https://medicalxpress.com/fitness-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Fitness & Physical Activity A new clinical trial led by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience has found that exercise has a significant effect on mood and lab-based measures of new brain cell formation in healthy middle-aged participants. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-clinical-physical-trial-mood-neuron.html Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:40:03 EDT news708870541 Knee osteoarthritis is a widespread and painful joint condition. It causes chronic pain, cartilage breakdown and trouble moving. Doctors rely on X-rays and patient surveys to track how the disease progresses. These traditional methods have a major blind spot. They do not show how a person actually moves during daily life outside a clinical exam. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-wearable-sensors-accurately-track-knee.html Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:40:03 EDT news708769802 What if you could heal like Wolverine? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-compounding-problem-peptides.html Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:40:10 EDT news708767101 Losing muscle as we age could be an important warning sign for dementia, according to new Curtin University research. Researchers analyzed more than 80 studies examining the links between body weight, body fat, muscle health and dementia, finding people with sarcopenia—the loss of muscle mass and strength—had a 42% higher risk of dementia. Sarcopenia is a condition in which people lose muscle mass, strength and physical function, often as they get older. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-dementia-muscles.html Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:01 EDT news708762962 Could the secret to bouncing back after a grueling practice be as simple as sleeping just a little bit longer for one night? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-good-night-fatigue-hockey-players.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:00:06 EDT news708698383 YouTube has become a go-to platform for sports content, offering far more than traditional game broadcasts and sports news. Alongside highlights and commentary, viewers can find content tailored to their interests, including home-training tips, diet and nutrition advice, and information about sports equipment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-sports-youtube-doesnt-youll-couch.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:00:13 EDT news708693661 Strength training is one of the most effective ways to improve your health, boost your metabolism and enhance your quality of life—no matter your age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-strength-muscle-safely-age.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:20:01 EDT news708685321 A study of employees at organizations connected to the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) demonstrates why cultural adaptation of this type of intervention must consider a population's real living and working conditions in addition to its habits. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-cultural-cardiovascular-disease-diabetes-strategies.html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:20:04 EDT news708620161 Researchers at the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) have found that, on average, university students are significantly less physically active and more sedentary than community-dwelling older adults in their 70s—upending conventional expectations that physical activity declines with age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-university-students-physically-sedentary-older.html Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:20:02 EDT news708597062 Chandler Browning always dreamed of being part of The University of Texas at Arlington's nationally recognized nursing program and pursuing her goal of becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Now in her first semester as a nursing student, she is experiencing firsthand UTA's latest innovation in nursing education: treating nurses as "clinical athletes." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-nurses-athletes.html Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:50:02 EDT news708323521 Avid runners often chase speed, whether improving their 5K or shaving seconds off their marathon time to nail a personal best. The idea that exercise should involve pushing further, harder or faster has long been embedded in fitness culture. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-trend-people.html Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:00:05 EDT news708341042 According to a Finnish study, people sleep slightly longer when they work from home. However, they also sit more and are less physically active than on days when they work in the office. The findings are published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-remote-physical-sedentary-behavior-minutes.html Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:40:04 EDT news708336540 Researchers from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (COMD) have partnered with faculty from across the Arnold School and USC to complete a study investigating the connections among physical function, blood pressure, hearing and cognition among older adults. Published in Scientific Reports, the team found that participants who maintained higher levels of physical function (i.e., engaging in everyday physical activities) were less likely to experience hearing loss. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-physical-older-adults-loss.html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:40:04 EDT news708277082 An abundance of clinical trials has shown that exercise reduces pain and facilitates everyday activities like climbing stairs for individuals with osteoarthritis. But researchers from the University of South Carolina, McMaster University and the University of Delaware believe it's time for a mindset shift. Instead of viewing exercise as a temporary treatment for the condition, clinicians and patients should view physical activity as a lifelong behavior. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-it-time-to-change-how.html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:40:07 EDT news708262449 People living with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a heritable heart condition that can significantly increase the risk of sudden cardiac death, are advised to avoid high-intensity aerobic exercise. However, questions remain about whether higher-intensity strength training, which affects the heart differently than endurance exercise, could be less risky. