Search

Final message from doomed Titan sub revealed

<p>It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, a chance to explore the Atlantic depths and visit the wreck of the Titanic. </p> <p>But last year, a dive by OceanGate's Titan submersible went horribly wrong when the vessel imploded as it neared the sea floor, killing all five people onboard. </p> <p>Now, the US Coast Guard has revealed the final words communicated by the crew, on the first day of what will be a two week hearing examining why the disaster occured. </p> <p>A visual animation of the Titan journey before it imploded was revealed, and one image showed the final words from the crew to those on the support ship Polar Prince.</p> <p>"All good here," they said. </p> <p>The audio became more spotty as the vessel descended, with the Polar Prince asking if they could see the Titanic on their on-board display. </p> <p>The Titan was reportedly still able to send one message an hour-and-a-half into it's journey saying they “dropped two wts” before they were pinged for a final time at a depth of 3,346m.</p> <p>There was no communication between the Titan and the Polar Prince that indicated any trouble or emergency on board the sub. </p> <p>It was only when there was no response to their repeated attempts of communication when they realised that the worst had happened. </p> <p>US authorities said a “catastrophic implosion” occurred, killing all on board instantly.</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">On board the Titan were British explorer Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, OceanGate’s CEO Stockton Rush and French deep-sea explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet.</span></p> <p>The US Coast Guard also revealed the first image of the Titan sub after it imploded, which showed the vessel's tail cone eerily resting on the ocean floor. </p> <p>Four days after the Titan vanished, the vessel's wreckage was found about 500 metres from the bow of the Titanic, and a few months later, divers found human remains among debris. </p> <p>It was also revealed that OceanGate was plagued with equipment problems years before the disaster, and they even fired an engineering director who would not approve a deep sea expedition, according to a testimony at the hearing. </p> <p>Investigators said in 2018 the vessel was struck by lightning which left “significant blow to the structure” and caused it to fail a test by a wide margin. </p> <p>Less than two weeks before the ill-fated voyage, the Titan was tested and found "partially sunk". </p> <p>According to the testimony, Rush, the OceanGate CEO onboard the sub, had "no desire" to gain certification or meet regulatory standards for the vessel. </p> <p>Two dozen witnesses will testify before the board over the next two weeks. </p> <p><em>Images: OceanGate Expeditions</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Tragic flaw sees man use voluntary assisted dying drugs prescribed for his wife

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and depression that some readers may find upsetting</em></strong></p> <p>A Queensland coroner has criticised the state's voluntary assisted dying laws, after an elderly man took his own life using drugs prescribed for his wife.</p> <p>The Coroner's Court in Brisbane held an inquest into the May 2023 death of a man in his 80s, referred to by the pseudonym ABC.</p> <p>The man's partner, who had a terminal illness, was found eligible for the voluntary assisted dying [VAD] program in March 2023. </p> <p>Under that law a person can self-administer a VAD substance in a private location but they must nominate a "contact person" who will be legally required to return any unused or leftover portion within 14 days.</p> <p>The self-administered drug was delivered to the couple's home a month later, and the man was the "contact person" responsible for the substance. </p> <p>On the same day the drug arrived, his wife was admitted to hospital with Covid, where they decided to take an intravenous VAD drug. She died in hospital on May 8, 2023.</p> <p>The man was told to return the drug within two days of his partner's death, but he failed to do so, using it to take his own life eight days later. </p> <p>He did not return the drug as he was unable to leave his home, and there was no arrangement made for a health professional to collect it. </p> <p>ABC’s adult daughter recalled the moment she found her lifeless father after returning from running errands. </p> <p>“I thought he was asleep in the chair. I put my arms around him. He was cold,” she told the inquest. </p> <p>The woman became emotional and said that she found an empty box in the kitchen and “knew immediately it was the VAD”.</p> <p>In his findings, coroner David O’Connell said he was not judging the merits of VAD, but it had led to a "tragedy" only 107 days after it was legalised. </p> <p>“Persons should not be placed in a position where they can be led into unwise decisions,” the coroner said in his findings handed down on Wednesday.</p> <p>O'Connell said that the laws had failed to find a balance between a patient's autonomy and lethal medication safety. </p> <p>“The VAD law has (the substance) provided to persons with no medical training, no regulatory oversight, and in a period of great personal and emotional turmoil,” he said.</p> <p>The inquest heard ABC had previously been diagnosed with, and received medication for depression, which should've been considered before approving someone as a contact person. </p> <p>"The fact that ABC had been medically diagnosed with depression and took medication was not something the VAD authorities considered, or even enquired on, when approving them to be a Contact Person. Indeed, there are simply no checks or enquiries of the Contact Person's suitability," he said. </p> <p>He added that while there was no breach of protocol or legislative processes by QVAD personnel, it was "not a well-considered law".</p> <p>O'Connell recommended the Queensland government implement an earlier draft of VAD laws that required oversight by a medical professional at all times.</p> <p>Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the government would consider the coroner’s recommendations. </p> <p>“Following that case, we are working on a review of that legislation coming up to three years that will start next year, and that will obviously be one of the things that we look at,” she said.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Caring

"Never been seen before": Fergie reveals new details from 9/11 near miss

<p>Sarah Ferguson, affectionately known as Fergie, has taken to Instagram overnight to share new details of her 9/11 near miss. </p> <p>24 years on, the Duchess of York, who has previously revealed that she was meant to be in the World Trade Centre's North Tower when the plane struck the building, has shared more details of the day.</p> <p>Fergie recalled how her friend, billionaire businessman Howard Lutnick, gave her an office on the 101st floor of the World Trade Centre at the time, for her charity Chances for Children. </p> <p>The charity's logo had a mascot called Little Red, which was eventually made into a doll for a child named PJ who survived the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombings.</p> <p>On the day of the 9/11 attacks Fergie was due to attend a meeting in the office, but was running late because of an earlier engagement, so she was still on route to the building when the terrorists struck. </p> <p>"I was driving in the car and I was late for work... and Little Red was found in the rubble," she said in the video. </p> <p>Fergie opened a box to reveal her own Little Red doll that survived the attacks. While she has previously talked about the doll, this is the first time she revealed what it looked like. </p> <p>"A fireman picked her up, carried her out, like the fireman that picked up PJ all those years ago in the Oklahoma City Bombing," she continued. </p> <p>"And CNN filmed it and said, 'Look, a child's doll.' And Larry King said, 'That's no child's doll. That's Fergie's Little Red' and she stands for children's rights all over the world and she's a sign of hope for children.</p> <p>"What no one has ever seen before and I would like to share this with you is the actual doll that survived in 9/11.</p> <p>"So here, I have it at home. Normally I talk about Little Red and here is the actual doll that survived.</p> <p>"You can see the dust from the building — that's never been seen before.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_xjdvMKSCn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_xjdvMKSCn/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) (@sarahferguson15)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"And I hope Little Red will be talked about all over the world because she's just a very strong, stoic little person."</p> <p>She also shared that on the day, Little Red "sat on her desk overlooking Manhattan on that fateful day when the towers came down."</p> <p>"She came down through the rubble and landed fully intact," she wrote.</p> <p>"Little Red was carried out of the rubble in the fireman's hat exactly as PJ, a child burn victim, was carried years earlier in the Oklahoma City bombing, where the doll was first inspired to bring hope during difficult times and raise money for aid.</p> <p>"Little Red now sits in the 9/11 memorial museum and serves as a reminder of hope within the darkness. We will #neverforget," she continued before encouraging her followers to donate to the Cantor Relief Fund, to support families affected by disaster. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Considering taking Wegovy to lose weight? Here are the risks and benefits – and how it differs from Ozempic

