Ancient Japanese samurai were known for their discipline, precision, and ritualized approach to life. Now, researchers suggest that their deliberate movements may offer a surprising benefit for modern-day seniors, helping them stay strong, steady, and less prone to falls.

Ancient Samurai Practice Meets Modern Science

A randomized controlled trial from Tohoku University in Japan explored the benefits of Rei-ho, an ancient mindful practice of physical etiquette that involves slow, precise movements like sitting, standing, and walking. The findings were published in the Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine. Researchers found that just five minutes of Rei-ho a day can significantly improve knee strength, a crucial factor for mobility and fall prevention in older adults.

"Knee extension strength, the force used to straighten the knees, is a key measure of mobility and daily functioning," explains exercise physiologist Ayaka Ogasawara. "These exciting results suggest that Rei-ho may help seniors maintain their independence."

The Study: Small Effort, Big Gains

Researchers recruited 34 healthy adults over the age of 20, all with no prior experience in Rei-ho. Participants were split into two groups, one group continued their usual daily activities, while the other practiced 20 to 22 Rei-ho squats and sit-to-stand exercises for five minutes a day, four days a week.

After three months, the results were striking. The Rei-ho group showed a 25.9% increase in knee extension strength, compared to just 2.5% in the control group. Such a dramatic improvement in such a short time is encouraging, particularly since stronger knees are linked to better balance and a lower risk of falls.

Although the participants were not seniors, the researchers believe the results could be even more beneficial for older adults, whose lower-limb strength tends to decline more rapidly with age.

Why Lower-Body Strength Matters

As we age, muscle mass and strength naturally decline, a condition known as sarcopenia. This loss is most pronounced in the lower body, which can lead to frailty, poor balance, and an increased risk of falls.

"In recent years, the decline in muscle strength and physical fitness has become a significant public health concern," the researchers write. "The problem is worsened by sedentary lifestyles, making it all the more important to find simple, low-risk interventions that work."

Rei-ho fits the bill perfectly. It uses only body weight, involves slow, controlled motions, and minimizes the risk of injury or spikes in blood pressure that can occur with more intense workouts.

More Than Just Exercise: A Cultural Connection

This is not the first time ancient practices have been found to benefit modern health. Traditional martial arts, yoga, and tai chi have all been linked to improvements in strength, flexibility, and mental focus.

"We think it’s valuable that people outside Japan who want to try Rei-ho would not only improve their health but also experience a unique part of Japanese tradition," says exercise physiologist Akira Sato.

While the study was relatively small and relied on participants to practice without supervision, the findings are promising. For seniors looking for a simple, low-impact way to protect their mobility, Rei-ho offers a unique blend of mindful movement and functional strength training.

In just five minutes a day, following the deliberate movements inspired by samurai tradition might help keep knees strong, reduce fall risk, and allow older adults to stay active and independent for longer.

Cancer affects millions of people worldwide. No matter how careful you are or how healthily you live, cancer may catch you with you sooner or later. Breast cancer is the one of the leading causes of death in women and it was estimated to have caused 670,000 deaths globally and it also the most unpredictable. While there has been research done on it, according to the World Health Organization, half of the breast cancer occurs in women with no specific risk factor other than sex and age.

However, rehabilitation is also very possible, and many people have beaten the odds by surviving breast cancer. When someone goes into cancer remission, they are given some specific treatments so that the cancer does not come back. However, many times it is not as effective.

To find out better ways to keep cancer away, researchers looked into exercising, and focused one fitness program that could prove useful.

The August 2025 study, published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment journal, suggests that exercising may directly help suppress the growth of breast cancer cells. The research involved 32 women who'd survived breast cancer and found that a single session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or weightlifting changed their body's chemistry.

Afterward, their blood contained higher levels of certain molecules that helped put the brakes on laboratory-grown breast cancer cells. This research adds to growing evidence that exercise is a powerful tool for cancer survivors.

How Exercise Works Against Cancer

For years, doctors have known that cancer survivors who exercise are less likely to have their cancer return. This new study helps explain why. When we use our muscles, they release special hormones and biochemicals called myokines into our bloodstream. These myokines are believed to be the body’s natural cancer fighters. In the study, blood taken from the women after they exercised was added to live cancer cells in a lab. The results were clear: the blood from both groups reduced cancer cell growth by 19% to 29%.

What Kind of Exercise is Best For Breast Cancer?

The study compared two types of workouts: HIIT and weightlifting. Both helped, but the blood from the women who did HIIT had a greater effect on the cancer cells, reducing their growth more significantly. This suggests that more strenuous, high-intensity workouts may be more effective at releasing the beneficial myokines, especially a key protein called IL-6. The study found that IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the HIIT group immediately after their workout.

This research has major implications for how we view exercise. It’s no longer just a "nice thing to do" to feel better; it's increasingly being recognized as a powerful tool in cancer treatment. The study's authors believe exercise could be a "first-line treatment" in its own right, alongside traditional therapies like chemotherapy and radiation. If you are a cancer survivor, you should talk to your oncologist before starting a new workout routine, but this study offers a hopeful message that working out can be a simple, accessible, and effective way to improve your health and cut the risk of cancer returning.

A medical fact you may have heard of regarding your brain health is that you cannot biologically regrow more brain cells. Many times, we were told that your brain cells cannot grow back once they are lost whether in an accident or however, turned fact was proven otherwise by many studies. These studies showed that your brain keeps growing new neurons even in old age. However, do you know one thing that can make this growth even better?

It's long been known that exercise is good for your body, but it's also a powerful tool for your brain. When you work out, your muscles release a special chemical called BDNF, which stands for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor.

In a recent video Robert W.B. Love, a neuroscientist, specializing in helping people prevent Alzheimer’s disease, he explained how Dr. Elizabeth Gould, a neuroscientist at Princeton, confirmed this by publishing studies showing that adult mammals can produce new brain cells in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center. As such there are also exercises that can help you better your BDNF.

Think of BDNF as a kind of fertilizer for your brain. It helps new brain cells and new connections between them grow and get stronger. By getting your muscles moving, you can boost the levels of BDNF throughout your body and directly in your brain, helping to keep it healthy and sharp as you age.

What is the Best Exercise for Brain Health

While all forms of exercise are great, new research suggests that resistance training, or weightlifting, is particularly effective. At a recent conference on aging, it was shared that this type of exercise releases the highest amount of BDNF compared to other exercises like running or cycling.

Having higher levels of BDNF in your body is linked to a lower risk of all kinds of diseases. It also supports healthy brain function and helps you age better. So, if you want to give your brain the biggest boost from exercise, start incorporating some form of resistance training into your routine.

Getting Started with Resistance Training

You don't need a gym membership to start doing resistance training. You can use simple exercises with your own body weight. For example, you can do squats, which are great for your legs, or push-ups, which work your arms and chest.

The main idea is to use your muscles by pushing or pulling against something. If you're new to this kind of exercise, it's a good idea to work with a coach or a trainer to make sure you're doing the moves safely and correctly. This will help you get the maximum benefit while preventing any injuries. Here are some exercises you can do at home according to British Heart Fedaration.

How to Get Started

To get the most out of strength training, experts recommend doing it at least twice a week, with at least one full day of rest in between sessions. These exercises should be done in addition to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, like brisk walking.

Heel Raises

Stand and lift your heels off the floor, balancing on your toes, then slowly lower them back down.

Sit-to-Stand

Stand up slowly from a sturdy chair, then gradually sit back down without using your hands.

Standing Side Leg Lifts

Lift one leg out to the side while keeping your body straight, then slowly return it to the center.

Split Squats

With one foot behind you, bend your front knee to lower your body toward the floor.

Glute Bridges

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, then lift your hips off the floor.

Seated Forward Punches

While sitting, make fists and punch one arm forward at a time, alternating arms.

Seated Biceps Curls

Sit straight and bend your elbows to bring your hands toward your shoulders, then lower them back down.

Seated Upright Rows

Sit straight and lift your elbows up and out to the sides, as if lifting a shopping bag.

Chair Dips

Sit on the edge of a chair, place your hands on the seat, and lower your body a few inches before pushing back up.

Wall Push-ups

Stand facing a wall, place your hands on it, and lean your body in toward the wall by bending your elbows.

It happens during your morning jog, climbing stairs, or even standing up from a chair. A subtle click, pop, or grind echoes from your knee joint. For some, it’s background noise they’ve learned to ignore. For others, it’s a source of anxiety—“Is this arthritis? Am I damaging my knee every time I move?”

