Exercise and Fitness Archive

Research we're watching

A yoga-based rehabilitation program may be a safe alternative to conventional cardiac rehab, a new study suggests. A customized program of exercise and education, conventional rehab helps people recover from heart-related problems.

The study included nearly 4,000 heart attack survivors in India, where cardiac rehab programs are uncommon. Half took part in a program featuring 13 weekly sessions of gentle yoga exercises. The other half received standard care, which included three sessions of advice and handouts.

After a couple of months of sheltering in place, and with warm weather upon us, your children probably have plenty of excess energy. Here are five suggestions for activities that will get them moving — and there’s nothing stopping parents from joining in.

These popular pets have been linked to a range of heart-related benefits.

Seeing a dog's wagging tail and furry face can be heartwarming. But living with and caring for a dog may be heart-protecting — and might even help you live longer, according to a growing body of research.

The latest findings include two articles published last year in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. One pooled findings from 10 studies involving a total of 3.8 million people who were followed between one and 22 years. Dog owners were 31% less likely to die from a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular condition than people who didn't own dogs. A separate study, which followed more than 335,000 heart attack and stroke survivors over 12 years, found that having a dog was linked to a 21% lower risk of death from any cause.

This simple at-home exercise can improve flexibility, leg strength, and balance to protect against falls.

Falls continue to be a significant cause of fatal injury among older adults, according to the CDC. In fact, each year, falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency rooms and more than 27,000 deaths.

Lack of mobility and declining strength are the main contributors to falls. Still, another threat, which often goes unrecognized, is simply the fear of falling.

Ask the doctors

Q. I have pelvic organ prolapse and I want to start working out. Are there exercises I should avoid?

A. Pelvic organ prolapse is a common problem, caused by a weakening of the bowl-shaped group of muscles and tissues that supports your pelvic organs. As this support fails, one or more of these organs — such as the uterus, bladder, or rectum — can shift out of place, typically pushing into (and sometimes protruding out of) the vagina.

This low-impact, lifelong sport can be a good way to exercise, socialize, and enjoy nature — three factors linked to lower heart disease risk.

Famously described as "a good walk spoiled," golf is nonetheless a popular sport in the United States, played by an estimated 25 million Americans. And one could argue that rather than spoiling a nice walk, the game instead provides a good way for people of all ages to be physically active and reap other heart-related rewards.

"You're outdoors in a beautiful place with three friends and no phones or computer screens," says Dr. James Muller, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. In today's world, people are often stuck behind their screens and lose touch with their in-person social community. Playing golf helps to remedy that problem.

When you were a child and your mother told you to go play outside, it wasn’t just because she needed some child-free time. Inspired by a Japanese practice, forest therapy is an immersion in nature that has been shown to have positive effects on health.

People are often surprised to learn that there's more to walking than simply putting one foot in front of the other. In fact, a little technique goes a long way to making your walks more enjoyable and more effective. Technique is especially important if you are hoping to become fitter and lose weight, because it will enable you to walk faster and longer. When you're standing tall, your muscles will move through a greater range of motion for a more powerful stride. Improving your walking posture will help you to look and feel more confident, too—and you'll look slimmer before losing a single pound. It will also help alleviate aches and pains and allow you to take deep breaths for more energy.

For any type of walking

The following rules will help you maintain good form.

It's easy. Make believe your big toe is a pencil and sketch out the alphabet. These muscle movements will help build foot and ankle strength, which aids balance and helps prevents falls. You can learn more at the Harvard online course Exercises for Bone Strength.