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p>The weight-loss drug <a href="https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent=&id=CP-2022-PI-01930-1&d=20240731172310101&d=20240827172310101">Wegovy</a> is now <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/medicine-shortage-alerts/new-semaglutide-product-becomes-available">available</a> in Australia.</p> <p>Wegovy is administered as a once-weekly injection and is approved specifically for weight management. It’s intended to be used <a href="https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent=&id=CP-2022-PI-01930-1&d=20240731172310101">in combination</a> with a reduced-energy diet and increased physical activity.</p> <p>So how does Wegovy work and how much weight can you expect to lose while taking it? And what are the potential risks – and costs – for those who use it?</p> <p>Let’s look at what the science says.</p> <h2>What is Wegovy?</h2> <p>Wegovy is a brand name for the medication semaglutide. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA). This means it makes your body’s own glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone, called GLP-1 for short, work better.</p> <p>Normally when you eat, the body releases the GLP-1 hormone which helps signal to your brain that you are full. Semaglutides enhance this effect, leading to a feeling of fullness, even when you haven’t eaten.</p> <p>Another role of GLP-1 is to stimulate the body to produce more insulin, a hormone which helps lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. That’s why semaglutides have been used for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6231279/">several years</a> to treat type 2 diabetes.</p> <h2>How does Wegovy differ from Ozempic?</h2> <p>Like Wegovy, Ozempic is a semaglutide. The way Wegovy and Ozempic work in the body are essentially the same. They’re made by the same pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk.</p> <p>But there are two differences:</p> <p><strong>1) They are approved for two different (but related) reasons.</strong></p> <p>In Australia (and the United States), Ozempic is <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/prescription-medicines-registrations/ozempic-novo-nordisk-pharmaceuticals-pty-ltd">approved for use</a> to improve blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. By managing blood glucose levels effectively, the medication aims to reduce the risk of major complications, such as heart disease.</p> <p>Wegovy is <a href="https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent=&id=CP-2022-PI-01930-1&d=20240731172310101">approved for use</a> alongside diet and exercise for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, or 27 or greater but with other conditions such as high blood pressure.</p> <p>Wegovy can also be used in people aged 12 years and older. Like Ozempic, Wegovy aims to reduce the risk of future health complications, including heart disease.</p> <p><strong>2) They are both injected but come in different strengths.</strong></p> <p>Ozempic is available in pre-loaded single-dose pens with varying dosages of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg per injection. The dose can be slowly increased, up to a maximum of 2 mg per week, if needed.</p> <p>Wegovy is available in prefilled single-dose pens with doses of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, or 2.4 mg. The treatment starts with a dose of 0.25 mg once weekly for four weeks, after which the dose is gradually increased until reaching a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg weekly.</p> <p>While it’s unknown what the impact of Wegovy’s introduction will be on Ozempic’s availability, Ozempic is still <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/information-about-major-medicine-shortages/about-ozempic-semaglutide-shortage-2022-2024">anticipated to be in low supply</a> for the remainder of 2024.</p> <h2>Is Wegovy effective for weight loss?</h2> <p>Given Wegovy is a semaglutide, there is <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/central/doi/10.1002/central/CN-02495006/full">very strong evidence</a> it can help people lose weight and maintain this weight loss.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02996-7">study</a> found that over four years, participants taking Wevovy as indicated experienced an average weight loss of 10.2% body weight and a reduction in waist circumference of 7.7cm.</p> <p>For those who stop taking the medication, analyses have shown that about two-thirds of weight lost is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441470/">regained</a>.</p> <h2>What are the side effects of Wegovy?</h2> <p>The most common <a href="https://www.wegovy.com/dashboard/my-library/week-02-tips-for-managing-common-side-effects.html">side effects</a> are nausea and vomiting.</p> <p>However, other serious side effects are also possible because of the whole-of-body impact of the medication. Thyroid tumours and cancer have been detected as a risk in animal studies, yet are rarely seen in human <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11050669/">scientific literature</a>.</p> <p>In the four-year Wegovy <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563">trial</a>, 16.6% of participants who received Wegovy (1,461 people) experienced an adverse event that led to them permanently discontinuing their use of the medication. This was higher than the 8.2% of participants (718 people) who received the placebo (with no active ingredient).</p> <p>Side effects included gastrointestinal disorders (including nausea and vomiting), which affected 10% of people who used Wegovy compared to 2% of people who used the placebo.</p> <p>Gallbladder-related disorders occurred in 2.8% of people who used Wegovy, and 2.3% of people who received the placebo.</p> <p>Recently, concerns about suicidal thoughts and behaviours have been raised, after a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822453">global analysis</a> reviewed more than 36 million reports of adverse events from semaglutide (Ozempic or Wegovy) since 2000.</p> <p>There were 107 reports of suicidal thoughts and self-harm among people taking semaglutide, sadly including six actual deaths. When people stopped the medication, 62.5% found the thoughts went away. What we don’t know is whether dose, weight loss, or previous mental health status or use of antidepressants had a role to play.</p> <p>Finally, concerns are growing about the negative effect of semaglutides on our social and emotional connection with food. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/nov/09/i-miss-eating-weight-loss-drug-ozempic-food-repulsive">Anecdotal</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7839771/">scientific</a> evidence suggests people who use semaglutides significantly reduce their daily dietary intake (as anticipated) by skipping meals and avoiding social occasions – not very enjoyable for people and their loved ones.</p> <h2>How can people access Wegovy?</h2> <p>Wegovy is available for purchase at pharmacists with a prescription from a doctor.</p> <p>But there is a hefty price tag. Wegovy is <a href="https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/news/wegovy-to-be-available-in-australia/">not currently subsidised</a> through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, leaving patients to cover the cost. The current cost is <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/wegovy-launches-in-australia#:%7E:text=Novo%20Nordisk%20told%20newsGP%20the,each%20dose%20lasting%20one%20month.">estimated at around A$460</a> per month dose.</p> <p>If you’re considering Wegovy, <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/wegovy-launches-in-australia#:%7E:text=The%20manufacturer%20assured%20GPs%20supply,cost%20to%20customers%20than%20Ozempic.">make an appointment</a> with your doctor for individual advice.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237308/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/considering-taking-wegovy-to-lose-weight-here-are-the-risks-and-benefits-and-how-it-differs-from-ozempic-237308">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Grandmother's body found 800km from home

<p>Police have revealed the body of a Queensland grandmother has been found 800km from home in bushland near a main tourist area. </p> <p>Wendy Hansen, 63, was last seen at an ATM in her hometown Monto - about 170km west of Bundaberg, Queensland - on February 29 this year. </p> <p>She was reported missing when she didn't return home, with police finding CCTV footage of her driving 400km south on Queensland's main highway on February 29. </p> <p>Queensland Police continued their public push for information in the months that followed, but on Thursday, NSW police revealed that they found her body half buried in bushland near Jordan Esplanade in Coffs Harbour on June 18. </p> <p>NSW homicide detectives are now looking for her vehicle, a silver 2007 two-door Mitsubishi Pajero with Queensland registration plates 645TCZ.</p> <p>In a statement on Thursday, NSW detectives appealed to the public for help with finding her car. </p> <p>"As investigations continue detectives are appealing to the public for any information, CCTV or dashcam footage that may assist the investigation to contact NSW Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," they said.</p> <p>"Detectives are specifically interested in the location of Wendy’s car which has not yet been located and are urging anyone with dashcam vision of the car to contact police immediately."</p> <p><em>Images: NSW Police</em></p>

Caring

Manhunt after stranger pours scalding hot coffee on baby in public park

<p>Queensland Police have released footage of the man they believe burned a baby with a scalding hot drink in a public park. </p> <p>On Wednesday, the unknown man approached the family at Hanlon Park in Brisbane and poured hot coffee on the nine-month-old baby boy.</p> <p>He was rushed to the Queensland Children’s Hospital with burns to his face, upper body and arms, with the burns covering 60 per cent of his body.</p> <p>Queensland Police have now released CCTV footage from the area, showing a man running from the park.</p> <p>He appears approximately 30 to 40 years old, with a proportionate build and tanned skin, and was wearing a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.</p> <p>Anyone who recognises the man has been urged to contact the police with information. </p> <p>An off-duty nurse heard the commotion in the park from the balcony of her apartment, telling <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/footage-of-man-who-burnt-baby-with-hot-drink-at-hanlon-park-in-stones-corner-released-c-15856522" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em> she went outside to investigate when she heard screaming. </p> <p>She said she heard the child’s mother yelling “my baby, my baby”.</p> <p>The nurse rushed down to the park to help the boy, taking him to her nearby apartment where he was placed under a cold shower before paramedics arrived.</p> <p>Locals told 7News the attack was “terrible” and they were shocked it had happened in their community.</p> <p>“It’s really scary when you think that we haven’t got a community that looks after our young and vulnerable,” one woman said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Queensland Police</em></p>

Legal

Men have a biological clock too. Here’s what’s more likely when dads are over 50

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-hammarberg-113096">Karin Hammarberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>We hear a lot about women’s biological clock and how age affects the chance of pregnancy.</p> <p><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">New research shows</a> men’s fertility is also affected by age. When dads are over 50, the risk of pregnancy complications increases.</p> <p>Data from more than 46 million births in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">United States</a> between 2011 and 2022 compared fathers in their 30s with fathers in their 50s.</p> <p>While taking into account the age of the mother and other factors known to affect pregnancy outcomes, the researchers found every ten-year increase in paternal age was linked to more complications.</p> <p>The researchers found that compared to couples where the father was aged 30–39, for couples where the dad was in his 50s, there was a:</p> <ul> <li>16% increased risk of preterm birth</li> <li>14% increased risk of low birth weight</li> <li>13% increase in gestational diabetes.</li> </ul> <p>The older fathers were also twice as likely to have used assisted reproductive technology, including IVF, to conceive than their younger counterparts.</p> <h2>Dads are getting older</h2> <p>In this <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821811#google_vignette">US study</a>, the mean age of all fathers increased from 30.8 years in 2011 to 32.1 years in 2022.</p> <p>In that same period, the proportion of men aged 50 years or older fathering a child increased from 1.1% to 1.3%.</p> <p>We don’t know the proportion of men over 50 years who father children in Australia, but data shows the average age of fathers has increased.</p> <p>In 1975 the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/latest-release">median age of Australian dads</a> was 28.6 years. This jumped to 33.7 years in 2022.</p> <h2>How male age affects getting pregnant</h2> <p>As we know from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/celebrities-dads-first-time-over-age-50#when-he-was-54-simon-cowell-and-girlfriend-lauren-silverman-became-parents-to-their-son-eric-7">media reports</a> of celebrity dads, men produce sperm from puberty throughout life and can father children well into old age.</p> <p>However, there is a noticeable decline in <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(18)30269-3/fulltext">sperm quality</a> from about age 40.</p> <p>Female partners of older men take longer to achieve pregnancy than those with younger partners.</p> <p>A study of the effect of male age on <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(03)00366-2/fulltext">time to pregnancy</a> showed women with male partners aged 45 or older were almost five times more likely to take more than a year to conceive compared to those with partners aged 25 or under. More than three quarters (76.8%) of men under the age of 25 years impregnated their female partners within six months, compared with just over half (52.9%) of men over the age of 45.</p> <p>Pooled data from ten studies showed that partners of older men are also more likely to experience miscarriage. Compared to couples where the male was aged 25 to 29 years, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32358607/">paternal age over 45 years</a> increased the risk of miscarriage by 43%.</p> <h2>Older men are more likely to need IVF</h2> <p>Outcomes of assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF, are also influenced by the age of the male partner.</p> <p>A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.03.031">review of studies</a> in couples using assisted reproductive technologies found paternal age under 40 years reduced the risk of miscarriage by about 25% compared to couples with men aged over 40.</p> <p>Having a male under 40 years also almost doubled the chance of a live birth per treatment cycle. With a man over 40, 17.6% of treatment rounds resulted in a live birth, compared to 28.4% when the male was under 40.</p> <h2>How does male age affect the health outcomes of children?</h2> <p>As a result of age-related changes in sperm DNA, the children of older fathers have increased risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9957550/">a number of conditions</a>. Autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and leukaemia have been linked to the father’s advanced years.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(22)01979-3/fulltext">review of studies</a> assessing the impact of advanced paternal age reported that children of older fathers have increased rates of psychiatric disease and behavioural impairments.</p> <p>But while the increased risk of adverse health outcomes linked to older paternal age is real, the magnitude of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29471389/">the effect is modest</a>. It’s important to remember that an increase in a very small risk is still a small risk and most children of older fathers are born healthy and develop well.</p> <h2>Improving your health can improve your fertility</h2> <p>In addition to the effects of older age, some chronic conditions that affect fertility and reproductive outcomes become more common as men get older. They include <a href="https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(23)01935-0/fulltext">obesity and diabetes</a> which affect sperm quality by lowering testosterone levels.</p> <p>While we can’t change our age, some lifestyle factors that increase the risk of pregnancy complications and reduce fertility, can be tackled. They include:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639396/">smoking</a></li> <li>recreational <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tre.414">drug taking</a></li> <li><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tre.414">anabolic steroid</a> use</li> <li>heavy <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5504800/">alcohol consumption</a>.</li> </ul> <h2>Get the facts about the male biological clock</h2> <p>Research shows <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/4/458/3065332?login=false">men want children</a> as much as women do. And most men want at least two children.</p> <p>Yet most men <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/23/4/458/3065332?login=false">lack knowledge</a> about the limitations of female and male fertility and overestimate the chance of getting pregnant, with and without assisted reproductive technologies.</p> <p>We need better public education, starting at school, to improve awareness of the impact of male and female age on reproductive outcomes and help people have healthy babies.</p> <p>For men wanting to improve their chance of conceiving, the government-funded sites <a href="https://healthymale.org.au/">Healthy Male</a> and <a href="https://www.yourfertility.org.au/">Your Fertility</a> are a good place to start. These offer evidence-based and accessible information about reproductive health, and <a href="https://www.yourfertility.org.au/fertility-week-2022">tips</a> to improve your reproductive health and give your children the best start in life.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236892/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karin-hammarberg-113096">Karin Hammarberg</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/men-have-a-biological-clock-too-heres-whats-more-likely-when-dads-are-over-50-236892">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

