Aerobic exercises Health Dictionary

Requiring oxygen to live, function, and grow.

Humans and many other forms of life are dependent on oxygen for “burning” foods to produce energy (see metabolism).

In contrast, many bacteria thrive without oxygen and are described as anaerobic.... aerobic

A bacterium (see BACTERIA) that needs the presence of free oxygen for its life and multiplication.... aerobic bacterium

Taken for 30 consecutive days, runners using powdered Eleutherococcus (Siberian Ginseng) showed a 10 per cent improvement in performance. (Arkopharma) ... aerobic athletes

Techniques for learning to control the rate and depth of breathing. They aim to teach people to inhale through the nose, while expanding the chest, and then to exhale fully through the mouth, while contracting the abdominal muscles. They are used after chest surgery and for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive). Breathing exercises can also help people with anxiety disorders and may help to relieve symptoms in some people with asthma.

In yoga, deep rhythmic breathing is used to achieve a state of relaxation. During childbirth, breathing exercises relax the mother and also help to control contractions and reduce pain. (See also physiotherapy.)... breathing exercises

A programme of exercises to strengthen the muscles and tighten the ligaments at the base of the abdomen, which form the pelvic floor.

These muscles and ligaments support the uterus, vagina, bladder, urethra, and rectum. Performing the exercises may help to prevent prolapse of the uterus (see uterus, prolapse of) and urinary stress incontinence (see incontinence, urinary). They may also help women who find achieving orgasm difficult.

The pelvic floor muscles are those that tighten when urine flow is stopped midstream. The exercises involve stopping and starting urine flow several times by contracting and relaxing the muscles. Ideally, they should be performed for 5 minutes every hour throughout the day. They can be done standing, sitting, or lying down, by imagining that urine is being passed, contracting and holding the muscles for 10 seconds, and then slowly releasing them, repeating 5–10 times as often as possible.... pelvic floor exercises

a sequence of exercises used in the treatment of *benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Patients are taught how to perform the exercises and then continue the programme at home.... brandt–daroff exercises

a series of physical exercises used in the rehabilitation of patients with certain forms of *vertigo.... cooksey–cawthorne exercises

(isometrics) a system of exercises based on the principle of isometric contraction of muscles. This occurs when the fibres are called upon to contract and do work, but despite an increase in tension do not shorten in length. It can be induced in muscles that are used when a limb is made to pull or push against something that does not move. The exercises increase fitness and build muscle.... isometric exercises

see exercise.... isotonic exercises

(pelvic-floor muscle training, pelvic-floor exelrcises) active rehabilitation of the pelvic-floor muscles by conscious contractions, which leads to a cure in 50–80% of patients with stress incontinence. [A. H. Kegel (20th century), US gynaecologist]... kegel exercises