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-strength-linked-heart-problems-people.html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:00:06 EDT news708247948 Two UCLA Health doctors, both faculty in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and team physicians for UCLA Athletics and professional sports teams, are accompanying the 2026 U.S. Basketball Women's National Team at the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, which began Sept. 4 in Berlin. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-elite-women-basketball-players-healthy.html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:20:05 EDT news708235261 In mogul skiing, a fraction of a second can make all the difference. A momentary lapse in attention, a misjudged turn or a delayed decision can turn a smooth sequence into a mistake or even a disaster. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-thin-air-mind-skiers-mental.html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:20:18 EDT news708164701 Four years after body-checking was introduced, have injury rates in Swedish women's ice hockey changed? Yes, markedly. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now been able to show that, in the short term, the number of insurance claims almost doubled. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-injuries-policy-body-women-ice.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:20:04 EDT news708097556 Fewer daily steps at a faster pace or more steps at a slower pace may both substantially lower the risk of an early death, with a brisker pace for at least 30 minutes a day the potential sweet spot for those with sedentary lifestyles out of choice or necessity, suggests research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-daily-pace-combos-early-death.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 18:30:01 EDT news707993227 A new program developed by University of Alberta researchers is showing promise in helping stroke survivors stride toward recovery after leaving the hospital. A pilot study published in the Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation confirmed that the intervention, known as BIG STEPS, could safely and practically help people sit less and move more after returning home following hospitalization for a stroke—a "whole-of-the-day" approach that is important for long-term health and wellness, says lead author Dr. Victor Ezeugwu of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-combines-smartwatch-tracking-personalized-survivors.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:20:14 EDT news708072722 What if much of what we thought we knew about women's health and fitness was suddenly called into question? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-big-assumption-women-health-years.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:40:01 EDT news707998604 Findings from STAMINA, the largest trial of its kind, published in The Lancet Oncology, show that a purpose-designed lifestyle program offering structured exercise, dietary advice and behavioral support as part of routine cancer care reduced deterioration in quality of life in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer by up to one-third. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-trial-prostate-cancer-treatment-side.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:00:04 EDT news707993123 The poet Dylan Thomas famously wrote, "old age should burn and rave at close of day"—and a high-profile cohort of professional athletes seems to be taking him literally. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-older-athletes-aging-major-losses.html Sun, 06 Sep 2026 10:30:02 EDT news707400623 As aging populations drive rising global health care demands, finding scalable ways to prevent cognitive decline has become a public health priority. While intensive clinical trials have shown that multidomain lifestyle interventions can protect brain health, translating these resource-heavy protocols into everyday municipal practice remains challenging. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-month-community-attention-diet-scores.html Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:40:01 EDT news707722222 Modern lifestyles, longer light exposure and constant digital distractions have pushed the world into a global sleep crisis—one that poses a major threat to public health. Sleep loss doesn't just leave us tired and irritable; it can also affect our memory. The processes that happen in our brain when we sleep play a crucial role in helping us learn, store and recall new information. Even a single short night can disrupt this kind of memory. Exercise is known to improve sleep, but could it also help protect memory from sleep loss? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-workout-memory-short-night.html Sat, 05 Sep 2026 13:40:01 EDT news707734852 Finishing a tough workout always feels good. That is, until a few hours later, when those uncomfortable muscle aches start setting in. This discomfort can linger for days—making easy, everyday tasks a challenge. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-workout-recovery-techniques-science-hype.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:00:01 EDT news707727842 It's easy to take hearing for granted. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-early-results-link-speech-perception.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:20:01 EDT news707723402 We've all been there. You spend an hour at the gym, and before you even reach the locker room, you start thinking about your favorite takeout meal—after all, you've earned it! https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-im-weight-hungrier.html Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:40:01 EDT news707721302 For people with moderate to severe asthma, increasing the number of daily steps may be as effective as structured aerobic training sessions for managing the disease. This finding comes from a study led by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and published in the journal Pulmonology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-daily-effective-aerobic-asthma.html Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:20:08 EDT news707664175 The cells of our body are frequently exposed to hazards that can damage them, cause them to malfunction or kill them. Yet they have defense systems that can sometimes be strengthened by small doses of stress, a phenomenon known as hormesis. Scientists are investigating whether food compounds and medicines can harness these protective processes to benefit health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-stress-cells.html Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:20:01 EDT news707656682