I’ve recovered from a cold but I still have a hoarse voice. What should I do?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yeptain-leung-1563747">Yeptain Leung</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Cold, flu, COVID and <a href="https://theconversation.com/rsv-is-everywhere-right-now-what-parents-need-to-know-about-respiratory-syncytial-virus-208855">RSV</a> have been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-21/flu-whooping-cough-rsv-cases-up-as-covid-cases-unkown/104002964">circulating across Australia this winter</a>. Many of us have caught and recovered from <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-feel-sick-how-do-i-know-if-i-have-the-flu-covid-rsv-or-something-else-234266">one of these</a> common upper respiratory tract infections.</p> <p>But for some people their impact is ongoing. Even if your throat isn’t <a href="https://theconversation.com/sore-throats-suck-do-throat-lozenges-help-at-all-184454">sore</a> anymore, your voice may still be hoarse or croaky.</p> <p>So what happens to the voice when we get a virus? And what happens after?</p> <p>Here’s what you should know if your voice is still hoarse for days – or even weeks – after your other symptoms have resolved.</p> <h2>Why does my voice get croaky during a cold?</h2> <p>A healthy voice is normally clear and strong. It’s powered by the lungs, which push air past the vocal cords to make them vibrate. These vibrations are amplified in the throat and mouth, creating the voice we hear.</p> <p>The vocal cords are two elastic muscles situated in your throat, around the level of your laryngeal prominence, or Adam’s apple. (Although everyone has one, it tends to be more pronounced in males.) The vocal cords are small and delicate – around the size of your fingernail. Any small change in their structure will affect how the voice sounds.</p> <p>When the vocal cords become inflamed – known as laryngitis – your voice will sound different. Laryngitis is a common part of upper respiratory tract infections, but can also be caused through misuse.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614706/original/file-20240821-17-nzg1mc.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Two drawn circles comparing normal vocal cords with inflamed, red vocal cords." /><figcaption><span class="caption">Viruses such as the common cold can inflame the vocal cords.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/dry-sore-loss-cough-virus-viral-1821458117">Pepermpron/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Catching a virus triggers the body’s defence mechanisms. White blood cells are recruited to kill the virus and heal the tissues in the vocal cords. They become inflamed, but also stiffer. It’s harder for them to vibrate, so the voice comes out hoarse and croaky.</p> <p>In some instances, you may find it hard to speak in a loud voice or have a reduced pitch range, meaning you can’t go as high or loud as normal. You may even “lose” your voice altogether.</p> <p>Coughing can also make things worse. It is the body’s way of trying to clear the airways of irritation, including your own mucus dripping onto your throat (<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/treatments-for-post-nasal-drip">post-nasal drip</a>). But coughing slams the vocal cords together with force.</p> <p>Chronic coughing can lead to persistent inflammation and even thicken the vocal cords. This thickening is the body trying to protect itself, similar to developing a callus when a pair of new shoes rubs.</p> <p>Thickening on your vocal cords can lead to physical changes in the vocal cords – such as developing a growth or “nodule” – and further deterioration of your voice quality.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/614707/original/file-20240821-21-vizs73.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Diagram compares healthy vocal cords with cords that have nodules, two small bumps." /><figcaption><span class="caption">Coughing and exertion can cause inflamed vocal cords to thicken and develop nodules.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/dry-sore-loss-cough-virus-viral-1821458126">Pepermpron/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>How can you care for your voice during infection?</h2> <p>People who use their voices a lot professionally – such as teachers, call centre workers and singers – are often desperate to resume their vocal activities. They are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7478078/">more at risk</a> of forcing their voice before it’s ready.</p> <p>The good news is most viral infections resolve themselves. Your voice is usually restored within five to ten days of recovering from a cold.</p> <p>Occasionally, your pharmacist or doctor may prescribe cough suppressants to limit additional damage to the vocal cords (among other reasons) or mucolytics, which break down mucus. But the most effective treatments for viral upper respiratory tract infections are hydration and rest.</p> <p>Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and exposure to cigarette smoke. <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/laryngitis#:%7E:text=You%20can%20help%20your%20voice%20recover%20by%3A%201,avoid%20nasal%20decongestants%20%28these%20make%20your%20throat%20drier%29">Inhaling steam</a> by making yourself a cup of hot water will also help clear blocked noses and hydrate your vocal cords.</p> <p>Rest your voice by talking as little as possible. If you do need to talk, don’t whisper – this <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199704001730">strains the muscles</a>.</p> <p>Instead, consider using “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0d-oNIMM1y/">confidential voice</a>”. This is a soft voice – not a whisper – that gently vibrates your vocal cords but puts less strain on your voice than normal speech. Think of the voice you use when communicating with someone close by.</p> <p>During the first five to ten days of your infection, it is important not to push through. Exerting the voice by talking a lot or loudly will only exacerbate the situation. Once you’ve recovered from your cold, you can speak as you would normally.</p> <h2>What should you do if your voice is still hoarse after recovery?</h2> <p>If your voice hasn’t returned to normal after <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/laryngitis">two to three weeks</a>, you should seek medical attention from your doctor, who may refer you to an ear nose and throat specialist.</p> <p>If you’ve developed a nodule, the specialist would likely refer you to a speech pathologist who will show you how to take care of your voice. Many nodules can be <a href="https://britishvoiceassociation.org.uk/voicecare_vocal-nodules.htm">treated</a> with voice therapy and don’t require surgery.</p> <p>You may have also developed a habit of straining your vocal cords, if you forced yourself to speak or sing while they were inflamed. This can be a reason why some people continue to have a hoarse voice even when they’ve recovered from the cold.</p> <p>In those cases, a speech pathologist may play a valuable role. They may teach you to exercises that make voicing more efficient. For example, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwNPp-RS4IY">lip trills</a> (blowing raspberries) are a fun and easy way you can learn to relax the voice. This can help break the habit of straining your voice you may have developed during infection.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236398/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yeptain-leung-1563747">Yeptain Leung</a>, Postdoctoral Research and Lecturer of Speech Pathology, School of Health Sciences, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-recovered-from-a-cold-but-i-still-have-a-hoarse-voice-what-should-i-do-236398">original article</a>.</p> </div>

