Nyam Family Clinic

17/03/2023

5 exercises to improve hand mobility

If you find daily tasks difficult to do because you suffer from stiffness, swelling, or pain in your hands, the right exercises can help get you back in motion.

Therapists usually suggest specific hand exercises depending on the condition. Some help increase a joint's range of motion or lengthen the muscle and tendons via stretching. Other exercises strengthen muscles around a joint to generate more power or to build greater endurance.

Below you will find five commonly recommended exercises for hand and wrist problems. However, if your hand condition is painful or debilitating, it's best to get exercise advice from a physical therapist. All exercises should be done slowly and deliberately, to avoid pain and injury. If you feel numbness or pain during or after exercising, stop and contact your doctor.

Range-of-motion hand exercises
Your muscles and tendons move the joints through arcs of motion, as when you bend and straighten your fingers. If your normal range of motion is impaired—if you can't bend your thumb without pain, for example you may have trouble doing ordinary things like opening a jar. These exercises move your wrist and fingers through their normal ranges of motion and require all the hand's tendons to perform their specific functions. Hold each position for 5–10 seconds. Do one set of 10 repetitions, three times a day.

1. Wrist extension and flexion

Wrist extension and flexion exercise
• Place your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding with your hand hanging off the edge of the table, palm down.

• Move the hand upward until you feel a gentle stretch.

• Return to the starting position.

• Repeat the same motions with the elbow bent at your side, palm facing up.

2. Wrist supinatiohn/pronation

• Stand or sit with your arm at your side with the elbow bent to 90 degrees, palm facing down.

• Rotate your forearm, so that your palm faces up and then down.

3. Wrist ulnar/radial deviation

Wrist ulnar/radial deviation exercise
• Support your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding or on your knee, thumb upward.

• Move the wrist up and down through its full range of motion.

4. Thumb flexion/extension

• Begin with your thumb positioned outward.

• Move the thumb across the palm and back to the starting position.

5. Hand/finger tendon glide

• Start with the fingers extended straight out.

• Make a hook fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a full fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a straight fist; return to a straight hand.

Discover the best ways to ease arthritis … the latest treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome and dozens of other secrets for healthy, pain-free hands!

17/03/2023

5 exercises to improve hand mobility
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If you find daily tasks difficult to do because you suffer from stiffness, swelling, or pain in your hands, the right exercises can help get you back in motion.

Therapists usually suggest specific hand exercises depending on the condition. Some help increase a joint's range of motion or lengthen the muscle and tendons via stretching. Other exercises strengthen muscles around a joint to generate more power or to build greater endurance.


Get your copy of Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong, pain-free hands

Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong,
pain-free hands Beneath the skin, your hands are an intricate architecture of tendons, joints, ligaments, nerves, and bones. Each of these structures is vulnerable to damage from illness or injury. If your hands hurt, even simple tasks can become a painful ordeal. Healthy Hands: Strategies for strong, pain-free hands describes the causes and treatments for many conditions that can cause hand pain. It also features information on hand exercises, as well as handy tools and other gadgets that take strain off your hands.

Read More
Below you will find five commonly recommended exercises for hand and wrist problems. However, if your hand condition is painful or debilitating, it's best to get exercise advice from a physical therapist. All exercises should be done slowly and deliberately, to avoid pain and injury. If you feel numbness or pain during or after exercising, stop and contact your doctor.

Range-of-motion hand exercises
Your muscles and tendons move the joints through arcs of motion, as when you bend and straighten your fingers. If your normal range of motion is impaired—if you can't bend your thumb without pain, for example you may have trouble doing ordinary things like opening a jar. These exercises move your wrist and fingers through their normal ranges of motion and require all the hand's tendons to perform their specific functions. Hold each position for 5–10 seconds. Do one set of 10 repetitions, three times a day.

1. Wrist extension and flexion

Wrist extension and flexion exercise
• Place your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding with your hand hanging off the edge of the table, palm down.

• Move the hand upward until you feel a gentle stretch.

