Any structured exercise improves quality of life in Parkinson’s Disease patients

Any structured exercise improves quality of life in Parkinson’s Disease patients

A new Cochrane review has found that any type of structured exercise can improve movement-related symptoms and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s Disease. The review analyzed 156 randomized controlled trials with a total of 7,939 participants from around the world, making it the largest and most comprehensive systematic review to study the effects of physical exercise in people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Tai chi helps improve mental health and prevent falls in elderly

T’ai chi helps prevent falls and improve mental health in the elderly — Systematic reviews of t’ai chi: An overview – T’ai chi has particular health benefits for older people, including helping to prevent falls and improving mental wellbeing, reveals a review published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Tai chi may improve quality of life in chronic heart failure patients

Tai chi exercise appears to be associated with improved quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in patients with chronic heart failure – Tai chi, the ancient Chinese meditative exercise, may improve quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in chronic heart failure patients, according to research led by a team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Elderly must start tai chi to prevent falls

New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include: start tai chi, cut-back on meds – In the first update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society’s guidelines on preventing falls in older persons since 2001, they now recommend that all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component and that a number of new assessments should be used, including; feet and footwear, fear of falling, and ability to carry out daily living activities.

Tai Chi may reduce fibromyalgia symptoms

Tai Chi may improve fibromyalgia symptoms – Fibromyalgia sufferers may find relief from the chronic pain condition by doing tai chi, revealed by researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Chinese exercise Tai chi relieves knee pain

Ancient chinese exercise Tai chi is found effective in the treatment of pain and physical impairment in people with severe knee osteoarthritis. – Tai chi is effective in the treatment of pain and physical impairment in people with severe knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

Lazy brain – a shrinking brain

Those who don?t engage in complex mental activity over their lifetime have twice the shrinkage in a key part of the brain in old age, according to researchers from UNSW. – People who have been more mentally active over their lives have a larger hippocampus ? which relates to memory ? and critically that it shrinks at half the rate of those who have lower mental activity.

Health Newstrack