Body

Do you have knee pain from osteoarthritis? You might not need surgery. Here’s what to try instead

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/belinda-lawford-1294188">Belinda Lawford</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giovanni-e-ferreira-1030477">Giovanni E. Ferreira</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-zadro-504754">Joshua Zadro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rana-hinman-1536232">Rana Hinman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Most people with knee osteoarthritis can control their pain and improve their mobility without surgery, according to <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">updated treatment guidelines</a> from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.</p> <p>So what is knee osteoarthritis and what are the best ways to manage it?</p> <h2>More than 2 million Australians have osteoarthritis</h2> <p>Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, affecting <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">2.1 million Australians</a>. It <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">costs the economy</a> A$4.3 billion each year.</p> <p>Osteoarthritis commonly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33560326/">affects</a> the knees, but can also affect the hips, spine, hands and feet. It impacts the whole joint including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles.</p> <p>Most people with osteoarthritis have persistent pain and find it difficult to perform simple daily tasks, such as walking and climbing stairs.</p> <h2>Is it caused by ‘wear and tear’?</h2> <p>Knee osteoarthritis is most likely to affect older people, those who are overweight or obese, and those with previous knee injuries. But contrary to popular belief, knee osteoarthritis is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31192807/">not caused by</a> “wear and tear”.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21281726/">Research shows</a> the degree of structural wear and tear visible in the knee joint on an X-ray does not correlate with the level of pain or disability a person experiences. Some people have a low degree of structural wear and tear and very bad symptoms, while others have a high degree of structural wear and tear and minimal symptoms. So X-rays are <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">not required</a> to diagnose knee osteoarthritis or guide treatment decisions.</p> <p>Telling people they have wear and tear can make them worried about their condition and afraid of damaging their joint. It can also encourage them to try invasive and potentially unnecessary treatments such as surgery. We have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37795555/">shown this</a> in people with osteoarthritis, and other common pain conditions such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9545091/">back</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33789444/">shoulder</a> pain.</p> <p>This has led to a global call for a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38354847/">change in the way</a> we think and communicate about osteoarthritis.</p> <h2>What’s the best way to manage osteoarthritis?</h2> <p>Non-surgical treatments work well for most people with osteoarthritis, regardless of their age or the severity of their symptoms. These <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">include</a> education and self-management, exercise and physical activity, weight management and nutrition, and certain pain medicines.</p> <p>Education is important to dispel misconceptions about knee osteoarthritis. This includes information about what osteoarthritis is, how it is diagnosed, its prognosis, and the most effective ways to self-manage symptoms.</p> <p>Health professionals who use positive and reassuring language <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35750241/">can improve</a> people’s knowledge and beliefs about osteoarthritis and its management.</p> <p>Many people believe that exercise and physical activity will cause further damage to their joint. But it’s safe and can reduce pain and disability. Exercise has fewer side effects than commonly used pain medicines such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36593092/">paracetamol and anti-inflammatories</a> and can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26488691/">prevent or delay</a> the need for joint replacement surgery in the future.</p> <p>Many types of exercise <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30830561/">are effective</a> for knee osteoarthritis, such as strength training, aerobic exercises like walking or cycling, Yoga and Tai chi. So you can do whatever type of exercise best suits you.</p> <p>Increasing general physical activity is also important, such as taking more steps throughout the day and reducing sedentary time.</p> <p>Weight management is important for those who are overweight or obese. Weight loss <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34843383/">can reduce knee pain and disability</a>, particularly when combined with exercise. Losing as little as 5–10% of your body weight <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36474793/">can be beneficial</a>.</p> <p>Pain medicines should not replace treatments such as exercise and weight management but can be used alongside these treatments to help manage pain. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33786837/">Recommended medicines</a> include paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.</p> <p>Opioids are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35137418/">not recommended</a>. The risk of harm outweighs any potential benefits.</p> <h2>What about surgery?</h2> <p>People with knee osteoarthritis commonly undergo two types of surgery: knee arthroscopy and knee replacement.</p> <p>Knee arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery used to remove or repair damaged pieces of bone or cartilage that are thought to cause pain.</p> <p>However, high-quality research <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24369076/">has shown</a> arthroscopy is not effective. Arthroscopy should therefore not be used in the management of knee osteoarthritis.</p> <p>Joint replacement involves replacing the joint surfaces with artificial parts. In 2021–22, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/osteoarthritis">53,500 Australians</a> had a knee replacement for their osteoarthritis.</p> <p>Joint replacement is often seen as being inevitable and “necessary”. But most people can effectively manage their symptoms through exercise, physical activity and weight management.</p> <p>The new guidelines (known as “care standard”) recommend joint replacement surgery only be considered for those with severe symptoms who have already tried non-surgical treatments.</p> <h2>I have knee osteoarthritis. What should I do?</h2> <p>The <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">care standard</a> links to free evidence-based resources to support people with osteoarthritis. These include:</p> <ul> <li>education, such as a <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/making-a-decision-about-knee-osteoarthritis-v1.pdf.pdf">decision aid</a> and <a href="http://www.futurelearn.com/courses/taking-control-hip-and-knee-osteoarthritis">four-week online course</a></li> <li>self-directed <a href="https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/physiotherapy/chesm/patient-resources/my-knee-exercise">online exercise</a> and <a href="https://myjointyoga.com.au/">yoga</a> programs</li> <li><a href="https://www.gethealthynsw.com.au/program/standard-coaching/">weight management support</a></li> <li>pain management strategies, such as <a href="https://www.myjointpain.org.au/">MyJointPain</a> and <a href="http://www.paintrainer.org/">painTRAINER</a>.</li> </ul> <p>If you have osteoarthritis, you can use the <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/osteoarthritis-knee-clinical-care-standard">care standard</a> to inform discussions with your health-care provider, and to make informed decisions about your care.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236779/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/belinda-lawford-1294188"><em>Belinda Lawford</em></a><em>, Postdoctoral research fellow in physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/giovanni-e-ferreira-1030477">Giovanni E. Ferreira</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joshua-zadro-504754">Joshua Zadro</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rana-hinman-1536232">Rana Hinman</a>, Professor in Physiotherapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-have-knee-pain-from-osteoarthritis-you-might-not-need-surgery-heres-what-to-try-instead-236779">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Booktopia saved from collapse

