Physical Activity Archive

Medication to lower high blood pressure is a proven way to reduce a person's risk for heart disease. But adopting lifestyle changes may let people maintain healthy readings and perhaps even avoid drug therapy. Six lifestyle changes have the most significant influence on blood pressure: diet, exercise, weight control, limiting sodium and alcohol, and managing stress.

Prehabilitation, or prehab, involves a wide range of steps to take before surgery to maximize recovery afterward. Prehab components include nutritional support, strength and fitness, blood sugar control, medication management, smoking cessation, pain management, and delirium prevention. Research suggests prehab can increase the odds people will heal faster, experience fewer complications, and recover more smoothly over all.

Doing five minutes of light walking for every 30 minutes of sitting can help offset the harmful effects of sitting for long periods.

Electronic bikes, also known as e-bikes, use a small electric motor to make pedaling easier. They assist riders with the most challenging parts of cycling, like climbing hills or covering longer distances. This enables people of all ages and fitness levels to enjoy cycling. There are many styles of e-bikes available, and the choice depends on where and how a person plans to ride.

Breaking up long periods of sitting with a short walk every half-hour may have health benefits. Walking even as little as one minute per hour may lower blood pressure, but a notable drop in blood sugar may require a five-minute walk every 30 minutes.

A standing side leg raise helps strengthen muscles in the outer thighs, hips, and backside, which can improve the range of motion in the hips and improve stability.

About 96 million Americans have prediabetes, defined by elevated blood sugar levels that are not high enough to qualify as diabetes. Risk factors include overweight or obesity, family history, and inactivity. People with prediabetes may have more infections and frequent urination or blurry vision after big meals. Lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, eating healthy foods, drinking alcohol moderately, and not smoking may prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes.

Running can boost cardiovascular fitness faster and better than walking, but this high-impact activity comes with a higher risk of injuries than walking. Beginning runners should start slow and alternate walking and running at first. Doing strength training and increasing mileage gradually may help. People who sustain minor injuries when running should rest for a few days and consult a physical therapist if the injury doesn't get better.

As people get older, the complex system that helps them maintain balance does not work as effectively, increasing the risk of a fall. A study found that specific exercises can improve balance in older adults.

A 2022 study suggests that regular exercise may improve fatigue and physical and emotional well-being among women undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer.