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A comment on The Animal Is Tired. Parent comment

Re:The Animal Is Tired by nradov on Sunday May 09, 2021 @07:10PM (#27100738)
The actual studies show there is a J-shaped curve relationship between endurance sports training and long term health. Most people in affluent societies are way over on the left side of the curve and could improve long term functioning through more exercise. The risks for chronic problems like heart scarring, arterial calcification, and musculoskeletal injuries only start to increase once you get over about 20 hours per week.

Elderly people frequently die because they get weak, then they fall and end up bedridden. At that point they don't last very long.

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Re:The Animal Is Tired by im3w1l on Sunday May 09, 2021 @07:41PM (#27100961)
Why don't they last long after becoming bedridden?
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Re:The Animal Is Tired by ketzo on Sunday May 09, 2021 @08:16PM (#27101201)
Your body really isn't meant to stay horizontal 23+ hours/day, and that's what many elderly people are reduced to after a bad fall.

Bed sores develop very quickly, and an elderly immune system often simply isn't equipped to fight them. Gangrene and amputations are extremely common in end-of-life care.

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Re:The Animal Is Tired by Jiocus on Sunday May 09, 2021 @09:13PM (#27101599)
For clarity, this sets in as the old body may still be slowly or practically unable to recover from the first event, the fall (e.g. a broken bone).
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Re:The Animal Is Tired by algorias on Sunday May 09, 2021 @08:39PM (#27101356)
Your circulatory system is actively pumped by the heart, but also passively pumped by everyday muscle movements. Lack of movement decreases oxygenation and clearance of metabolic byproducts.
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