The phenomenon, known medically as knee crepitus, is surprisingly common. Studies show it affects 41 percent of the general population, and most of the time, it’s harmless. But in some cases, those noisy knees can signal something more serious. Let’s break down what science knows about knee crepitus, why it happens, and when it’s time to book an appointment with your doctor.

What Is Knee Crepitus?

Knee crepitus is the audible sounds—crackling, clicking, creaking, or grinding—when the knee joint is moving. These sounds can occur when bending the knee, squatting, going up and down stairs, or even walking. Scientists are still piecing together the definitive causes. The top theories are:

• Gas bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid that lubricates the knee.
• Tendons or ligaments snapping as they glide over bony surfaces.
• Cartilage alteration, particularly if the joint's smooth surface has commenced to deteriorate.

These sounds are frequently a normal consequence of movement and joint mechanics in most instances. The interesting aspect is that individuals with no history of knee injury or pain report the same noises.

A major review of over 100 studies, including more than 36,000 individuals, found knee crepitus in 36 percent of people who were not painful and had no recorded knee injury. Creaky knees, in short, are commonly normal.

Is Knee 'Clicking' Always Arthritis?

Among the most prevalent fears associated with noisy knees is osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint condition that inflicts millions globally. Science confirms a correlation: up to 81 percent of those with osteoarthritis experience knee crepitus.

But the fact that crepitus is present doesn't necessarily equate to arthritis. One study of close to 3,500 older adults found that two-thirds of individuals who reported "always" having crepitus did not develop symptomatic arthritis in the next four years.

In younger adults, particularly in those recovering from knee injuries or surgery, crepitus can be more common. Other research indicates that such noises are attributed to early cartilage damage, especially around the kneecap area. Yet research also finds that noisy knees following injury do not necessarily mean poorer long-term prognosis.

Although crepitus is more prevalent in arthritis, it is not used as a diagnostic instrument in isolation. Pain, swelling, stiffness, or limited mobility are more powerful red flags that indicate medical evaluation.

When Should You Worry About Clicking Knees?

If your knees click but otherwise are okay, there typically isn't anything to worry about. There are some cases, though, where clicking knees need more scrutiny. Get medical advice if clicking or grinding is accompanied by:

• Ongoing or severe pain
• Swelling or redness near the joint
• A sense of instability or locking
• Notable stiffness or limited range of motion
• Other evidence of arthritis, including redness or ongoing pain

In such instances, a physician might suggest a physical examination, imaging tests, or referral to a specialist.

Treatment Options: What Works and What Doesn't?

Sorry, there's no silver bullet for knee crepitus itself. If the sound isn't painful and isn't interfering with your activities, no treatment is typically indicated. But if crepitus is associated with an overall problem of the knee, treatment is based on the underlying condition.

Home Remedies for 'Clicking' Knees

Exercise: Strenthening the quadriceps and surrounding muscles stabilizes the knee and decreases stress on the joint. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) advises partial squats and leg presses.

Weight control: Having a healthy body weight decreases pressure on the knees.

RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation): Useful if crepitus is associated with mild injury or inflammation.

Medical and Non-Invasive Treatments

Physical therapy: Customized regimens enhance strength, flexibility, and joint mechanics.

Topical NSAIDs: Gels such as diclofenac (Voltaren) may relieve pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: Currently under investigation, PRP injections can possibly alleviate pain and enhance function in osteoarthritis individuals.

Surgical Options

Only when other options do not work is surgery an option:

Arthroscopy: Minimal invasive surgery to fix damaged cartilage or excise loose pieces.

Osteotomy: Shaping bones to take pressure off the knee joint.

Knee replacement: Only for severe arthritis, this restores joint function and pain relief.

Why You Shouldn't Stop Moving?

One of the most harmful misconceptions about creaky knees is that exercise will make them worse. Actually, not moving can have the opposite effect. Exercise is important to keep joints healthy, improve mobility, and slow the progression of arthritis.

To quote one orthopedic specialist, "Joints are meant to move. Avoiding activity out of fear can cause muscle weakness, creaky joints, and in fact, escalate pain in the long term."

Knee crepitus is a normal occurrence that may be startling, but usually, it doesn't cause harm. Clicking knees without pain are usually never something to worry about. The important thing is to listen to what your body's saying, if the sound is accompanied by pain, swelling, or restricted function, then it's time to have it investigated.