• Return to the starting position.

• Repeat the same motions with the elbow bent at your side, palm facing up.

2. Wrist supinatiohn/pronation

41ad70be-7a4f-4ec9-88b1-a8fa9a7bcd49
• Stand or sit with your arm at your side with the elbow bent to 90 degrees, palm facing down.

• Rotate your forearm, so that your palm faces up and then down.

3. Wrist ulnar/radial deviation

Wrist ulnar/radial deviation exercise
• Support your forearm on a table on a rolled-up towel for padding or on your knee, thumb upward.

• Move the wrist up and down through its full range of motion.

4. Thumb flexion/extension

• Begin with your thumb positioned outward.

• Move the thumb across the palm and back to the starting position.

5. Hand/finger tendon glide

• Start with the fingers extended straight out.

• Make a hook fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a full fist; return to a straight hand.

• Make a straight fist; return to a straight hand.

08/03/2023

https://www.health.harvard.edu/promotions/harvard-health-publications/fighting-inflammation?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PA20230307-Inflammation&utm_id=4948356&dlv-emuid=b56ae7b5-ddbb-4e73-9ae0-4802e0dc8e6a&dlv-mlid=4948356

03/12/2022

Age and muscle loss

As the years pass, muscle mass in the body generally shrinks, and strength and power decline. The pro­cess begins earlier than you might think. Sarcope­nia—defined as age-related muscle loss—can begin at around age 35 and occurs at a rate of 1-2 percent a year for the typical person. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3 percent a year. The loss may be mild, moderate, or severe—or muscles can remain in the normal range.

Studies attest that strength training, as well as aerobic exercise, can help you manage and sometimes prevent conditions as varied as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. It can also protect vitality, make everyday tasks more manageable, and help you maintain a healthy weight. Strength and Power Training for Older Adults answers
But on average, adults who don’t do regular strength training can expect to lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade. (And most people don’t see the number on the scale going down, which means they are replacing that muscle with fat.) Fast-twitch fibers, which provide bursts of power, are lost at a greater rate than slow-twitch fibers, which means you’re not only growing weaker but also get­ting slower.

Weak muscles hasten the loss of independence, putting everyday activities out of reach—activi­ties such as walking, cleaning, shopping, and even dressing. They hinder your ability to cope with and recover from an illness or injury. Disability is 1.5 to 4.6 times higher in older people with moderate to severe sarcopenia than in those with normal muscle mass. Weak muscles also make it harder to balance properly when moving or even standing still—and loss of power compounds the problem.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that one in every three adults ages 65 and older falls each year. Some of these falls can have dire consequences, including bone fractures, admit­tance to long-term care facilities, and even death from complications. According to the CDC, these spills lead to more than 800,000 hospitalizations a year. But strength and power training can help. People with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and, when they do take a tumble, less likely to sustain a serious injury.

Loss of muscle strength and mass aren’t the only factors that contribute to age-related declines in func­tion and mobility. Mitochondria—the energy-produc­ing "power plants" inside cells—decrease in number and efficiency. Similarly, the nerve-signaling system that recruits muscle fibers for tasks deteriorates with age and lack of use.

While it’s tempting to attribute all of these changes to aging alone, disuse of muscles plays a big­ger role than many people suspect. Studies suggest that strength and power training can help reverse these effects and restore muscle function.

For more weight training tips, check out Strength and Power Training for Older Adults, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

With this Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, you’ll learn the right way to strengthen your muscles and get back to the life you love.

18/11/2022

Age and muscle loss

As the years pass, muscle mass in the body generally shrinks, and strength and power decline. The pro­cess begins earlier than you might think. Sarcope­nia—defined as age-related muscle loss—can begin at around age 35 and occurs at a rate of 1-2 percent a year for the typical person. After age 60, it can accelerate to 3 percent a year. The loss may be mild, moderate, or severe—or muscles can remain in the normal range.

