Mobility & Fitness Archives

Editor’s Letter: You’ve Got to Get Moving

Sep 1, 2016 · UHN · Mobility & Fitness

The key to healthy aging is exercise, exercise, exercise. The more studies that come out about preventing cancer, heart disease, and dementia, the more we learn that exercise is a crucial way to lower your risks of chronic disease and stay well. What if exercise isn’t your “thing”? Even short … Read More

Ask the Doctor: Best Time to Exercise; Folic Acid

Aug 31, 2016 · UHN · Mobility & Fitness

Q. Is there a rule of thumb for when it’s best to exercise, or how long to wait after eating to exercise? A. The short answer is that the best time to exercise is whenever you can fit it into your schedule. While there is no strict “rule of thumb” … Read More

Pushups Give Your Upper Body and Core a Good Workout

Aug 31, 2016 · Dawn Bialy · Mobility & Fitness

Few exercises strengthen the muscles of the chest, arms, and core like pushups do. When done correctly, “they will help you to integrate the strength of your upper body with stability through your trunk,” says Robert Turner, PT, OCS, a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist and advanced clinician in the Sports … Read More

A Power Wheelchair Makes Getting Around Easier

Aug 30, 2016 · Kate Brophy · Mobility & Fitness

If your mobility is severely restricted but you’ve been putting off getting a power wheelchair because you fear it may underline your lack of independence, think again—it could give you the freedom to get out and experience life again. “A power wheelchair can enable you to get around independently without … Read More

Adopt an Exercise Regimen That Boosts Your Brainpower

Aug 29, 2016 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Mobility & Fitness

There’s a mountain of scientific evidence that exercise is a boon for the brain, and that a lack of it—especially in older age—is associated with more rapid brain aging, cognitive decline, mood problems, and greater vulnerability to brain disease, among other effects. Now scientists are learning that different forms of … Read More

Stretch and Strengthen Hamstrings to Reduce Pain, Improve Function

Aug 24, 2016 · Dawn Bialy · Mobility & Fitness

The hamstrings are made up of three muscles that start at a common point in the hip, travel down the back of the thigh, and attach just below the knee. Their function is to flex the knee and extend the hip joint, which make them especially important for activities such … Read More

Neighborhood “Walkability” Confers Health Benefits

Jul 29, 2016 · Dawn Bialy · Mobility & Fitness

If you’re moving anytime soon, take a close look at whether your new neighborhood is pedestrian-friendly. It could affect your health in important ways, according to new findings. Researchers evaluated walkability based on four factors: population density, number of walkable destinations (stores, services, parks), residential building density, and street connectivity. … Read More

Gain Better Balance With A Strong Core

Jul 27, 2016 · JoAnn Milivojevic · Mobility & Fitness

When most people think of core strength, they tend to think of stomach muscles and endless sessions of grueling situps. The truth is core muscles are about more than just abdominal muscles. The core consists of the deep muscles of the trunk. Think shoulders, back, hips and yes, stomach muscles, … Read More

Newsbriefs: Body Type; Weight Loss; Sleep Disorders; Depression

Jul 27, 2016 · Diane Muhlfeld · Mobility & Fitness

Body Type Matters. Central obesity can be hazardous to your health even if you’re not overweight, concluded a re-cent study from Mayo Clinic, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The problem is that visceral fat in the midsec-tion is stored around several organs, such as the liver and pancreas. … Read More

Balance, Coordination May Be Linked to Brainpower

Jul 1, 2016 · Susan Jimison Vitek · Mobility & Fitness

A number of recent studies suggest that balance and coordination exercises that keep you physically nimble may help keep you mentally nimble as well. That’s because the constant process of maintaining your equilibrium as you move through your day likely gives your brain cells a terrific workout, an MGH expert … Read More

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