Can Performing Simple Exercises at Home Help Hip Recovery?

When your wellbeing has been affected by a broken hip, your mobility can suffer and you can become dependant on those around you for help. However, according to a new study, published in Jama (the Journal of the American Medical Association), fitness can help you to avoid these outcomes. The researchers found that simple at-home exercises could help seniors regain mobility and independence after recovering from a broken hip.

 

After following a six-month home exercise programme, participants were significantly better able to get up and around, climb stairs and attend to daily activities than their counterparts who only had typical post-fracture rehab. Study lead author Nancy Latham, from the Health and Disability Research Institute at Boston University, stated, ‘We found that a low-contact, low-support sort of programme did significantly improve people’s function and mobility six months after they started it.’ This is an important discovery, as a broken hip often marks the start of a rapid decline in older people’s wellness. Previous research has found that, two years after breaking a hip, roughly half of men and over a third of women are either living in a nursing home or dead.

 

Latham commented, ‘We know there is a gap there where people are being left in a poor functional state. ‘It’s good to know that [months of intensive outpatient physical therapy] works, but that’s not going to be realistic.’ Therefore, the researchers looked for a more realistic home-based fitness programme, and recruited 232 people aged 60 years old and older from the Boston area to test it out. The average age of the participants was 78, and all had experienced a hip fracture and had been released from a physical rehabilitation programme within the past 20 months. One group of 120 volunteers participated in three or four visits from a physical therapist, focusing on home exercises surrounding realistic daily movements like getting out of a chair and stepping up or down. Members of this group were each given a programme DVD and told to do the exercises three times a week for six months.

 

In the other group, which consisted of 112 participants, nutrition information was sent through the mail. The comparison group also received nutrition education during a home visit and a series of phone calls. The researchers tested everyone for physical performance, mobility and daily activity when they entered the study, at six months and again at nine months. Wellness writer Andrew M. Seaman details, ‘When they began the programme, participants in the exercise group scored an average of 6.2 on a scale that measures physical performance between zero and 12 – with higher scores indicating better function. The nutrition group similarly scored an average of six at the start. At six months, the exercise group participants scored an average of 7.2, compared to an average of 6.2 among those in the nutrition group. That 0.8 point difference in function between the two groups would be a noticeable difference to the participants.’

 

Nine months later, the results were similar. Latham commented, ‘The message from this study is that if somebody has had a hip fracture, that when the usual therapy ends, there is most likely still further where they can improve.’ Dr. Stephen Kates, an orthopaedic and rehabilitation specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Centre, who was not involved in the study, added that further research into this area is merited, particularly focusing on which people recovering from a broken hip at home are the best candidates for this type of exercise. He surmised, ‘It’s probably the patient who’s a little bit marginal for staying home. It’s just going to become more of a problem for our health system and for all of us to deal with.’

Categories: at-home exercises, broken hip, exercise group, hip recovery, Home, home exercises, latham commented, months, nutrition group, physical performance, programme participants, Research

How Could Abstinence End Up Improving Your Sex Life?

Can not having sex be a good step to take on your journey to sexual health? Surely, it’s better for your wellness to have “a healthy sex life?” We’ve spoken to three sexperts – some of whom extol the virtues of abstinence – to find out how giving up sex, albeit temporarily, can affect your wellbeing.

 

1. 12 Years Celibate: Sophie Fontanel embarked on a period of self-imposed celibacy after years of being ‘taken and shaken’ made her decide she was ‘through with being had’. She’s now written a book on the subject, The Art Of Sleeping Alone: Why One French Woman Gave Up Sex, as she found the experience to be almost instantly beneficial. ‘My backbone was much straighter and my friends asked me if I was in love,’ she recalls. ‘They could have had my life, but they were afraid of my solitude because it could have been theirs. Sometimes you are alone even when you are married.’

