good hydration will help prevent injury.

If your discomfort and irritation have lingered for more than a week after overdoing it, even with at-home treatment, it’s time to make an appointment with your primary care provider or orthopedic specialist. “People say all the time, ‘I wish I hadn’t waited so long to come in.’ If you haven’t seen improvement after a week, it’s a good idea to get it checked out,” Evenson said.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

How Often to Work Out for Strength, Weight Loss, and Health

in Weight Loss, Wellness Tips

Article featured on MedicalNewsToday

How often a person needs to work out to see results will depend on their fitness goals. Losing weight, building muscle, and increasing endurance and stamina each require a different approach to training.

Exercise has a range of important benefits. It enhances overall health, helps a person maintain moderate weight, relieves stress, and can promote restful sleep.

Due to this, what people wish to achieve through exercise differs among individuals. Some people may use exercise as a weight loss technique, whereas others may want to build their strength.

This article addresses how often a person should work out based on their particular goals.

It is advisable to consult a doctor before starting any workout or strength training program, as they can offer advice on how to work out safely and minimize the risk of injury.

How often to work out for weight loss

At its most basic level, weight loss is about solving a math problem.

A person must burn off more calories than they take in on a daily basis. Some of the ways a person can accomplish this include:

eating fewer calories each day than they burn off
increasing their physical activity to burn off more calories
increasing their muscle mass so that they burn more calories at rest

There is controversy surrounding whether exercise alone is enough to achieve weight loss.

For example, some research suggests that exercise can cause the body to start to compensate by adjusting metabolism as a means to hold on to body fat.

Exercise still has a role to play in weight loss, but for maximum benefits, a person should combine it with a healthful calorie-controlled diet that reduces their calorie intake.

Researchers also note that continuing to exercise after weight loss can help stop people from regaining the weight.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend a combination of cardiovascular training and strength training to boost health and burn calories.

Cardiovascular training

The AHA recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity throughout the week.

A person can also engage in a mix of moderate intensity and vigorous activities should they prefer.

Example of moderate intensity activities include:

brisk walking at a speed of at least 2.5 miles per hour (mph)
dancing
gardening
riding a bicycle slower than 10 mph
tennis
water aerobics

Examples of vigorous activities include:

hiking, particularly uphill or while wearing a heavy pack
jumping rope
running
swimming
taking an aerobics class
vigorous yard work, such as digging

Ultimately, a person can gain the greatest health benefits by engaging in at least 5 hours of physical activity a week.

Strength training

Strength training involves using resistance to build muscle.

Muscle can help make the body more metabolically active, increasing the rate at which it burns calories.

The AHA recommend engaging in moderate-to-high intensity resistance training on at least 2 days of the week. Examples of approaches to resistance training include:

Lifting weights: This could involve using weight machines or free weights to perform exercises such as biceps curls, bench presses, and leg presses.
Using body weight for resistance: Exercise examples include lunges, squats, and tricep dips. A person does not require any equipment to do these.
Using resistance bands: Resistance bands are stretchy elastic bands that help increase the amount that a person’s muscles must work. Resistance bands vary in tightness, with tighter ones increasing the exercise intensity. A person can perform exercises such as squats, lunges, biceps curls, and triceps extensions using resistance bands.

Anyone who is new to exercise and unsure where to begin may wish to consult a certified personal trainer. A trainer can advise the individual on what exercises are suitable for their level of health and fitness, as well as how to perform them correctly and safely.

Summary

Exercise programs for enhancing aerobic capacity and building muscle strength can vary.

Often, the “best” exercise program is the one that a person is willing and able to perform on a routine basis.

With regular efforts and increasing intensity, a person should see their desired results over time.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

7 Most Common Accidents and Injuries During Back to School

in Nutrition & General Health, Wellness Tips

Article featured on HealthPartners

Whether your kiddo is a little daredevil or just a bit klutzy, accidents happen.

The good news is that most mishaps result in minor injuries that can be treated with a dab of antibacterial ointment, a little rest, and lots of hugs and kisses. But the reality is that every tumble has the potential to be “the big one” – an injury that has you speeding toward the nearest hospital.

But it’s a fine line. What kinds of child injuries really raise the boo-boo bar? When is a trip to urgent care enough? And when might you need to seek highly-specialized emergency care at a pediatric trauma center?

1. Falls: The most common cause of injury for kids of all ages

Falls are the leading cause of injury among children. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that roughly 8,000 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms for fall-related injuries every day.

When and where are falls most likely to happen?

Playgrounds, especially slides and monkey bars, are some of the most common causes of injury. Other common fall hazards include:

Stairs
Beds without railings
Windows
Elevated landings
Baby walkers
Slippery bathtubs
Cluttered pathways

Also, while falls are the most common injury for kids of all ages, babies and toddlers are especially fall-prone. Little humans simply don’t have the same movement control and balance that older kids and adults do. Of course, there are numerous child fall prevention best practices that can help reduce the chances of a serious injury. But falls can still happen in a flash.

