Your parents probably warned you about the dangers of not getting proper rest. Decades of research by scientists who study sleep have been showing that they were right.
While retaining information and staying awake in class or while at work is important, the research makes it clear that proper sleep has extensive benefits to physical health, too. During the recovery period from exercise, these benefits can be profound.
ACL injuries are among the most common types of knee injuries, usually occurring during activities that require sharp turns, high-impact jumping and landing, physical force to the knee, and sudden stops and starts. These include sports such as basketball, soccer, football, tennis, skiing, and mixed martial arts.
In today’s post, we’re going to take a closer look at this little ligament.
We’ve all had a cold or the flu at some point. Among the numerous benefits, you’ve likely heard that exercise can help the immune system fight off illness–there’s some truth to it. However, the benefits depend on the level of activity. Research shows that regular exercise at a moderate level supports immune function better than being sedentary…but overtraining can actually impair our ability to fight off infection.
Read on to learn how too much exercise can backfire.
There are a lot of great benefits to incorporating high-intensity interval training into your routine. As the name suggests, this type of workout uses a lot of energy in small bursts. It can be an excellent addition to your workout schedule if you’re a regular exerciser.
Most people have a “weak in the knees” moment at some point in their life – the day they meet the love of their life, their wedding day, the day their child is born. But in general, weak knees aren’t a good thing. In fact, they leave you susceptible to injury and pain.
So, what can you do to strengthen your knees?
Get ready for a surprise…try addressing your glutes! (That is, your butt muscles).
The low back is one of the most common sites for discomfort. Studies show that approximately 80 percent of Americans will experience a back problem at some point in their lifetime. In fact, low back issues are the fifth most common healthcare complaint.
Because most movements recruit the low back, discomfort can affect everyday activities including walking, sleeping, and even driving.
When you start reading about getting and staying fit as you age, you’ll see a lot of references to…the core.
While this can be a little vague if you aren’t familiar with this muscle group, a strong core really is the key to strength and stability. Understanding the purpose of the core and how to optimize it is key to flexibility, strength, and avoiding injury as you age.
It can feel like a vicious cycle: you need to exercise to keep limber and fit. But, the wrong exercises can lead to discomfort in your joints, especially those in your knees. The key is to craft an exercise routine that is filled with low-impact exercises, with special attention to protecting your knees.
Learning the moves to include and the ones to avoid can help you keep fit and strong without risking knee damage.
As you get up there in years, you find that you can’t get down there quite as easily as you could when you were younger!
While that’s the bad news, the good news is this: it’s not inevitable. A combination of targeted physical activities and dietary changes can stave off stiffness and improve your active range of motion.
Exercise is a foundational component of a healthy lifestyle. In fact, it is even prescribed by doctors to help maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and to keep blood pressure in check. Physical activity–from walking to group classes to playing recreational sports–is a great way to decrease your risk for many health-related issues.