People who were active and exercised regularly before their stroke were less likely to face disability after the attack, researchers say.
But the amount of body fat a person had did not seem to be tied to post-stroke disability, the study found. Fitness was key, though.
“Being physically inactive before stroke predicts a higher risk of being dependent both before and after stroke,” said study author Pamela Rist, of Harvard University. Her team’s findings were published online April 5 in the journal Neurology.
The new study involved more than 18,000 people with no history of stroke who were followed for an average of 12 years. During that time, nearly 1,400 of the participants suffered a stroke but survived.
Three years after their stroke, those who had exercised regularly before their stroke were 18 percent more likely to be able to perform basic tasks — such as bathing on their own, the researchers found.
The fitter individuals were also 16 percent more likely to be able to perform more complex tasks, such as managing money on their own, compared to those who did not exercise before their stroke, the findings showed.
“We also found that a person’s body mass index was not a factor in predicting their level of disability after stroke,” Rist said in a journal news release. Body mass index is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height.
Two experts in stroke care who reviewed the findings said the study highlights the importance of exercise.
The research “provides additional evidence that regular exercise has health benefits that last into a person’s future,” regardless of stroke, said Dr. Andrew Rogove. He directs stroke care at Northwell Health’s Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y.
Dr. Ajay Misra is chair of neurosciences at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. He said the study “provides insight into the fact that doctors should emphasize to their patients not only weight-reduction strategies for stroke and possibly heart attack prevention, but also the importance of leading a very active lifestyle to improve their chances of survival and recovery in case a stroke occurs.”
SOURCES: Andrew Rogove, M.D., medical director, stroke, Northwell Health’s Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, N.Y.; Ajay Misra, M.D., chairman, neurosciences, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, N.Y.; Neurology, news release, April 5, 2017
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Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
Most people see their sleep habits shift as they age, but a new review suggests that some seniors lose the ability to get deep, restorative rest.
And that can come with health consequences, said review author Bryce Mander, a sleep researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.
Sleep “fragmentation” has been linked to a number of medical conditions, including depression and dementia, Mander said. People with fragmented sleep wake up multiple times during the night, and miss out on the deep stages of sleep.
It is true that medical conditions, or the treatments for them, can cause sleep problems, according to Mander.
But poor sleep can also contribute to disease, he added.
Take dementia, for example. Research suggests there is a “bi-directional” link between sleep disruptions and the dementia process, said Joe Winer, another Berkeley researcher who worked on the review.
That is, dementia often causes sleep problems; poor sleep, in turn, may speed declines in memory and other mental skills. According to Winer, animal research suggests that deep sleep helps “clear” the brain of the amyloid-beta proteins that build up in people with dementia.
So there may be a “vicious cycle,” Winer said, where dementia and poor sleep feed each other.
Similar vicious cycles may be at work with other diseases, too, Mander said. He also stressed, though, that some shifts in sleep habits may be perfectly normal.
Older people are famously prone to being “early to bed, early to rise.” They may also sleep a little less than they used to in their younger days. And that may be fine, the researchers said.
“We don’t want to create a panic that if you’re sleeping a little less than you used to, you’re going to develop dementia,” Mander said.
But, he added, it is important to recognize sleep as one of the lifestyle factors critical to good health — right along with exercise and a healthy diet.
In fact, Mander noted, one reason that regular exercise keeps us healthy is that it can support better-quality sleep.
“Why do some people age more ‘successfully’ than others?” he said. “We think sleep is one of the factors.”
Dr. Sanjeev Kothare, a sleep specialist who was not involved in the study, said poor sleep “clearly” has health consequences.
Sleep apnea is a good example, said Kothare, of the NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy-Sleep Center, in New York City.
Obstructive sleep apnea causes repeated stops and starts in breathing during the night, and it’s linked to major diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Research also suggests it can hasten declines in memory and thinking.
Dr. Phyllis Zee is chief of sleep medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. She said sleep quality is more important than “duration.”
So if older people are sleeping a little less than they used to — or wake up once at night then quickly fall back asleep — that’s probably not a red flag, according to Zee.
But, she said, older adults should talk to their doctor if they routinely sleep less than six hours a night, or lack long “consolidated” blocks of sleep.
In some cases, Zee said, sleep apnea may be to blame.
In other cases, people may need lifestyle adjustments that can improve their sleep. The good news, Zee said, is that “behavioral and environmental changes are powerful.”
Older people can improve their sleep by fitting physical and social activity into their daily routine, Zee said. At night, she suggested they make sure the bedroom temperature is comfortable and limit exposure to artificial light — especially the blue glow of computer and TV screens.
Zee also stressed the importance of getting enough daylight, in the morning and afternoon: That helps keep the body’s circadian rhythms (the sleep-wake cycle) on track.
