Dry lips under your face mask? Try these three quick tips
Falls are a common cause of injury in older adults and can lead to disability. Luckily, the risk of falls can be reduced with regular exercise – but not all exercise. Our latest study shows that socalled eccentric exercise – such as walking downhill – may temporarily increase the risk of falling.
Every activity we do requires our muscles to either shorten or lengthen. For example, when we climb a flight of stairs or get out of a chair, our muscles contract and shorten (a concentric contraction). Our muscles also lengthen during movements – an eccentric contraction. When we walk downhill, descend stairs, or go from standing to sitting, the muscles in our thighs lengthen under the load to slow the body down, like brakes.
However, eccentric contractions can cause short-term muscle damage and sensations of muscle soreness, particularly if it’s been a while since you were last physically active.
For example, if you aren’t used to walking downhill or performing a squat, you will experience muscle soreness. This soreness may occur a few hours after exercise, and can last for several days. This pain is called “delayed onset muscle soreness,” or DOMS. Typically, exercise involving primarily concentric contractions, such as cycling, does not cause substantial DOMS.
While DOMS is perfectly normal, new evidence from our laboratory shows that eccentric exercise leads to muscle weakness and impaired physical function in older adults, which may increase the risk of falls for several days.
In our study, we compared the effects of two types of exercise: those involving mainly concentric contractions (walking on a level surface) with exercise involving mainly eccentric contractions (downhill walking). We also looked at the effects of these types of exercise on short (30 minutes) and long-term (24 and 48 hours) recovery of muscle strength, balance and physical function in adults aged 65-78 years.
We recruited a total of 19 healthy older males and females who were not
We don’t yet fully understand how and why eccentric contractions cause a loss of physical function that persists, but we think that it’s due to damage to certain structures in the muscle that enable movement. Inflammation inside the muscle – which takes time to develop after exercise – may also be a cause.
While regular exercise is important for good health and longevity, older adults should be mindful that exercise can temporarily increase the risk of a fall and lower physical function.
Many common daily activities, such as descending stairs or walking downhill, rely almost exclusively on eccentric muscle contractions, which means they carry a higher risk of falling. However, this isn’t a reason to lose hope. Subsequent eccentric exercise performed days, weeks, or possibly even months after an initial bout results in less muscle damage and soreness in the future. Frequently performing strength-building eccentric exercises, such as squats, are very effective in older adults and mayreduce the risk of falls in the long term.
Republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. are a problem for you, try these three quick and easy tips to soothe your lips.
1. Use a moisturizing lip balm. Look for a moisturizing lip balm that contains both humectant and occlusive ingredients. Humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe work by drawing moisture to your skin and lips. However, these types of ingredients can make your lips even drier if not combined with occlusive ingredients like beeswax or argan oil, which act as a physical barrier so that moisture cannot escape.
2. Avoid irritating ingredients in lip products. When choosing your lip balm or other lip products, avoid ingredients that can make dryness and irritation worse. Ingredients to avoid include:
Cinnamon
Cinnamon oil Capsaicin (used in temporarily lip plumpers) Menthol
Fragrances
Some dyes
3. Drink plenty of water. Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day! This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help your skin and lips stay properly hydrated.
Bottom line:Dry lips are a common problem for many people when wearing face masks. Fortunately, the above quick and easy tips should help to relieve dryness, flaking and irritation.
For more skincare advice, follow Baumann Cosmetic on YouTube or @BaumannCosmetic on Instagram or Facebook.
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