Mobility, safety, and fall prevention Archive

Recent guidelines suggest a blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 mm Hg as normal. But the ideal number for individuals depends on their individual goals and whether they also have a chronic condition, such as heart disease or kidney disease.

A research letter published online April 25, 2022, by JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that existing advance care directives often don't reflect people's actual wishes (based on values and beliefs) and care goals.

A randomized trial published May 14, 2022, in The Lancet found that people with heart disease who ate a Mediterranean diet for seven years had a 26% lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke, compared with people who ate a low-fat diet.

There are many choices for lenses to replace a cataract. Examples include lenses that allow a person to see clearly at a single distance, or at several distances. Some types can correct astigmatism. When deciding which lens to choose for cataract surgery, people should consider costs, daily vision needs, existing vision problems, and pros and cons; for example, some lenses have more vision range than others, but also have risks of glare at night; some lenses still require a person to use glasses for up-close or distance vision.

There's no one sound unique to a particular shoulder problem. That makes it hard to know what various shoulder noises are telling you. Possibilities include arthritis; bone breaks; rotator cuff tears; gas bubbles, loose parts, or bone spurs in the shoulder joint; neck problems; and bursitis. It's advisable to investigate shoulder noises if they happen, along with shoulder pain, weakness, or limited movement, or if the sound followed a shoulder injury. It's also smart (though not urgent) to ask a doctor about shoulder sounds that aren't accompanied by other symptoms.

Joints do not wear out from overuse. Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the smooth cartilage that lines the joint deteriorates. This might occur because of an injury, age, family history, obesity, or a disease that causes joint inflammation.

Sugar is a carbohydrate that provides the body with energy and has an important role in nutrition. It is found in many healthy whole foods, but it is also abundant in unhealthy processed foods. The problem many people have with sugar is that they consume too much of the refined kind added to many processed food products, and not enough of the natural kind in fruits, vegetables, and grains.

In addition to major healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercising and eating a healthy diet, it's important to practice lots of little healthy habits throughout the day. Some should be observed every 30 minutes, such as taking a quick activity break and drinking a little water. Other habits, such as having a healthy snack or using eye drops, can be done every few hours. And some healthy habits help if practiced even just once a day, such as learning something new, chatting with someone outside of the household, or meditating.

Wheelchairs allow millions of Americans with mobility disability to participate in daily activities and engage in community life. But when a wheelchair needs to be repaired, delays can mean a person is unable to leave their home or manage daily tasks for days.

The bacteria C. diff is responsible for half a million infections each year in the US. Many infections happen when people are hospitalized, but a recent report indicated that people can be infected without ever being hospitalized.