But on average, adults who don’t do regular strength training can expect to lose 4 to 6 pounds of muscle per decade. (And most people don’t see the number on the scale going down, which means they are replacing that muscle with fat.) Fast-twitch fibers, which provide bursts of power, are lost at a greater rate than slow-twitch fibers, which means you’re not only growing weaker but also get­ting slower.

Weak muscles hasten the loss of independence, putting everyday activities out of reach—activi­ties such as walking, cleaning, shopping, and even dressing. They hinder your ability to cope with and recover from an illness or injury. Disability is 1.5 to 4.6 times higher in older people with moderate to severe sarcopenia than in those with normal muscle mass. Weak muscles also make it harder to balance properly when moving or even standing still—and loss of power compounds the problem.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that one in every three adults ages 65 and older falls each year. Some of these falls can have dire consequences, including bone fractures, admit­tance to long-term care facilities, and even death from complications. According to the CDC, these spills lead to more than 800,000 hospitalizations a year. But strength and power training can help. People with stronger muscles are less likely to fall and, when they do take a tumble, less likely to sustain a serious injury.

Loss of muscle strength and mass aren’t the only factors that contribute to age-related declines in func­tion and mobility. Mitochondria—the energy-produc­ing "power plants" inside cells—decrease in number and efficiency. Similarly, the nerve-signaling system that recruits muscle fibers for tasks deteriorates with age and lack of use.

While it’s tempting to attribute all of these changes to aging alone, disuse of muscles plays a big­ger role than many people suspect. Studies suggest that strength and power training can help reverse these effects and restore muscle function.

For more weight training tips, check out Strength and Power Training for Older Adults, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

14/11/2022

Your feet should feel as young as you do

1. Stretching your feet and ankles regularly may help reduce the incidence of injury as you age. Your footwear should provide appropriate support in the form of comfortable shoes that fit well but aren’t too constrictive.

2. You may want to add over-the-counter cushioning shoe inserts to your shoes if you plan to increase your activity level. As you get older think about incorporating a range of exercise activities into your routine. For example, swimming or bicycling put less pressure on the joints of the foot.

3. Toenail and foot skin health are important, too. The skin grows thinner and drier with age; the nails may become thicker or more brittle. If nails are thick and yellow, it may indicate a health problem. To keep your feet healthy, exercise or massage them to increase circulation. Pay attention to nutrition, too—maintaining overall good health, including eating well, helps your feet stay healthy along with the rest of you.

4. Another good idea is to moisturize your feet regularly so you don’t develop cracks (fissures) in the skin. These can be painful, and leave you open to infection. Pay special attention to the heels, as these can get very dry. However, do not apply lotion or cream between your toes, as this area tends to be moist, and you may end up encouraging some type of fungal or bacterial growth.

5. If you wear nail polish regularly, you may notice that your toenails seem yellow when you remove the polish, likely due to the chemicals and dyes in the polish. To reduce yellowing, remove the nail polish once a week and let your nails "breathe" for a day or two before you polish them again.

When your feet work like they’re supposed to, you probably don’t give them a second thought. But when they hurt, even a walk to the mailbox can be an ordeal. Healthy Feet: Preventing and treating common foot problems, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, tells you everything you ...

04/11/2022

The advantages of body-weight exercise

A mature Asian woman in plank position on the floor of a gym.
All exercise is beneficial. But even stacked up against other types of workouts, body-weight exercise has a lot to offer. Not only does it provide an excellent workout, but it can also help you overcome some common excuses for avoiding exercise, like "I don’t have time to go to the gym" and "I don’t have space for a stationary bike at home." All you have to do is move your body.

Here’s a closer look at some of the pluses.

It couldn’t be more convenient
No matter where you are, you’ve got your body, so you can start exercising anywhere, anytime—in your bedroom when you wake up, in the kitchen while you’re waiting for water to boil, in your hotel room when traveling. That makes it easy to find the time.

The price is right
With body-weight exercise, there’s nothing to buy other than a pair of shoes. You don’t need stylish clothing. You don’t even need a yoga mat, much less an expensive gym membership, although you can certainly do these workouts at the gym, too. You might want a few props, such as a chair, bench, or counter to modify some moves, but these are all items that you have on hand.

