THE SURPRISING SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR SHAKY MUSCLES
Imagine you’re running through a basic exercise routine. You feel good, so you push yourself harder than usual — and your muscles suddenly start shaking! Every athlete has experienced that moment of panic when tremors hit. But have you ever wondered why your muscles shake? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Shaking muscles can mean at least three things: You’re underprepared for your workout, pushing yourself too hard, or breaking new ground and building muscle! To figure out which option explains your scenario, ask yourself these questions: 1. Did I drink plenty of water today and get at least seven hours of sleep last night? If not, your muscles could be shaky because of dehydration or fatigue. 2. Am I doing a new exercise? If you’ve never done a jump squat or bench pressed 200 pounds, you’ll probably feel shaky the first time you try a full set. That’s because your body is adjusting to the new motions at a cellular level.
Simply put, when you start a workout, your muscle fibers tell your muscle cells whether to contract or relax — and those fibers can get tired of doing their job. When one fiber becomes fatigued, your body adjusts to rely on another. Trying something new (essentially, asking your fibers to give new directions) can confuse your body and delay the tradeoff, making your muscles shake. 3. Am I pushing myself harder than I ever have before? When you amp up the intensity of your workout, your body will often do more muscle fiber “tradeoffs” than usual because you’re demanding more output. When too many tradeoffs happen at once, that can make your muscles shake. Muscle tremors aren’t always a bad sign. If you’re trying a new exercise or pushing for improvement, they’re part of the learning process! However, if you’re struggling with exhaustion or dehydration, or you think you’re overworking yourself, shaking can be a red flag. Consider reducing the intensity of your workout or taking a rest day. When in doubt, discuss the issue with a physical therapist, especially if you’re recovering from an injury.
THE ROAD AHEAD
MAKING DRIVING AT AN OLDER AGE SAFER THAN EVER
One thing is to stay aware of changes in your overall well-being . If you see changes that may interfere with your driving, like hearing or eyesight loss, it’s good to get them checked out with a doctor. Also, the health benefits of staying fit can’t be overstated. In general, the more active you are, the greater your strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination will be. Make it easy on yourself and take advantage of safety features on newer vehicles. While you may love driving an older vehicle, a newer model with an automatic transmission, larger mirrors, and backup cameras will help keep you safe. Next, continue to maximize your hearing and eyesight and wear your glasses or hearing aids, as appropriate. You may also find you have greater visibility driving during the daylight hours, and you’ll experience less congestion on the road if you time your daytime trips before or after rush- hour traffic. Of course, other basics of safe driving never go out of style, no matter the age. Be sure to buckle your seat belt and eliminate distraction s that can take your attention off the roadway, like eating while driving, changing the radio station, or using your phone. If you consider yourself an older driver, you’ve likely gained significant experience behind the wheel. By following a few key safety steps, you can make sure the road ahead will continue to be rewarding.
Driving, like anything, is a skill we generally improve with more and more experience. Following that line of thinking, it makes sense to equate older drivers with
safer driving records. And the numbers tend to prove it.
In fact, the National Safety Council points to a study showing the incidence of crashes per 100,000 drivers steadily decreases as they enter older age groups and have more experience. In one category (licensed drivers 65–74 years old), just 13.3% of drivers are represented. And that group accounts for just 7.1% of drivers in all crashes. While older drivers have valuable experience and better driving records, they can also experience new hurdles associated with aging that put them at risk. If you are an older driver, you can continue driving safely by being aware of a few scenarios and making small adjustments if necessary.
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