Safety/injury prevention Archive

Some medication instructions are vague and confusing. Examples include "take once daily," "take with food," and "take with water." When someone is unsure exactly how to take a medication, even if it's already been explained, it's best to ask for clarification. Ideally this happens when a doctor writes the prescription, but it's okay to call and ask later. It may also be helpful to ask a pharmacist for the directions, either when picking up a medication or on a later call.

According to a 2023 observational study, greater cardiorespiratory fitness in men was linked to a lower risk of death from colon, lung, or prostate cancer.

Running and walking are two of the best exercises — and among the easiest to adopt — for almost everyone. But it can be easy to get in stuck in a rut. Some ways to reignite the excitement and boost commitment for these activities are to set goals and challenges, enlist a workout buddy, explore new routes, do more interval training, and buy fun accessories.

Getting regular exercise can help fend off diabetes, even in people with a genetic propensity for the disease, according to a 2023 study.

A 2023 study found that people who met guidelines for engaged weekly aerobic activity had a lower risk of dying from pneumonia or influenza than those who did no activity.

Paddleboarding is a popular water sport in which people stand or kneel on a "surfboard" and use a long paddle. It's a great stress buster, and it can help improve balance and strengthen key muscles, like those in the core, back, arms, and shoulders.

Pickleball elbow is a type of tendinitis called lateral epicondylitis. The injury can result from gripping a pickleball paddle tightly for long periods or repeatedly twisting and turning the wrist while preparing to hit the ball. To avoid pickleball elbow, doctors recommend that players improve their muscle strength, use a paddle with the right grip size, build time on the court gradually, warm up their muscles before playing, stretch muscles afterward, ice their elbows after playing, and get guidance to hone their pickleball technique.

A 2023 study of more than 577,000 people found that people who said they met the guidelines for weekly physical activity had a 48% lower risk of dying from flu or pneumonia over a nine-year period, compared with people who said they didn't meet the guidelines.