What types of fall injuries may need specialized trauma care?

Head, neck, back or spine injuries, and broken bones top the list. More specifically, these injuries can often need the highest level of trauma care – or what’s often called Level 1 trauma care. Why? These kinds of injuries can be more complex, which may require expert care from a range of specialists.

In addition, we suggest that you bring your child to a trauma center right away if they’re experiencing any of the following symptoms after a fall:

Difficulty breathing
Possible broken bones – especially if the potential fracture is located in areas like the head, face, neck, back or pelvis, or if a bone has pierced through the skin – ligament tears or a spinal cord injury
New or worsening bleeding or swelling, headache, nausea or vomiting
Loss of consciousness or memory loss surrounding the accident

Learn more about what to do if your child falls and hurts themselves.

2. Being struck by or against an object: Accidental impacts

Most kids get bumped into on a regular basis – especially if they play sports (or have older siblings). Usually these run-ins are minor accidents caused by playing a little too hard or getting distracted.

But according to CDC and NEISS All Injury Program data from 2000-2018, the frequency of emergency department visits after being struck by or against an object is second only to falls, especially for kids aged 0-14.

When and where are kids most likely to get struck by or against an object?

These types of childhood injuries can happen anytime and anywhere. Here’s just a sampling of some of the accidents that fall into this category:

Walking into a wall, door or piece of furniture
Being hit by an object such as a baseball or a falling storage box
Getting hit and hurt by another player during a football, soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball or other sports game
Being pinned under a piece of furniture or an appliance that tipped over

What types of “struck by or against” injuries may need trauma care?

Head, neck, back or spine injuries, and broken bones are often top trauma priorities for these types of accidents, too. Also, if your child is injured after being pinned under or against something, internal injuries can be a concern.

We suggest heading to a pediatric trauma center if your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Difficulty breathing
Possible broken bones – especially if the potential fracture is located in areas like the head, face, neck, back or pelvis, or if a bone has pierced through the skin – ligament tears or a spinal cord injury
New or worsening bleeding or swelling, headache, nausea or vomiting
Loss of consciousness or memory loss surrounding the accident

3. Motor vehicle accidents: The most common injury for teen drivers and riders

There are millions of motor vehicle accidents every year. Next to falls, these accidents are the most common causes of nonfatal injuries among teenagers.

When and where are motor vehicle accidents most likely to happen?

Whether your child is cruising in your family car or riding an ATV at the cabin up north, motor vehicle accidents can happen anytime. And teens between 16 and 19 are at a higher motor vehicle crash risk than any other age group, according to the CDC.

Why? One reason is because teens are less experienced drivers or they’re riding with less experienced drivers.

The CDC says that the crash risk for teen drivers is especially high during their first few months of licensure. In addition, the presence of other teen passengers increases crash risks.

When may trauma care be needed after a motor vehicle accident?

Motor vehicle accidents can cause a range of injuries – some obvious and some subtle. And even low-speed accidents can leave kids with an injury.

After any motor vehicle accident, we suggest getting your child checked out. Some injuries may or may not present themselves right away. Urgent care can be a good choice for minor bumps, scrapes or bruises.

If an ambulance arrives and paramedics say a trip to the ER is recommended, we suggest you follow their advice and ask to be taken to the nearest pediatric trauma center.

In addition, we recommend seeking pediatric emergency care if your child has any of the following injuries or symptoms:

Difficulty breathing
Visible or possible head, neck or back injuries
Possible broken bones – especially if the potential fracture is located in areas like the head, face, neck, back or pelvis, or if a bone has pierced through the skin – ligament tears or a spinal cord injury
New or worsening bleeding or swelling, headache, nausea or vomiting
Loss of consciousness or has memory loss surrounding the accident

4. Cuts and puncture wounds: Injuries that are more than a little scratch

Whether they’re playing with friends or helping you in the yard, a lot of kids accidentally cut or poke themselves with something sharp. Most wounds will sting and throb, but once they’re cleaned and patched up they typically heal pretty quickly.

But more serious lacerations or piercings are relatively common, especially for kids between 5 and 14 years old.

When are cuts and piercings most likely to happen?

Usually, most deep cuts or piercings occur after another common kid injury occurs – namely a bad fall or being hit by something. But other household accidents involving machinery like yard tools, kitchen appliances or cutlery can be the culprits, too.

When may trauma care be needed for cuts and piercings?

If your child has any lacerations or puncture wounds that occurred after a fall, being hit by an object, or may involve a broken bone, head to the nearest trauma center. Multiple injuries will likely require care from multiple specialists.

