Balance Archive

Vertigo is a symptom, not a condition. It can make people feel lightheaded, faint, unsteady, or like the room is spinning. Common conditions causing vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraines, vestibular neuritis, and Meniare's disease. People should see a doctor after a single vertigo episode to determine the cause. Depending on the cause, treatments might include medications, a canalith repositioning procedure, vestibular therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Staying active, not sedentary, between episodes can help people with vertigo feel better.

The original Presidential Physical Fitness Test consisted of five exercises: a one-mile run, pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, shuttle run, and sit-and-reach. The test gauged upper-body and core strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility for America's youth. Still, with some modifications, older adults can use the test to assess a baseline of their fitness and identify areas where they need to improve.

A 2024 study found that adults can benefit from receiving financial or game-like incentives to become more active.

A 2024 study found that people who exercise regularly are much less likely to get COVID-19 or be hospitalized with it, compared with people who don't exercise regularly. That's because exercise keeps the immune system strong and able to fight off infection. Exercise enhances the ability of white blood cells to do battle; stimulates the production of antibodies in the lining of the nose, throat, breathing tubes, and lungs; and keeps the immune system from overreacting to infections and harming the body.

A 2024 study found that offering reminders or incentives seems to motivate people to walk more than they normally do. And people who are offered incentives such as money or game points walk more than people who receive only daily reminders to walk.

Like kayaking or canoeing, paddleboarding provides a serious workout. But before you head out on the water, you'll want to get some key muscle groups in shape, especially ones that probably have not been used much during winter.