00:00 New research shows that bed rest may not be the solution when a person is admitted to
00:04 the hospital.
00:05 The Science Alert study found that physical activity may help counteract the effects of
00:09 bed rest after being admitted to the hospital.
00:12 Researchers say that even though resting is important, too much sitting or bed rest can
00:16 actually make matters worse, leading to slow recovery and more health problems.
00:21 The study found that even just 25 minutes a day of walking while in the hospital can
00:26 significantly speed up recovery for older adults.
00:29 Experts say it may also prevent new hospital stays in the future.
00:33 Older adults who did light physical activity, such as walking while staying in the hospital,
00:37 had better physical function by the end of their hospital stay, and a 10 percent lower
00:41 risk of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge compared with those who
00:47 did not.
00:48 To come to this conclusion, researchers analyzed data from 3,000 older adults aged 55 to 78.
00:54 Experts reviewed 19 clinical trials that looked at the effect of staying active in the hospital
00:59 on a participant's physical function, their risk of subsequent health problems, and their
01:04 risk of hospital readmission.
01:06 (upbeat music)