But people should not wait until old age to care about sleep. According to Mander’s team, people often start losing the capacity for deep sleep in middle age, and that decline continues over the years.
What’s not clear yet, Mander said, is whether good sleep habits earlier in life help protect people from sleep problems in old age.
The review, which analyzed medical literature on the topic of sleep and aging, was published online April 5 in the journal Neuron.
UTEP track and field member Tyler Ragin received the Conference USA Winter Spirit of Service Award, the league announced on Wednesday.
The junior has compiled more than 194 hours of community service this season, the majority of which was volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia as a tutor, coach and mentor. She dedicated 30 hours at the R.E.A.L Academy helping with camps and organizing activities for kids.
The Macon, Georgia, native is a staunch supporter of driving while sober, as she volunteered at Mothers against Drunk Driving greeting walkers and spent additional time walking to end breast cancer at the AVON 39 event.
She also helped promote SAAC Hunger handing out flyers promoting hunger week.
Ragin is an organizational and corporate communications major with a marketing minor and earned a spot on the C-USA Commissioner�s Honor Roll list.
Ragin set a personal best of 5.79m (19-0.00) in the long jump at the Cherry and Silver meet. She scored points for the Miners in the long jump helping the women�s team secure their third consecutive C-USA team title.
Preparation:
Flip Flop KB Stroll. Maintain one KB expense and Another of same fat
together with your reverse palm at your part. Function to biggest stroll (period of grass) in 10min
Ability
hi Hold Draw + Hi Hold Hi Pl + Hi Hold Sn
Oly
Novice: 15 minute to Locate biggest Complicated-
Hello Suspend Draw + Hi Hold Hi Pl + Hi Hold Sn
Sophisticated: 15min to locate biggest hold energy clear
MetCon
forty KBS (55/44)(44/35)(35/25)
forty Again Squats (95/65)(75/55)(45/35)
thirty KBS
30 Top Squats
20 KBS
20 OHS
There are 3 primary parts of exercise: cardiovascular exercise, strengthening exercises, and flexibility training. And let�s face it�those first 2 typically get more emphasis. Cardiovascular exercise (running, for example�anything which gets your pulse up) and strength training (lifting weights) come with some rather immediate outcomes. They help us build muscle and lose weight , all while helping us be more fit. It takes longer to see those advantages.
But here�s the deal: flexibility becomes more significant as you grow old. Being limber can help battle those aches and pains related to aging; stretching can help you maintain better joint health. It can also make those daily jobs�carrying groceries, going up and down stairs etc. much easier.
However, you can�t wake up when you�re 64 and unexpectedly be equally as adaptable as you were when you were 24. It�s much better and even more efficient to work flexibility training into your workout routine throughout your own life.
(Rest assured: if you are 64 and were hoping to regain some of that youthful flexibility, you can start working it in your workout routine now. Simply be realistic concerning the outcomes. You will, most likely, never be as flexible as you once were, but working on flexibility at any age is rewarding.)
Talk To Your Physician Or Physical Therapist Before Beginning A New Workout Plan
They could help you establish realistic targets and create a plan that best suits your life. You may want to think about working with a personal trainer to assist you ease into the brand new routine.
Flexibility Training Is More than Doing A Few Stretches
After a run is yes, better than nothing, doing a couple of hamstring stretches, but you won�t find as many long-term gains as you’d see from a flexibility plan that is more developed.
To get the most benefit from flexibility training, you should have a personalized program, one that takes into account your body and demands. As stated earlier, a personal trainer or physical therapist is able to help you develop the best plan for you.
And remember: the more time and attention you give to flexibility training, the more gains you�ll see�especially those long term gains.
Take Your Actions Into Account
Think, also, about your daily life: does your job involve a lot of sitting or lifting?
A personalized flexibility training program is able to help you enhance your freedom (how well your joints move) and stability (keeping good posture and body alignment during actions in order for your body isn�t under undue strain). It can allow you to excel in sports or your activities, in addition to help you take good attention to your body on a daily basis.
Give Special Focus To Muscles That Feel Tight
The shoulders, chest, hamstrings, and hips are often tight, but you may find tightness in other regions depending on harms, pressure in your lifetime, or how rough a particular workout was. By tailoring your flexibility training to your body, you�ll prevent overstretching muscles�or muscles that are lost that need consideration.
Your Body Knows What�s Best for It
Listen to your body, and don�t push it too much when you�re stretching. Instead, ease into a stretch when you�ve reached the limit of what you are able to do at that point, and understand.
Also, you need to prevent ballistic stretches�that sort of extending where you bounce in and out of the stretch. That strategy isn�t as successful holding the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds and then as slowly stretching your muscles.