The intimidation factor is low
You can do these exercises solo. You don’t have to walk into a gym full of buff exercisers and complicated-looking weight machines that require adjustments and may still not fit you properly.

It’s effective.
Research published in the journal Physiology and Behavior found that, as a form of resistance training, body-weight exercise helps build muscle "independent of an external load." But it does more than that. When Polish researchers looked at the effects of 10 weeks of body-weight exercises on various physical fitness parameters in a small group of young women, they found improvements in seven out of nine of the parameters. The biggest gains were in aerobic capacity, with a 33% improvement. Muscle endurance, particularly in the core, increased by 11%, while lower-body power posted a 6% gain. Even flexibility was better after the training.

You don’t necessarily have to do a lot of it.
While it’s good to meet the Physical Activity Guidelines, smaller amounts of body-weight exercise can also deliver results. In a small study of active people in their 60s, Japanese researchers found that a workout consisting of eight simple lower-body exercises increased the participants’ muscle strength and power by about 15% after 10 months. That may not sound like much, but during this stage of life, strength and power are often declining. What’s more, the participants achieved these gains by doing only six workouts a month.

It provides "functional" exercise
Most body-weight exercises work multiple muscles at once rather than training an isolated muscle or muscle group, as many exercise machines and dumbbell exercises do. Therefore, body-weight exercises are considered more functional, using more muscles and joints at a time, engaging balance and, and mimicking everyday activities.

It can be adjusted to your fitness level
It may not be obvious how to do this at first. When you’re using your body as the weight, you can’t just remove 10 or 20 pounds as you can with machines or dumbbells. But there are ways to modify moves to decrease or increase the resistance. You can adjust your body position—for example, doing push-ups against a wall rather than the floor—or you can change the number of times you repeat an exercise or modify the pace you’re working at.

It’s good for your health
Literally thousands of studies have shown that the more you move, the lower your risks for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, multiple types of cancer, joint pain, and Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise can also lift your mood, reduce your stress level, and improve your sleep. Body-weight exercise is no exception.

For centuries, body-weight exercise — actions that move your body against the resistance of gravity — has been a mainstay exercise for athletes and soldiers helping build strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility.

01/11/2022

Discover the foods that may hold the potential to reduce chronic inflammation, which may help you live a longer, more vibrant life!

You’ve heard all the talk about anti-inflammatory diets. They’re a hot topic—and a hyped topic. We’re besieged by dozens of books and videos with lots of sizzle and but with very little science.

But what’s true? What can an anti-inflammatory diet do? Most important, what should you do? You’ll find out in Foods that Fight Inflammation!

The doctors who prepared this report were firm: Just give the facts. No pie-in-the-sky promises. Instead, a down-to-earth perspective.

Fact:

Chronic inflammation has not been proven to cause chronic diseases, but strikingly often, its presence corresponds to an increased risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and many cancers.

Fact:

Certain dietary patterns are linked to a lower risk of inflammation. Beyond that, emerging research suggests specific food choices may further help fight and reduce chronic inflammation.

If you’ve ever cut your finger, you’ve experienced inflammation.  This acute inflammation triggers a response within your body to halt and heal the injury.  But there’s another form of inflammation that doesn’t halt and heal… it is inflammation that can hurt and harm.  It is chronic inf...

31/10/2022

Driving and dementia: Take away the keys?


Caring for a person with dementia or Alzheimer's disease presents a range of challenges. Spouses, family members, and friends must deal with feelings of loss as the person they know seems to slip away. Supporting a loved one with basic activities of daily living can be time consuming and exhausting. And it is difficult to balance protecting the person you're caring for and preserving what independence remains.

One of the trickiest problems for caregivers to negotiate with people with dementia is driving. The consequences of a misstep behind the wheel can be deadly.