If a cut or puncture is the primary injury, get emergency pediatric trauma care if your child’s injury is:

Bleeding heavily or the bleeding hasn’t decreased after five to 10 minutes of direct pressure
Causing numbness or inability to move fingers, toes, arms, legs, joints or other parts of their body
Deeper or longer than ½ inch
Located on your child’s head or face, or close to an eye
Caused by a dirty or rusty object
Embedded with dirt, gravel or other debris
Has ragged or separated edges
Caused by an animal or human bite
Extremely painful
Showing signs of infection (e.g. increased warmth, redness, swelling or drainage, or foul odor)

5. Bites and stings: Wounds caused by animals, insects and humans

The vast majority of bites and stings are minor – requiring little to no medical treatment. But according to the previously mentioned CDC and NEISS All Injury Program data, bites and stings are the third most common reason for ER visits for kids aged 0-9.

When and where are bites and stings most likely to happen?

Like any injury, bites and stings can happen anytime, anywhere. Among children, dog bites are some of the most common injuries we see.

When may trauma care be needed after a bite or sting?

After any bite or sting, seek emergency pediatric trauma care if:

The wound (or wounds) is bleeding heavily or the bleeding hasn’t decreased after five to 10 minutes of direct pressure
The wound (or wounds) is showing signs of infection (e.g. increased warmth, redness, swelling or drainage, or foul odor)
Your child is having difficulty breathing or showing other signs of an allergic reaction such as swell hives, wheezing or trouble swallowing, rapid pulse or dizziness

Specifically for animal bites, seek emergency care if:

The animal that bit your child is wild
The bite or bites are deeper or longer than ½ inch – especially if they’re located on your child’s face and/or near an eye
The bite is from a venomous snake or spider
- Venomous snake and spider bites are rare in the Midwest, and Minnesota and Wisconsin have just two species of poisonous snakes
The bite is from a bat (which is uncommon in Minnesota and beyond, but requires fast care)

6. Foreign bodies: When something is where it shouldn’t be

It’s safe to say that every kid experiences a “foreign body” at some point during their childhood. Whether it be a splinter in their finger or a sweet pea in their nose, curious kiddos get things stuck.

But more serious cases happen. In fact, it’s the fourth most common reason for an ER trip for kids between 1 and 4 years old.

When and where are foreign body injuries most likely to happen?

Most of the time, the child will inhale or ingest something on their own. This can happen during a mealtime or during playtime, when there are a lot of choking hazards around.

When may trauma care be needed for removing a foreign body?

Most foreign bodies can pass through their gastrointestinal track without issue, but sometimes they become lodged in the throat, stomach or soft tissues. Choking and bowel obstructions are the biggest concerns, and require emergency medical care.

If your child appears to be choking, take action by using choking first aid techniques like back blows or the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the object. If you don’t know how or your efforts aren’t working, call 911.

If your child has swallowed something and you’re unsure if it can be passed naturally, call your doctor. Go to a pediatric trauma center if you notice any of the following symptoms of a possible bowel obstruction:

Severe abdominal pain, cramping or swelling
Vomiting
Bloating
Loud bowel sounds
Inability to pass gas
Constipation

7. Burns: Injuries that aren’t only caused by fire

Whether a curious hand grabs for a hot pan or repeated sunscreen applications didn’t get the job done, mild burns are pretty common for kids.

But only a little amount of time – sometimes just seconds – is needed for burn injuries to worsen.

When and where are burns most likely to happen?

Thermal burns – burns caused by coming into contact with flames, or hot metals, liquids or steam – are the most common among children. But other types of burns include:

Chemical burns caused by acids or solvent cleaners (e.g. bleach, ammonia, paint thinner)
Electrical burns after coming into contact with an electrical current
Radiation burns (aka sunburn)
Friction burns such as road rash or carpet burn
Cold burns such as frostbite

When may trauma care be needed for burn injuries?

If a burn has caused any damage below the epidermis – the outer layer of the skin – some degree of specialty care may be needed. Blisters signal a second-degree burn that’s gone deeper, and any charring or whitish marks are a sign of the most severe third- or fourth-degree burns.

The more severe or widespread the burn, the higher degree of specialty care that is needed and suggest that kids get specialized burn care if:

Burns are located on the face, ears, hands, feet or genital area where permanent damage is a risk if not treated properly
Burns appear deeper than first-degree and/or cover a large area of the body (e.g. larger than the size of your palm)
There are signs of infection (e.g. increased warmth, redness, swelling or drainage, or foul odor)
Pain, irritation or discoloration worsens

For the worst kid injuries, get the best possible trauma care

Accidents happen. And the worst ones can result in injuries that need highly-specialized care from pediatric trauma experts.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

What are the Best Exercises for Overall Health and Fitness?

in Wellness Tips

Article featured on MedicalNewsToday

The powerful combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training can help a person build muscle strength and improve their heart, lung, and circulatory health.