 

Fontanel instead put her energy into travelling, socialising and work. She notes, ‘It was never meant to be 12 years. Suddenly one year passed, then another.’ At the end of her book, she meets a man, a friend’s brother, who found the 50-year-old writer – and her journey – fascinating. Fontanel enthuses ‘Young, beautiful girls complain about being single but they are alone because their dreams are better than reality. They are free.’

 

2. 18 Months Without Sex: If 12 years sounds a little difficult, why not take a leaf out of Audrey Bellis’ book and give up sex for 18 months? The 27-year-old marketing executive comments, ‘“You must masturbate a lot.” That was pretty much everyone’s response when I announced my year of celibacy and no dating. Following a miserable broken engagement, I did what most people do to numb their feelings: I drank too much gin and tonic, I dated men I didn’t really like and I had drunken, empty sex. Each time would be filled with regret.’ So Bellis decided to give up men for a while, but how did she manage it?

 

‘It was hard at first,’ Bellis admits. ‘It was all I could think about, much the way a dieter fantasises over chocolate. But it got easier. I found strength in resisting rather than giving into temptation. I noticed men wanted me more – the idea of being the one who might make me give it up tantalised their alpha egos. I eventually abstained for 18 months, during which time I rebuilt my confidence. I oozed my own kind of sexual appeal. Satisfaction came not from orgasm but from total physical control. I began to explore yoga and dabbled in meditation…Eventually, I craved physical contact again and I met a guy who I was genuinely attracted to on all levels…I no longer have sex simply to feel desirable but my 18 months without it gave me the foundation of my sex appeal today.’

 

3. Yes, Yes, Yes: Agony uncle James McConnachie counters, ‘Sex is like a diet: it’s driven by appetite, and different regimes work best for different people. Some of us thrive on shovel-loads of late-night carbs, others go for light protein and fruit snacks, others still are chocolate guzzlers. Similarly, some people like lots of masturbation and partner sex every other Sunday, others insist on sex with love only, and a few s**g themselves silly at every opportunity. Unless you’re asexual, meaning you never want sex, celibacy is a problem for the same reason that diets are a problem: you’re taking a natural pleasure and rewarding yourself emotionally if you defeat it…If I was recommending a sex diet to anyone, I’d say listen to your body and your mind. Find your own balance of health and pleasure. However, be open to change. And say no to other people’s rules and restrictions.’

Categories: abstinence, better sex, confidence, months, nbsp, people, sex life, year, years

How to Keep Fit Even in the Depths of Winter

Being, as we are, in mid winter, it is very easy to let your fitness and weight loss regime fall by the wayside. It’s so cold, that any sport that involves being outdoors (such as running or cycling) can be very difficult, if not impossible, and in some countries it can even be dangerous to try to follow these types of pursuits at this time of year.

 

It is important, however, that you keep working out, in order to safeguard your wellness and wellbeing during the winter months, and there are various ways that you can do this.

 

First of all, you can – of course – hit the gym. A gym membership during the winter months is a great idea, allowing you to work out in a warm and dry environment while it’s too cold to work out outside. You can do the activities that you usually enjoy outside too, just in a more stationary environment. You can run on a treadmill or jump on an exercise bike and work up a good sweat whilst not getting soaked to the skin or frozen to the bone.

 

Dancing is also a great winter sport, as it burns loads of calories whilst also toning up your whole body. Pole dancing is a recent craze, and has become hugely popular (with those who practise it and those who enjoy their skills too one imagines!) You can sign up for various dance classes – hip hop, ballroom, break dancing or even ballet (which is great for your legs).

 

Yoga and Pilates are also a great way to pass the winter months.  You don’t have to do traditional ‘slow’ yoga – you can do Bikram Yoga or Power Yoga, both of which are a bit more fast paced and use muscles that you didn’t even know you possessed. By the end of winter, you’ll be fitter and more supple than you ever thought.

Categories: fitness, months, nbsp, weather, winter, winter months, work, yoga

What Vaccinations Should Your Baby Have?