<p>Online book retailer Booktopia have confirmed they have secured a buyer for the troubled business.</p> <p>Just one month after it entered administration, the bookseller has been sold to online electronics store digiDirect, with owner Shant Kradijan confirming his intention to hire 100 extra staff in addition to those still remaining.</p> <p>"We are incredibly pleased to have completed the sale of the Booktopia business to the owner of digiDirect," McGrathNicol Restructuring's administrator Keith Crawford said.</p> <p>"The transaction will result in the retention of all remaining employees, the recruitment of some 100 additional employees and continuity of supply for Booktopia's trade creditors.</p> <p>They have also encouraged former staff to rejoin the company.</p> <p>When Booktopia went into administration there were around 150,000 orders that went unfulfilled, most of them were pre-ordered books that had not yet been delivered to the company.</p> <p>Some customers who were owed books from the company managed to get refunds from their credit providers.</p> <p>An estimated $3 million was also owed to customers with gift cards, and Kradjian has confirmed that they are offering special arrangements to customers with unredeemed gift cards.</p> <p>"Booktopia has been a key part of Australia's publishing industry for 20 years, and transitioning the business to such a well-known Australian retailer is a great outcome for all stakeholders," Crawford said.</p> <p>He also thanked Booktopia's secured creditor, Moneytech, which provided funding for the business during the administrative period.</p> <p>According to <em>Nine News</em>, the sale price, which was not disclosed, will not provide return to shareholders.</p> <p>Image: Booktopia</p>

Money & Banking

Chilling videos emerge from mum accused of murdering schoolgirl

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. </strong></em></p> <p>Chilling videos have emerged from the mother accused of killing her 10-year-old daughter, Sophie Wang. </p> <p>Yingying Xu, who was named in court on Wednesday, posted a series of videos to TikTok before she allegedly murdered her daughter. </p> <p>“I want to let everyone know that the situation you see is fake. Fake god, the antichrist is a fake god,” Xu, 46, said while speaking in Mandarin.</p> <p>“I have felt the devil Satan saying to me how he has been influencing me, disturbing my soul.</p> <p>“Eventually possessing me 100 per cent. Possessing my soul to do evil things.”</p> <p>The videos were posted earlier in the day on Tuesday, and the little girl's body was found by her father, Yun Wang, later that evening.</p> <p>Sophie is alleged to have suffered several<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/schoolgirl-identified-after-allegedly-being-murdered-by-mother" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> injuries</a>, and was allegedly killed by having her throat slashed in her Carrara home.</p> <p>Her father, who is an associate professor at Griffith University, could reportedly be heard screaming by neighbours after discovering her body. </p> <p>Paramedics attempted to revive the girl, but she was declared dead at the “incredibly confronting” scene.</p> <p>Xu was arrested in a nearby street hours later and charged with murder.</p> <p>“This is absolutely sickening, gut-wrenching, awful,” Queensland Premier Steven Miles said.</p> <p>“I just can’t imagine how that father felt and hearing the reports of him screaming - nobody would ever wish that on him.”</p> <p>Her mother was formally remanded in custody until she appears in court again on November 29. </p> <p>The family's home remains a crime scene, but flowers have been left outside the home, as the local community try to come to terms with the horrific news. </p> <p>Police are continuing to investigate the motive of the alleged murder, and are taking into account Xu's social media activity. </p> <p>“Police are continuing to investigate the motive of the alleged homicide, including social media activity of the accused,” police told <em>7News</em>.</p> <p>Sophie has been remembered as a caring, kind and high-achieving Year 5 student, with the local community honouring her memory in an hour-long vigil on Friday at The Boulevard in Emerald Lakes.</p> <p>Sophie’s school, Emmanuel College, is also offering counselling to students, staff and parents.</p> <p>“Our prayers are with the family, friends, first responders and all affected by the loss of this beloved child in her home,” the school said in a statement.</p> <p><em>Images: Emmanuel College /TikTok</em></p>