Exercises that target multiple muscle groups are particularly effective. These include various exercises that require little to no equipment and can suit a range of fitness levels.

Here, we look at 13 of the best exercises for overall health and fitness. We explain what areas of the body each exercise primarily works and provide step-by-step instructions.

Doing the exercises

People can do the following exercises individually or as part of a circuit. Some require basic fitness equipment, such as dumbbells or an exercise ball, but people can do many of them with no equipment.

The American Council on Exercise recommends that people continue doing repetitions until they reach muscle fatigue or can no longer maintain proper form.

However, they note that endurance athletes, such as runners and cyclists, should stick to about 20–30 repetitions rather than working to the point of muscle fatigue.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend doing 8–12 repetitions of 8–10 strength training exercises on at least 2 days of the week.

The ACSM also recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, 5 days per week. Alternatively, they say that people can perform 20-minute sessions of vigorous physical activity on 3 days of the week.

Pushups

Pushups work multiple muscle groups, strengthening the arms, chest, and shoulders.

How to do them:

Start in a plank position with the arms straight and the body lifted in a straight line horizontal to the floor. Keep the feet together and the toes flexed to support the body.
The palms should be flat on the floor shoulder-width apart, with the fingers facing straight ahead or slightly inward.
Keeping the head in line with the spine, slowly bend the elbows outward and lower the body down to the floor.
Try to keep the hips and lower back in line.
Lower as far as possible, aiming to touch the chest or chin to the floor.
Use the arm muscles to press the body back up into the starting position.
Keep the abdominal muscles engaged throughout to help support the back.

Bodyweight squats

Bodyweight squats can increase lower body and core strength as they work the abs, buttocks, hips, thighs, calves, and shins.

How to do them:

Stand with the feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, angling the toes slightly outward.
Keep the hands down by the sides, with the palms facing in and keep the shoulders back.
Engage the abdominal muscles to support the back.
Shift the hips back and bend the knees as though taking a seat, keeping a flat back.
Keep lowering down to the ground until the thighs are parallel with the floor.
Push through the feet to straighten back up into the starting position.
Inhale into the squat, then exhale when standing back up.

Lunges

Lunges work the thighs, buttocks, hips, and abdominal muscles.

How to do them:

Stand upright with the feet together.
Step one leg forward into a long stride, bending the knee and placing the foot flat on the floor.
Bend the knee of the supporting leg toward the floor.
Use the muscles of the forward leg to push back to standing.
Repeat with the opposite leg.

Running

Running is a form of aerobic exercise, and it can help improve cardiovascular fitness and bone strength. Jogging is a less intense form of running and may be best for beginners.

People can often improve their running endurance through interval running, which involves running for a certain distance or time and then switching to walking before running again. Alternatively, people can switch between running and sprinting.

Sprint interval training may help decrease body fat, increase aerobic capacity, and increase peak running speed.

Side planks

Side planks help build core strength, which can help reduce lower back pain. Side planks work the buttocks, hips, and abdominal muscles.

How to do them:

Lie on the right side with the legs outstretched directly on top of each other and the elbow under the shoulder on the right arm.
Engage the abdominals and lift the knees and hips off the floor, keeping the head and body aligned.
Hold the position for 15–20 seconds, focusing on not letting the hips, head, or shoulders drop.
Slowly return to the floor, switch to the left side, and repeat.

Planks

Planks strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and help build core strength.

How to do them:

Start with the elbows and lower arms on the floor, keeping the elbows in line with the shoulders.
Lift the body so that it forms a straight line horizontal to the floor.
Keep the feet together and the toes flexed to support the body.
Hold for 20–30 seconds.
Slowly lower to the floor and rest for 1 minute, then repeat 3–5 times.

Once people feel strong performing this exercise, they can try a high plank. This move uses the same body positioning, but the person keeps their arms straight with their palms flat on the floor, directly underneath the shoulders.

Knee tucks

Knee tucks work the abdominals, calves, and shins. People will need an exercise ball, sometimes called a stability ball, for this exercise.

How to do them:

Lie on the stomach on top of the stability ball with the hands and feet on the floor.
Walk forward on the hands until the knees are resting on the ball and the feet have lifted off the floor. The hands should be directly underneath the shoulders.
Roll the knees forward to curl them into the chest.
Slowly push the knees back to return to the starting position.

Glute bridge

The glute bridge is good for the muscles in the back of the body, known as the posterior chain.

How to do it:

Lie on the back with the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor.
Contract the buttocks and abdominals to lift the hips off the floor, bringing them in line with the shoulders and knees. Avoid arching the lower back.
Slowly lower back to the starting position.

Standing overhead dumbbell presses

This exercise helps strengthen the shoulder muscles. People will require two dumbbells.