Children require as many as 25 vaccinations and booster shots in the first 15 months of their life alone, which makes it difficult to know what they’re getting and why. These vaccines are vital in helping children get started in life without the worry of diseases and ailments that their bodies can’t fight off at a young age, as well as some that they’ll need well into adult life as well. Here is a list of some of the most important vaccinations that your child will receive, and the potentially damaging germs that they are there to protect your child from. If you’re unsure when you should book these vaccines, your GP will be able to advise you what they need and when.

 

Hepatitis B

Your baby should receive a vaccine against this before they leave the hospital, and then have a booster shot at between one and two months, and then a third at six to 18 months. As indicated, this protects against the incurable virus of hepatitis B which affects the liver. This particular virus can be passed on to a baby during childbirth if the mother is infected with it. This is because the virus is spread through blood contact and other bodily fluids – even sharing toothbrushes can increase your risk.

MMR

This is a combination shot which protects against three viruses – measles, mumps and rubella. Measles causes a high fever and a rash which spreads along the entire body. Mumps causes pain in the face with swollen salivary glands, and sometimes swelling in the scrotum in boys as well. Lastly, Rubella or German measles can cause birth defects if the infection is caught by the mother during pregnancy. The first vaccine is given at 12 to 15 months of age, and then the child receives another one between the ages of 4 and 6. Sometimes, this vaccine is combined with a chickenpox vaccine – this is to reduce the amount of shots the child has to endure.

DTaP

The DTaP vaccination protects the child against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Diphtheria is a germ which can cause a grey or black film to develop in the throat. Tetanus is an infection which can cause muscle spasms in the body which can be so strong that they break the child’s bones. And pertussis is a very contagious disease which can lead to a severe and uncontrollable cough in the patient which is known as whooping cough. Children have five doses at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years of age. They will then have a booster at 11 or 12, and then every 10 years.

Hib

Haemophilus influenza type B is a bacteria which develops into meningitis. This causes inflammation in the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, which can be very dangerous for children under the age of five. Hib vaccines are usually given at two, four, six, and 12 to 15 months of age. There may be a six month shot required as well, depending on the type of vaccine used. It’s common for the child to experience fever, swelling and redness where the vaccination was given as side effects from the jab. These will pass though.

Polio (IPV)

The Polio vaccine is a massive success, and because of it there are no more cases of the disease. The virus hasn’t been eradicated worldwide, though, so children still require the shot to protect them. This is a very serious condition and can lead to paralysis or even death in severe cases. Children have this shot at two, four, and six to 18 months, then again between the ages of four and six years.

Categories: Child, Children, months, shot, Vaccinations, Vaccine, viruses

New Mums Are Not The Only Ones Who Are Too Tired For Sex

After a couple has a baby, their sexual health often suffers. Many women report that they experience a significant shift in their sex drive, and that they often do not feel like making love for a period of weeks, if not months, after the birth of a baby.

 

Now, research has shown that the well-being and wellness of men may also be affected after the birth of a baby, with many new dads reporting that their sex drive also takes a hit. Experts claim that many new dads feel sidelined after the birth of a baby, and this shift in family politics can lead to them feeling anxious about renewing their sex life with their partner.

 

The study looked into the sexual behaviour and enjoyment in 114 couples who had new babies, looking particularly at the first few months following on from the childbirth.

 

Researchers have claimed that around one in every five new dads do not go back to making love with their partner for over three months following the birth of the baby, whereas one in three go straight back to making love within six weeks, and another one in three go back to having sex between seven and twelve weeks after the birth.

 

When asked about their reasons for the delay, some men said that they were concerned that their partners had been physically strained by the process of childbirth, and that they did not want to hurt them and were worried that lovemaking would be painful for them.

 

Lack of time was also cited as a reason for many new fathers not making a move on their wife in the early months, as many men claimed to be suffering from fatigue and exhaustion in the early days after the birth of a baby.

Categories: Baby, birth, dads, months, nbsp, Sex, Sex Drive