Decisions about driving
Whether or not it is safe to drive can be complicated, particularly when the person is only mildly impaired. Some believe that driving privileges should not be taken away until a person is clearly an unsafe driver.

But can you identify an unsafe driver before an accident occurs?

Driving requires amazing coordination — the eyes, brain, and muscles must process information and respond to it quickly. Driving skills may seem sufficient until an unexpected situation occurs when a person with dementia can panic or freeze with indecision.

One way to gauge the risk is to observe the person's general behavior. If friends and family see their loved one exhibit poor judgment, inattentiveness to what's going on around him or her, clumsiness, and slow or inappropriate reactions, then that person should not get behind the wheel.

Taking away the keys
Ideally, a tactful and respectful approach will preserve the person's self-esteem while getting them off the road. Some people may agree to stop driving for other reasons — for instance, the car needs repair or the license or registration has expired. You can also opt for a road test with a driver's rehabilitation specialist, who can offer an independent assessment of safety. People with Alzheimer's disease sometimes take seriously a written prescription from a physician that says, "Do not drive."

In some states, doctors have a legal duty to report unsafe drivers and drivers with certain medical problems to the state department of motor vehicles. If all else fails, you may need to seek advice from a lawyer or an official with the Department of Public Safety in your state. Procedures vary, but generally a driver's license can be suspended on the basis of a physician's written statement.

Discover how to reduce the threat of Alzheimer's in a revealing Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School doctors.

28/10/2022

How to add core exercises to your workout routine

Core exercises can improve your posture, make everyday activities such as bending or twisting much easier, reduce low back pain, and even improve your balance and lessen the risk of falling. Core work should be part of a well-rounded workout routine.

Gentle Core Exercises: Start toning your abs, building your back muscles, and reclaiming core fitness today Gentle core exercises are specially designed for people who aren't up to tackling regular core exercises, perhaps because they are out of shape or possibly due to an injury or health problem. This Special Health Report, Gentle Core Exercises: Start toning your abs, building your back muscles, and reclaiming core fitness today, will show you how to build your core with workouts that are gentle and rewarding. You’ll be introduced to more than three dozen exercises designed to strengthen core muscles, increase flexibility and stability, improve balance, and tone your silhouette.

A basic workout plan
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, a balanced exercise plan includes:

At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity,
75 minutes of vigorous activity, or
an equivalent combination of the two every week. (During moderate activity, such as a brisk walk, you can talk, but not sing; during vigorous activity, such as running, you can't say more than a few words without catching your breath.)

Strength-training sessions twice a week for all major muscle groups.

Balance exercises if you're an older adult at risk for falling.

Core work falls under the second and third categories: strength training and enhancing balance.

Advanced core exercises tone more than just core muscles: for example, chair stands strengthen muscles throughout your legs, while planks work some arm and back muscles as well as abdominal muscles.

Adding core work
You don't need to be sporting six-pack abs or be ready for an advanced Pilates class to add core work to your routine. Gentle core exercises can get you started and offer real benefits.

Core work doesn't have to take a lot of time, either. Slipping in exercises and stretches during the day or adding a few core exercises to your usual routine takes just a few minutes.

Start slowly, and gradually challenge yourself. Aim to do a core workout two to three times a week. Start with basic exercises. When you can do a full set of reps easily, move on to a slightly more advanced set of exercises. Changing exercise routines can also help prevent boredom and keep you motivated.
Sprinkle in core work throughout your day. Look for opportunities to do short bursts of exercises or stretches a few times a day. You can do this daily, or start slowly with just a few days a week — say, every Monday and Thursday — then gradually incorporate core exercises into additional days.

Tack core work on to strength sessions. When you do your twice-weekly strength training sessions (see the recommendations above), add two extra core exercises to your regimen. When you have time or when it becomes easy to do the core exercises, step it up again by beginning a separate core workout or sprinkling bursts of core work throughout your day.

Your core is more than just abdominal muscles; it includes the muscles in your back, sides, pelvis, and butt. They’re the muscles that allow you to reach, bend, and move freely.