Legal

Lollipop man slapped with ban over "innocent" gesture

<p>A beloved lollipop man in Victoria has been banned from high-fiving children after receiving a complaint from a concerned parent. </p> <p>John Goulden is a much-loved elderly lollipop man at the Mount Dandenong Primary School in Greater Melbourne, and will no longer be able to high five kids as they leave and enter the school grounds. </p> <p>Goulden, who was recently crowned one of Victoria’s top crossing supervisors, was reprimanded by Yarra Ranges Council who warned him against “initiating unnecessary physical contact” with the children.</p> <p>Outraged parents in the community have rallied behind the cherished lollipop man, with one parent, Rohan Bradley, even starting a petition to have the ban removed, saying that Mr Goulden has an “infectious joy that leaves a lasting impression on students and parents”. </p> <p>“His high fives in the morning and afternoon have become a tradition that many children look forward to, a small gesture that symbolises the warmth and friendliness of our unique community,” he said. </p> <p>“Sadly, this tradition is under threat. With our children’s happiness and wellbeing hanging in the balance, we need to take action.”</p> <p>Mr Bradley said it was not just about a simple high five but about “preserving our unique community’s spirit”. </p> <p>“We implore those in charge to let John continue to high-five his students, preserving an act that sparks joy and promotes a more positive learning environment,” he said.</p> <p>The petition has already gained more than 500 signatures as parents and students stand with the “community’s morale booster”. </p> <p>In a statement, Yarra Ranges Council confirmed they had received a complaint from a parent at the school about the crossing supervisor dishing out high fives.</p> <p>“Council’s internal policies and the Victorian Standards clearly states that unacceptable behaviours includes: Exhibiting behaviours with children and young people which may be construed as unnecessarily physical,” they told <em>9News</em>. </p> <p>“Council has reminded the contractor who is currently supervising children at the Mount Dandenong Primary School of expectations of the role regarding interactions with children.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Woman banned for life from airline for bizarre reason

<p>A woman has recalled the moment she was told by a major airline that she has been placed on the no-fly list for a very strange reason. </p> <p>Erin Wright, a 24-year-old from the US, was travelling to her sister's bachelorette party in New Mexico and was preparing to board her flight from New Orleans with American Airlines. </p> <p>When she kept running into errors online as she tried to check into the flight, she headed to the airport to sort out the issue, only to be told she was allegedly banned from the airline for life for “having sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated”.</p> <p>The ban came as a shock for one key reason. </p> <p>“I am a 24-year-old lesbian. You see me. Am I having sexual relations with any man? No,” Erin laughed in her now viral TikTok.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: currentcolor !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: none; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: currentcolor !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7400894263237610794&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40erin_wright_%2Fvideo%2F7400894263237610794%3Fembed_source%3D121374463%252C121451205%252C121439635%252C121433650%252C121404359%252C121351166%252C121331973%252C120811592%252C120810756%253Bnull%253Bembed_name%26refer%3Dembed%26referer_url%3Dwww.news.com.au%252Ftravel%252Ftravel-updates%252Fincidents%252Fwomans-shock-after-she-was-banned-or-life-by-airline%252Fnews-story%252F98c05daffea9ff538dd05bbbbaca556b%26referer_video_id%3D7401685057980681514&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp19-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2FoYgBZAELUrpiZizB94QiB6qSIPFE1CosQNYUi%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26nonce%3D34496%26refresh_token%3D518d47d36cd3175f1d18f1fd75262373%26x-expires%3D1723770000%26x-signature%3DPnErCHWVNghfrjSQPdFIU5OLZu4%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>She said the gate staff couldn’t tell her why she was black-listed and it wasn’t until three weeks later the reason was revealed after several back and forth emails.</p> <p>“I got to the airport an hour and a half early, I went to the kiosk and asked them to check me in and they were really nice,” Erin explained in the clip that's amassed 2.6 million views.</p> <p>The airport staff then spent the next 10 minutes on the phone to try and work out the problem, while Erin was “freaking out” that she was going to miss her flight.</p> <p>“She gets off the phone and looks nervous. She said ‘ma’am I am really sorry to tell you this but you have actually been banned from flying American Airlines’,” Erin claimed.</p> <p>A confused Erin demanded to know the reason but the employee couldn’t disclose the information saying it was an issue of “internal security”, recalling in her video, “I was like, ‘what?’ because I’ve never done anything. ‘What did I get banned for, can you tell me?’”</p> <p>“I realised I am going to miss my [United Airlines] flight and luckily I booked another $1,000 round trip flight to New Orleans [with a different airline].”</p> <p>A few weeks after her trip and after several emails to the airline, they revealed that the reason she was banned, as Erin said, “I get an email from cooperate security telling me I am banned because I had sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated.” </p> <p>“It took 12 days and many emails from me between when I contacted customer relations to when I actually got an email back.”</p> <p>She remained on the no-fly list and had to file an official appeal, as advised by corporate security. </p> <p>“I email them a very serious email, but also somewhat funny, because in it I am like ‘I don’t really know how to prove it wasn’t me except for the fact that I am literally a lesbian’," she said.</p> <p>“I can like get you letters from other people telling you that that’s the truth.”</p> <p>After three months, Erin said she was refunded the money for her flight and was taken off the no-fly list. </p> <p>In a follow up video, Erin said it has been a “super upsetting experience” adding she wasn’t compensated for the extra flight she had to book “because of their error”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok / Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