You Can Be Creative With Stretching
Within the plan that was developed for you, you can use resistance balls, towels, or other props that’ll allow you to go deeper in your stretches. Assortment will also make you more likely to stay with your flexibility training plan.
Warm Up For Stretching
You may be a bit confused�isn�t stretching a warmup? How do you warm up for stretching? This is where a brisk walk or short jog can help: get your heart pumping and your muscles limber before stretching.
Take A Flexibility Course In The Fitness Center
Assess your gym�s class program; it may be that they have a few flexibility or stretching classes. Sometimes these courses combine cardiovascular work, strength training, and flexibility work�all 3 parts of exercise in one class! Or you may take a class that�s exclusively focused on stretching.
Your Mind Can�Stretch
Pilates and yoga are outstanding flexibility training trainings. Plus, they teach you about relaxation, meditation, and other head-body techniques�ways to help calm your body and emotions, which can, subsequently, make your body more receptive to being stretched.
Stretching Is Significant for Everyone
Maybe you’ve got this bogus organization with extending�that only individuals in rehabilitation do it or that it�s only for individuals who aren�t actually in shape (that’s: it’sn�t �real� exercise). Well, it�s time to go past that misconception. Everyone should stretch. Look for inspiration or proof at Olympic and professional athletes: they know that flexibility training is a key section of peak performance.
You Must Be Consistent
It needs to be part of your routine, for stretching to be as effective as possible. This isn�t something which you do for a few weeks and after that move on. Regular stretching and flexibility work�along with cardiovascular exercise and strength training �will assist you to take good care of your own body for years to come.
The analysis of 13 clinical trials found that exercise therapy was generally good for stroke patients’ “cognition.”
Cognition refers to vital mental processes such as thinking, learning, understanding and remembering. A stroke, which cuts off blood flow to the brain, can impair those abilities.
The findings bolster what experts have long believed: Exercise can aid stroke recovery in multiple ways.
“This isn’t new,” said Daniel Lackland, a spokesman for the American Stroke Association who was not involved in the research. “We’ve known that exercise is good after a stroke.”
But, he said, the findings offer more clarity on exactly what works. They suggest, for example, that a combination of moderate aerobic exercise and training in strength and balance is most effective for improving stroke patients’ mental acuity.
Lauren Oberlin, a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, led the study. She said the findings confirm the value of exercise after a stroke.
A Structured Exercise Program Can Help Stroke Survivors Recover Physically & Mentally
It Can Improve Mobility, Strength, Quality Of Life, & Cognition
Oberlin said. And that mental boon, she noted, may give stroke patients “additional motivation” to start an exercise program.
For the study, Oberlin and her colleagues pooled the results of 13 clinical trials that involved a total of 639 patients recovering from a stroke.
The studies all differed in a number of ways — including the type of exercise they tested, and the duration of the program.
But in general, Oberlin’s team found that patients who exercised showed bigger gains in certain mental abilities — namely, attention and processing speed — versus those who did not exercise.
And it didn’t take a long time, Oberlin said. Even exercise programs lasting four to 12 weeks were effective.
It also appears that exercise helps even when patients begin more than three months after their stroke. In fact, Oberlin said, those patients were, on average, about 2.5 years past their stroke.
The most effective programs offered patients exercises aimed at strength, balance, stretching and aerobic fitness — the kind, Oberlin noted, that “gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat.”
But that doesn’t have to mean an intense workout, Oberlin noted. Walking on a treadmill does the job. And for people with balance problems or other physical limitations, she said, there are options like recumbent stationary bikes and rowing machines.
Does it necessarily take a formal exercise program? Maybe not, Oberlin said. As long as stroke patients have been cleared to exercise on their own, they may be able to do something as simple as take a daily walk.
“But if you have mobility issues, you might need a supervised program,” Oberlin said. “What’s critical is that you talk to your doctor first, to make sure that any activity you want to do is safe.”
Lackland agreed, and also noted that exercise is just one part of stroke recovery. He said patients need to take “comprehensive measures” to improve their health and reduce the likelihood of suffering another stroke.
“That includes good blood pressure control, weight control, not smoking and limiting salt in the diet,” Lackland said.
Why Would Physical Activity Benefit Mental Sharpness After A Stroke?
Other research points to several possible reasons, Oberlin said: Exercise may improve blood flow to the brain, promote the growth of new brain cells and connections among those cells, and reduce inflammation, to name a few.
Oberlin was to present the findings Wednesday at the International Stroke Conference in Houston. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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SOURCES: Lauren Oberlin, M.S., graduate student, psychology, University of Pittsburgh; Daniel Lackland, Dr.P.H., spokesman, American Stroke Association, and professor, medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston; Feb. 22, 2017, presentation, International Stroke Conference, Houston
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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