Harvard Exercise guidelines

Every little bit of activity counts toward the recommended aerobic exercise goal of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. Previous guidelines recommended exercising in sessions lasting at least 10 minutes.

Examples of moderate and vigorous exercise

Moderate-intensity activities

Walking briskly (2.5 mph or faster)

Recreational swimming

Bicycling slower than 10 mph on level terrain

Tennis (doubles)

Active forms of yoga (for example, Vinyasa or power yoga)

Ballroom or line dancing

General yard and home repair work

Exercise classes such as water aerobics

Vigorous-intensity activities

Jogging or running

Swimming laps

Tennis (singles)

Vigorous dancing

Bicycling faster than 10 mph

Jumping rope

Heavy yard work (digging or shoveling, with heart rate increases)

Hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack

Sit less, move more

The guidelines emphasize the health risks of sitting, lying, or reclining for extended periods of time during normal waking hours. This sedentary behavior has been linked to greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and death from any cause.

Exercises many benefits

Exercise may lower blood pressure for up to 13 hours after the activity. Done on a regular basis, it may lower systolic blood pressure (the first number in a reading) by an average of 5 to 8 points.

Exercise appears to ease anxiety symptoms right away, and over the long term, physical activity seems to reduce the risk of depression.

Activity can improve your bodys response to insulin.

Getting more physical activity may help you fall asleep more quickly, improve your sleep efficiency and help you sleep more deeply.

You can meet your weekly physical activity goal by getting just 22 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every day or you could exercise for an hour on Saturday and again on Sunday, and squeeze in another 30 minutes one day during the week.

Benign Ovarian Cyst: Do I need surgery?

No, as non-suspicious adnexal masses have a low risk of malignancy, and many of the lesions resolved spontaneously.

In a study during a median follow-up of 27 months, fewer than 1% of 1,919 patients had an invasive malignancy or borderline tumor at surgery. Torsion and cyst rupture also occurred in fewer than 1% of cases. Spontaneous resolution within 2 years occurred in 20.2% of the cases (Lancet Oncology).

On the other hand, surgical removal of adnexal masses has a complication risk of 3-15% in women ages 50-74.

Ultrasonography offers a safe and relatively inexpensive approach to help clinicians discriminate between benign and malignant adnexal lesions.

Invasive malignancy at surgery: 0.4%/ Borderline tumors: 0.3%/ Torsion: 0.4%/ Cyst rupture: 0.2%

The risk of malignancy and acute complications is low if adnexal masses with benign ultrasound morphology are managed conservatively.

You don’t need an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI for low back pain if?

Low back pain (LBP) is experienced in 60%–80% of adults at some point in their lifetime.

The annual worldwide LBP incidence in adults is 15% and the point prevalence is 30%.

LBP is one of the most common cause of visits to a physician

Men and women are equally affected by LBP

30% of adolescents worldwide experience at least one LBP episode

LBP is a very common problem among adolescents, with an incidence that is the highest in the third decade of life

Why No tests

The tests will not help you feel better faster. Most people with lower-back pain feel better in about a month, whether or not they have an imaging test.

Imaging tests can also lead to surgery and other treatments that you do not need.

In one study, people who had an MRI were much more likely to have surgery than people who did not have an MRI. But the surgery did not help them get better any faster.

X-rays and CT scans use radiation. Radiation has harmful effects that can add up. It is best to avoid radiation when you can.

Imaging tests are costly

You need imaging test only if you have

1. Weight loss that you cannot explain

2. Fever over 102° F

3. Loss of control of your bowel or bladder

4. Loss of feeling or strength in your legs

5. Problems with your reflexes

6. A history of cancer

These symptoms can be signs of nerve damage or a serious problem such as cancer or an infection in the spine. If you do not have any of these symptoms, wait a few weeks.​​​​​​​