How to do them:

Stand with the feet hip-width apart.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the inside of the wrists facing forward, then bend the arms to bring the weights to shoulder height.
Engage the abdominal muscles and exhale while extending the arms straight up to lift the dumbbells in a straight line above the shoulders.
Inhale to bend the elbows and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height.
Try to avoid arching the lower back.

Dumbbell rows

Dumbbell rows can strengthen the back and increase muscle growth. An increase in muscle strength also causes the body to burn more calories when resting. People will need two dumbbells for this exercise.

How to do them:

Stand with the knees slightly bent and tilt forward from the hips, keeping the back straight.
Hold the dumbbells out in front with the arms straight and the inside of the wrists facing each other.
Pull one hand toward the rib cage, then move it back to the starting position.
Repeat with the opposite arm.
Keep alternating sides for 8–10 repetitions per set.
Repeat for 3 sets, with a 45-second rest between each set.

Pike roll-out

A pike roll-out works the abdominal, arm, and shoulder muscles. People will need a stability ball.

How to do it:

Lie on the stomach on the ball with the hands and feet on the floor.
Roll forward on the ball to rest flexed toes on it. Keep the body in a straight line, with straight arms directly under the shoulders and the palms flat on the floor.
Hinging at the hips, lift the buttocks toward the ceiling, keeping the legs straight and the toes flexed on the ball.
The hips will be in line with the shoulders, with a straight back and head between the arms.
Slowly lower back down to the starting position.

Crow Stand

The Crow Stand is a yoga pose that improves balance and can help build wrist, arm, and core strength.

How to do it:

Crouch on the floor and place the palms flat on the mat with the fingers spread and the arms slightly bent.
Bend the knees into the triceps, close to the armpits, and place both feet behind the hands. The lower inner thighs should rest just above the elbows.
Balance on the toes and shift the weight into the hands.
Start by lifting one foot off the floor at a time.
When able to, lift both feet off the floor, touch the big toes together and balance on the hands.
Slowly release the feet back to the floor.

Swimming

Swimming uses almost all the muscle groups but is a low impact exercise. Therefore, it may suit people with certain injuries or health conditions.

A person should swim in a public pool or a safe, supervised environment, particularly if they are a beginner.

How to progress exercises

People can take a few steps to make these exercises more challenging as their fitness improves. These steps include:

adding more weight
increasing the number of repetitions, sets, or both
increasing the frequency of workouts

People can also work alongside a personal trainer or fitness instructor. These professionals can safely increase difficulty levels and help people maintain proper technique.

Summary

Regular exercise is important for overall health and fitness. A combination of resistance and cardiovascular training is a powerful tool to help prevent many health conditions.

People can start slowly and increase the frequency of workouts or the number of repetitions and sets in each one as their fitness levels improve.

How to Improve Your Posture at Work

in Back Pain, Ergonomics, Wellness Tips

Article featured on Atlanta Spine Institute

How to Improve Your Posture at Work

A majority of Americans spend long periods of time sitting down while at work. Having an improper posture day after day can put those people at risk of chronic back pain, disorders, or future injuries. Read on to learn more about improving your posture at work.

Sitting Disease

The term sitting disease is a relatively new term. It refers to sitting for extended periods of time with little movement and poor posture, which results in multiple long term medical conditions, with chronic back pain being the most common. Even with a healthy level of exercise before or after work, the long periods of sitting can still cause health issues. Sitting disease is most often caused by the following:

Long periods without movement which can restrict blood flow to the spine.
Workstation or desk setup that causes neck strain, typically a result of monitors that aren’t at eye level.
Crossing your legs or ankles for long periods which can cause misalignment of the hips.
Slouching over with a rounded back, putting additional stress on your back.

Improving Work Ergonomics to Reduce Neck and Back Pain

Work ergonomics refers to fitting your job to your body and what it needs. For office work, this usually entails adjusting your workstation, desk, computer, chair, and your working habits to better fit your body. Improving work ergonomics generally focuses on keeping your body in a neutral position, not slouching over, and not leaning back too far. Some general tips to improve your work ergonomics include:

Rest with your feet flat on the ground and limit the amount of time with your feet or ankles crossed.
Keep your back against the back of your chair.
Make use of the lumbar support on your chair to help prevent slouching.
Adjust your computer monitors so that they’re at eye level, making sure that you’re not always looking down or up on them, which can strain the neck.

Take Breaks

Even with an improved work ergonomics, it is still important to take breaks, stretch, move around, stretch your legs, and promote blood flow. Research has revealed that taking a break about every half hour can significantly reduce the potential for health risks associated with prolonged sitting.