27/10/2022

27/10/2022

You can live free from the dangers of hypertension!

Enjoy greater cardiovascular fitness — and better health — starting now!

The latest guidelines have made the importance of maintaining lower blood pressure numbers abundantly clear. Indeed, now nearly half of American adults are considered to have high blood pressure, with double the risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as increased risk of kidney failure, loss of eyesight, and even Alzheimer’s. You don’t have to be in that group. You can effectively and successfully lower your blood pressure.

This interactive online course will show you how. You’ll discover the strategies, the medications, and simple lifestyle changes that will make a truly significant and measurable difference.

You will understand hypertension’s causes and its effects. You’ll learn tips and techniques for reducing your blood pressure from top Harvard doctors. You’ll find a course packed with engaging videos, helpful downloadable charts, and interactive quizzes.

You’ll discover an extraordinary diet that can lower systolic blood pressure 11 points in 8 weeks! You’ll find exercises that reward your effort...ways to ease stress and improve sleep...and even how to insure the most accurate blood pressure reading.

In this course, you’ll find...

an eating plan that reduces blood pressure as effectively as most medications!

3 cures for “getting-out-of-bed” dizziness

6 keys for assuring an accurate blood pressure reading

the surprising cause of “part-time” hypertension — and how to end it for good!

how to reduce stress in three minutes — or even one!

great “no-sweat” exercises for lowering blood pressure

And more!

Controlling Your Blood Pressure is a powerful presentation that reveals how — no matter what your age — you can gain and maintain the protective benefits of lower blood pressure.

26/10/2022

Improve your balance by walking
Man and woman walking arm in arm
The sense of balance typically worsens with age. It can be further compromised by certain medical conditions and medications, uncorrected vision problems, or a lack of flexibility. Poor balance often leads to falls, which can cause head injuries and other disabling injuries. Hip fractures, in particular, can lead to serious health complications and threaten independence. A combination of activities such as walking, strength training, and specific workouts can improve balance and prevent falls, especially in older adults.

Walking helps build lower-body strength, an important element of good balance. Walking is safe exercise for most people and, in addition to improving balance, counts toward your aerobic activity goals. If health problems make walking especially difficult for you, a physiatrist or physical therapist can suggest other options.

A good walking plan should be designed to safely boost physical activity whether you're sedentary or fairly active. The minutes count, not the miles. Here's how to tailor a walking plan to your needs:

If you aren't in the habit of exercising, start at the beginning. If you normally use a cane or walker, be sure to do so. As you feel stronger and more comfortable, gradually add more minutes to your walks.

If you already exercise, start with a walking plan that best matches your current routine and build from there. If the plan seems too easy, add time, distance, or hills. Aim for at least 150 minutes of walking per week, but don't hesitate to add more.

18/10/2022

18/10/2022

An important concept that is crucial to the understanding of cognitive health is known as cognitive reserve. You can think of cognitive reserve as your brain's ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a job done. Just like a powerful car that enables you to engage another gear and suddenly accelerate to avoid an obstacle, your brain can change the way it operates and thus make added resources available to cope with challenges. Cognitive reserve is developed by a lifetime of education and curiosity to help your brain better cope with any failures or declines it faces.

The concept of cognitive reserve originated in the late 1980s, when researchers described individuals with no apparent symptoms of dementia who were nonetheless found at autopsy to have brain changes consistent with advanced Alzheimer's disease. These individuals did not show symptoms of the disease while they were alive because they had a large enough cognitive reserve to offset the damage and continue to function as usual.

Since then, research has shown that people with greater cognitive reserve are better able to stave off symptoms of degenerative brain changes associated with dementia or other brain diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or a stroke. A more robust cognitive reserve can also help you function better for longer if you're exposed to unexpected life events, such as stress, surgery, or toxins in the environment. Such circumstances demand extra effort from your brain—similar to requiring a car to engage another gear.

As we grow older, the goal isn’t simply to reach our 80s or 90s, but to remain mentally sharp throughout the process. The good news is you can!