Listen to What Your Body Tells You

Awareness is another key factor in preventing chronic neck and back problems. If your body starts to become sore or stiff, analyze your work ergonomics. Maybe something needs adjusted, or maybe you just need more breaks. Try adjusting and see if the soreness or stiffness improves. If you suffer from chronic neck or back pain, schedule an appointment with your spine specialist to diagnose and recommend treatment to improve your neck and back.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Why Sitting Too Much Is Bad For Your Health

in Ergonomics, Wellness Tips

Article featured on WebMD

1. It Hurts Your Heart

Scientists first noticed something was up in a study that compared two similar groups: transit drivers, who sit most of the day, and conductors or guards, who don’t. Though their diets and lifestyles were a lot alike, those that sat were about twice as likely to get heart disease as those that stood.

2. It Can Shorten Your Life

You’re more likely to die earlier from any cause if you sit for long stretches at a time. It doesn’t help if you exercise every day or not. Of course, that’s no excuse to skip the gym. If you do that, your time may be even shorter.

3. Dementia Is More Likely

If you sit too much, your brain could look just like that of someone with dementia. Sitting also raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which all play a role in the condition. Moving throughout the day can help even more than exercise to lower your risk of all these health problems.

4. You’ll Undo All That Exercise

The effects of too much sitting are hard to counter with exercise. Even if you work out 7 hours a week — far more than the suggested 2-3 hours — you can’t reverse the effects of sitting 7 hours at a time. Don’t throw away all that hard work at the gym by hitting the couch for the rest of the day. Keep moving!

5. Your Odds of Diabetes Rise

Yup, you’re more likely to have it, too, if you sit all day. And it isn’t only because you burn fewer calories. It’s the actual sitting that seems to do it. It isn’t clear why, but doctors think sitting may change the way your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that helps it burn sugar and carbs for energy.

6. You Could Get DVT

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a clot that forms in your leg, often because you sit still for too long. It can be serious if the clot breaks free and lodges in your lung. You might notice swelling and pain, but some people have no symptoms. That’s why it’s a good idea to break up long sitting sessions.

7. You’ll Gain Weight

Watch a lot of TV? Surf the web for hours on end? You’re more likely to be overweight or obese. If you exercise every day, that’s good, but it won’t make a huge dent in extra weight you gain as a result of too much screen time.

8. Your Anxiety Might Spike

It could be that you’re often by yourself and engaged in a screen-based activity. If this disrupts your sleep, you can get even more anxious. Plus, too much alone time can make you withdraw from friends and loved ones, which is linked to social anxiety. Scientists are still trying to figure out the exact cause.

9. It Wrecks Your Back

The seated position puts huge stress on your back muscles, neck, and spine. It’s even worse if you slouch. Look for an ergonomic chair — that means it’ll be the right height and support your back in the proper spots. But remember: No matter how comfortable you get, your back still won’t like a long sitting session. Get up and move around for a minute or two every half hour to keep your spine in line.

10. It Leads to Varicose Veins

Sit for too long and blood can pool in your legs. This puts added pressure in your veins. They could swell, twist, or bulge — what doctors call varicose veins. You may also see spider veins, bundles of broken blood vessels nearby. They usually aren’t serious, but they can ache. Your doctor can tell you about treatment options if you need them.

11. If You Don’t Move It, You Could Lose It

Older adults who aren’t active may be more likely to get osteoporosis (weakened bones) and could slowly become unable to perform basic tasks of everyday life, like taking a bath or using the toilet. While moderate exercise won’t prevent it, you don’t have to go out and run a marathon or take up farming to stay mobile in your golden years. Just don’t plant yourself on the couch for hours at a time.

12. Your Cancer Risk Goes Up

You may be more likely to get colon, endometrial, or lung cancer. The more you sit, the higher the odds. Older women have higher odds of breast cancer. That doesn’t change if you’re super-active. What matters is how much you sit.

13. How to Take a Stand

Work more movement into your day: Stand up and stretch every half hour or so. Touch your toes. Take a stroll around the office. Stand at your desk for part of the day. Get a desk that raises or make your own: Set your computer on top of a box. Talk to your boss about a treadmill desk. All these things can help stop the negative effects of uninterrupted sitting and keep you on the road to good health.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

Running Tips for Cold and Snowy Weather

in Nutrition & General Health, Wellness Tips

Article featured on Brigham Health Hub

During the frigid winter months many runners settle for the treadmill, or even worse, for not running at all. Don’t let the cold weather and snow discourage you from running outside. If you’re prepared, winter runs can be a fun and beautiful experience.

Here are some cold-weather running tips for staying warm and safe during the winter months.

1. Layering and wearing appropriate clothing is crucial for cold-weather running.

You will want to keep most of your body covered and protected from exposure. Wear synthetic, sweat-wicking clothing as your innermost layer. Wearing moisture-wicking clothing as the fabric closest to your skin keeps your body dry and makes your clothes a better insulator. Make sure you are not wearing cotton underwear or socks. Lycra or polypropylene running tights are optimal for the waist down. Your outermost layer should be wind-resistant and waterproof if it is raining or snowing out. GORE-TEX® is a breathable material and is ideal for your outermost layer. If it is very cold, a fleece liner or a long-sleeve shirt is a good option for a middle layer. Dressing in layers allows you to adapt to the weather during your run. A significant amount of body heat can be lost through the head, so make sure you wear a hat. A balaclava or face mask is a good idea when it is extremely cold. Do not forget to wear gloves as well! After your run, it is important to quickly change into dry and warm clothes.

2. Run smart! Be aware of the many cold weather hazards.

During the winter months, the days are shorter and more people will be running in the dark. Try running routes that have street lights and sidewalks or extra space for runners. If you are running in the dark, make sure you wear reflective clothing, and consider wearing a flashing light. Visibility may be poor in bad weather, and you are no match for a car.

It is also important to run carefully, as balance and perception are more difficult with low light. Try to avoid running in snow or slushy areas and certainly avoid running on ice. If you end up running in snow or slush, shorten your stride to avoid falls or groin/hamstring strains and consider wearing traction cleats.

Don’t let the cold weather and snow discourage you from running outside.

3. Know the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.

Hypothermia is a dangerous condition that occurs when your body temperature drops below 95°F. Risk factors for hypothermia include extended time in cold temperatures, wetness, improper clothing, dehydration, and exhaustion. The initial signs of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering and poor coordination. Don’t exceed your fitness levels and run out further than you can comfortably return in cold weather. Also, it’s easy to forget to drink water during the winter, but you still lose moisture in the cold. Remember to remain hydrated.

Frostbite is an injury caused by excessive exposure to extreme cold. It involves tissue damage, usually in the fingers, toes, ears, or nose, that may become permanent if not treated promptly. Symptoms include stiffness and numbness, and the affected area may turn white. The best prevention is to dress properly, but frost nip or mild frostbite can be treated by rapid re-warming of the area by soaking in warm water.

4. Be prepared for an emergency.

It is also a good idea to carry a phone or to have a running buddy. With some extra preparation and forethought, the winter months can certainly remain a great time to run and train!

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm

The Top 9 Benefits of Regular Exercise

in Wellness Tips

Article featured on Healthline

Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories.

There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking, and dancing, to name a few.

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer.

Here are the top 9 ways regular exercise benefits your body and brain.

1. Exercise can make you feel happier

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.

It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity to the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.

Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.

Interestingly, it doesn’t matter how intense your workout is. It seems that exercise can benefit your mood no matter the intensity of the physical activity.

In fact, in a study in 24 women diagnosed with depression, exercise of any intensity significantly decreased feelings of depression.

The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that choosing to exercise (or not) even makes a difference over short periods of time.

One review of 19 studies found that active people who stopped exercising regularly experienced significant increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety, even after only a few weeks.

SUMMARY

Exercising regularly can improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

2. Exercise can help with weight loss

Some studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity.

To understand the effect of exercise on weight reduction, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure (spending).

Your body spends energy in three ways:

digesting food
exercising
maintaining body functions, like your heartbeat and breathing

While dieting, a reduced calorie intake will lower your metabolic rate, which can temporarily delay weight loss. On the contrary, regular exercise has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which can burn more calories to help you lose weight.

Additionally, studies have shown that combining aerobic exercise with resistance training can maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance, which is essential for keeping the weight off and maintaining lean muscle mass.

SUMMARY

Exercise is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.

3. Exercise is good for your muscles and bones

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

Activities like weightlifting can stimulate muscle building when paired with adequate protein intake.

This is because exercise helps release hormones that promote your muscles’ ability to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their breakdown.

As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and function, which can lead to an increased risk of injury. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age.

Exercise also helps build bone density when you’re younger, in addition to helping prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Some research suggests that high impact exercise (such as gymnastics or running) or odd impact sports (such as soccer and basketball) may help promote a higher bone density than no impact sports like swimming and cycling.

SUMMARY

Physical activity helps you build muscles and strong bones. It may also help prevent osteoporosis.

4. Exercise can increase your energy levels

Exercise can be a real energy booster for many people, including those with various medical conditions.

One older study found that 6 weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 people who had reported persistent fatigue.

Exercise can also significantly increase energy levels for people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other health conditions. In fact, exercise seems to be more effective at combating CFS than other treatments, including passive therapies like relaxation and stretching or no treatment at all.

And let’s not forget the fantastic heart and lung health benefits of exercise. Aerobic exercise boosts the cardiovascular system and improves lung health, which can significantly help with energy levels.

As you move more, your heart pumps more blood, delivering more oxygen to your working muscles. With regular exercise, your heart becomes more efficient and adept at moving oxygen into your blood, making your muscles more efficient.

Over time, this aerobic training results in less demand on your lungs, and it requires less energy to perform the same activities — one of the reasons you’re less likely to get short of breath during vigorous activity.

Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase energy levels in people with other conditions, such as cancer.

SUMMARY

Engaging in regular physical activity can increase your energy levels. This is true even in people with persistent fatigue and those with serious health conditions.

5. Exercise can reduce your risk of chronic disease

Lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic disease.

Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, heart health, and body composition. It can also decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

More specifically, exercise can help reduce or prevent the following chronic health conditions.

Type 2 diabetes. Regular aerobic exercise may delay or prevent type 2 diabetes. It also has considerable health benefits for people with type 1 diabetes. Resistance training for type 2 diabetes includes improvements in fat mass, blood pressure, lean body mass, insulin resistance, and glycemic control.
Heart disease. Exercise reduces cardiovascular risk factors and is also a therapeutic treatment for people with cardiovascular disease.
Many types of cancer. Exercise can help reduce the risk of several cancers, including breast, colorectal, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, lung, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, thyroid, gastric, and esophageal cancer.
High cholesterol. Regular moderate intensity physical activity can increase HDL (good) cholesterol while maintaining or offsetting increases in LDL (bad) cholesterol. Research supports the theory that high intensity aerobic activity is needed to lower LDL levels.
Hypertension: Participating in regular aerobic exercise can lower resting systolic BP 5–7 mmHG among people with hypertension.

In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term — can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

That’s why regular physical activity is recommended to reduce belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these conditions (34Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Daily physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

6. Exercise can help skin health

Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in your body.

Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the cell damage caused by compounds known as free radicals. This can damage the structure of the cells and negatively impact your skin.

Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can actually increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells (35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce skin cell adaptations that can help delay the appearance of skin aging (37Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Moderate exercise can provide antioxidant protection and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay signs of aging.

7. Exercise can help your brain health and memory

Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills.

To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells.

Plus, the ability of exercise to prevent chronic disease can translate into benefits for your brain, since its function can be affected by these conditions.

Regular physical activity is especially important in older adults since aging — combined with oxidative stress and inflammation — promotes changes in brain structure and function.

Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning, to grow in size, which may help improve mental function in older adults.

Lastly, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain that can contribute to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

SUMMARY

Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. Among older adults, it can help protect mental function.

8. Exercise can help with relaxation and sleep quality

Regular exercise can help you relax and sleep better.

With regard to sleep quality, the energy depletion (loss) that occurs during exercise stimulates restorative processes during sleep.

Moreover, the increase in body temperature that occurs during exercise is thought to improve sleep quality by helping body temperature drop during sleep.

Many studies on the effects of exercise on sleep have reached similar conclusions.

One review of six studies found that participating in an exercise training program helped improve self-reported sleep quality and reduced sleep latency, which is the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.

One study conducted over 4 months found that both stretching and resistance exercise led to improvements in sleep for people with chronic insomnia.

Getting back to sleep after waking, sleep duration, and sleep quality improved after both stretching and resistance exercise. Anxiety was also reduced in the stretching group.

What’s more, engaging in regular exercise seems to benefit older adults, who are often affected by sleep disorders.

You can be flexible with the kind of exercise you choose. It appears that either aerobic exercise alone or aerobic exercise combined with resistance training can both improve sleep quality.

SUMMARY

Regular physical activity, regardless of whether it is aerobic or a combination of aerobic and resistance training, can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day.

9. Exercise can reduce pain

Although chronic pain can be debilitating, exercise can actually help reduce it.

In fact, for many years, the recommendation for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, recent studies show that exercise helps relieve chronic pain.

In fact, one review of several studies found that exercise can help those with chronic pain reduce their pain and improve their quality of life.

Several studies also show that exercise can help control pain associated with various health conditions, including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder, to name a few.

Additionally, physical activity can also raise pain tolerance and decrease pain perception.

SUMMARY

Exercise has favorable effects on the pain associated with various conditions. It can also increase pain tolerance.

The bottom line

Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve nearly every aspect of your health. Regular physical activity can increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier and help you sleep better.

It can also:

improve your skin’s appearance
help you lose weight and keep it off
reduce the risk of chronic disease

And it doesn’t take much movement to make a big difference in your health.

If you aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity each week or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity spread throughout the week, you’ll meet the Department of Health and Human Services’ activity guidelines for adults.

Moderate intensity aerobic activity is anything that gets your heart beating faster, like walking, cycling, or swimming. Activities like running or participating in a strenuous fitness class count for vigorous intensity.

Throw in at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms), and you’ll exceed the recommendations.

You can use weights, resistance bands, or your bodyweight to perform muscle-strengthening exercises. These include squats, push-ups, shoulder press, chest, press, and planks.

Whether you practice a specific sport or follow the guideline of 150 minutes of activity per week, you can inevitably improve your health in many ways.