"Really upsetting": Man turned away from concert for being in a wheelchair

<p>A man from Melbourne has been left devastated after he was denied entry into a concert due to being a wheelchair. </p> <p>Dylan Taylor and his friends arrived at the Pier Bandroom in the suburb of Frankston to see one of his favourite heavy metal bands Polaris, when he ran into problems getting in the door. </p> <p>“I got to the front of the line, and they were checking IDs like normal, and one of the bouncers wouldn’t even acknowledge that I was there,” Taylor told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/dylan-was-turned-away-from-seeing-his-favourite-band-because-he-uses-a-wheelchair-experts-say-its-a-common-issue-c-15618393" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>.</p> <p>“I was holding up my licence, and he wouldn’t look at it or take it, and they had taken everyone else’s licence."</p> <p>“I hadn’t really figured it out at this point ... but then the other bouncer said: ‘Nup, sorry mate, no wheelchairs’.”</p> <p>Taylor’s group of friends called for a manager to discuss the potential for them to “make it work”.</p> <p>The group was asked to wait around the side of the building for the manager, who was unable to offer any solutions. </p> <p>Dylan said he was told it would be a fire safety risk to let him in, and that even though in a scenario where a person injured in the venue would be carried out by bouncers during a fire, that the bouncers would not carry a wheelchair user out in the same scenario.</p> <p>“I’m spewin’ because, at this point, I haven’t even paid my friends back for the ticket, and I’ve ruined their night out,” he said.</p> <p>His friends continued to try to reason with the manager to let Dylan in, even saying they had seen a wheelchair user in the venue two weeks earlier, but to no avail.</p> <p>“Technically, you can have wheelchairs, but you have to be ambulant, that’s what we got out of them, in the end,” Taylor said.</p> <p>According to Dylan, there was no wheelchair access disclaimer on his tickets, nor on the Pier Bandroom’s website or social media, with Google Maps even displaying an accessibility widget which claimed there was a “wheelchair-accessible entrance”.</p> <p>A spokesperson from the Pier Bandroom parent company Endeavour Group told <em>7News</em> it was sorry for the distress caused by the incident.</p> <p>“The Pier Hotel was originally built in the 1800s and is a historic landmark in Frankston. While the Pier Hotel has various rooms on the ground floor, the Pier Bandroom function space is only accessible by stairs, and is not wheelchair accessible,” it said.</p> <p>“We apologise to any ticket holders who were not given adequate information about our venue’s policies at the time of purchasing tickets to recent concerts. We regret any inconvenience or distress this may have caused.</p> <p>“We are taking action to update the Pier Bandroom’s website with this information and communicate with any show promoters to do the same.”</p> <p>Taylor said the incident at the Pier Bandroom “was the first time I’ve faced, I would say, pretty blatant discrimination”, as he has only required the wheelchair for 18 months after sustaining a permanent spine injury. </p> <p>“You feel pretty empty inside, and I did have a little cry in the car on the way home."</p> <p>“It just really upsets me thinking about people who have maybe been dealing with disability for their whole life. Who maybe haven’t had the other half of life I’ve had, to be able to go and experience these things before being in a wheelchair.”</p> <p>While learning to live with his disability, Taylor was pleased to learn “how many people will go out of their way to help you out” but said it was disappointing to discover just how much his autonomy was curbed by poor accessibility.</p> <p>“It’s been a steep learning curve,” Taylor said.</p> <p>“Melbourne will accept the reputation of being inclusive and accepting, but it’s not necessarily accessible.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Google Maps / 7News / Dylan Taylor </em></p>

Legal

Man arrested for climbing Eiffel Tower before closing ceremony

<p>A British man has been arrested after climbing the Eiffel Tower just hours before the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics was due to commence. </p> <p>Shocked onlookers were horrified when they spotted the shirtless man scaling the 330m structure with no harness, as he stood on top of the blue Olympic ring before continuing his dangerous ascent.</p> <p>Incredible footage of the dangerous stunt, which was posted to X, shows him reaching halfway up the giant landmark with just a bag of chalk to help him, as he was not supported by any ropes or harnesses. </p> <p>Other videos shows the free climber being taken away in handcuffs by French police as tourists looked on from the viewing platform.</p> <p>The Paris Prosecutor’s office confirmed to <em>The Sun</em> the man was British and has been charged with endangering others and intrusion into a historic or cultural site.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">someone was trying to climb up Eiffel Tower after the Olympics, he was detained by police shortly after 💀<a href="https://t.co/m1oRWsKYeX">pic.twitter.com/m1oRWsKYeX</a></p> <p>— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/scubaryan_/status/1822685874691444924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>A Paris police spokesman said: “At 2.45pm, an individual was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower. The police immediately intervened and arrested the individual.”</p> <p>According to spectators, the man could be heard saying “bloody warm, innit” as he was led away by police. </p> <p>Security officials quickly cordoned off the Eiffel Tower as they evacuated the site at around 3pm, as those inside were briefly locked up on the second floor, before they were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later once the man had been escorted from the area.</p> <p>Specialist climbing police were sent up the tower after it was cleared to check for any suspicious or unusual activity.</p> <p>Tourists queuing up for the landmark were left unaware of the ongoing situation and were left frustrated after they were told to leave.</p> <p>One social media user posted on X: “Just waited in line for so long to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but someone is trying to climb it so they just shut the whole thing down. Super.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p>

Legal

From maxing out to slowing down, how much do heart rates vary across sports?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-peoples-1556509">Gregory Peoples</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>A classic image of the Olympics and Paralympics is an athlete at the end of a race struggling for breath, their heart obviously racing.</p> <p>But at the other end of the scale are athletes such as archers and shooters, who need to slow their heart rates down as much as possible.</p> <p>Athletes in speed and endurance events regularly push their heart rate to the maximum. But these athletes usually have low heart rates at rest.</p> <p>What causes our heart rates and respiratory (breathing) rates to change so much, and is this healthy?</p> <h2>When heart rates and respiratory rates rise</h2> <p>If you are still and calm as you read this, your heart is probably beating 60–100 times per minute and you are likely breathing 12–20 times per minute.</p> <p>These are the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-should-my-heart-rate-be-and-what-affects-it-98945">normal ranges for a resting adult</a>.</p> <p>During physical activity when muscles are contracting, the muscles need more oxygen to provide them with energy to work.</p> <p>To deliver this extra oxygen (<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-is-blood-red-229121#:%7E:text=Haemoglobin%20is%20like%20a%20red,oxygen%2C%20our%20blood%20is%20red.">carried in our blood</a>), our heart pumps blood faster. In other words, our heart rate increases.</p> <p>We also breathe faster to get more oxygen into our lungs to be delivered to the exercising muscles.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3YOap5k0R_8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Your resting heart rate can tell you plenty about your health and fitness.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>How fast can our heart rate get during exercise?</h2> <p>Aerobic means “with oxygen”. In <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise">aerobic exercise</a> (“cardio”) you use large muscles repetitively and rhythmically. For example, walking, running, cycling, swimming and rowing.</p> <p>Muscles that are contracting during aerobic exercise use a lot of energy and need ten times <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4551211/">more oxygen than at rest</a>.</p> <p>High intensity aerobic events that involve large muscles or the entire body cause the highest heart rates.</p> <p>An <a href="https://www.heartonline.org.au/resources/calculators/target-heart-rate-calculator">estimate</a> of maximum heart rate (beats per minute) is 220 minus your age. This equates to 195 beats per minute for a 25-year-old – close to the average age of the Australian Olympic team of 26.5 years.</p> <p>Athletes competing in Olympic events of endurance or speed will reach their maximum heart rate.</p> <p>You can usually only maintain maximum heart rate for a few minutes. But in a 2000-metre rowing race, the rowers maintain intense effort at close to maximum heart rate for 6–8 minutes.</p> <p>This is one of the toughest events for the heart. It’s no wonder rowers often collapse in the boat <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-68731840">as they cross the finish line</a>.</p> <p>Highly trained endurance athletes can have a maximum heart rate higher than expected for their age. <a href="https://olympics.com/en/athletes/eliud-kipchoge">Eliud Kipchoge</a> from Kenya is considered the greatest marathon runner of all time. During his <a href="https://au.coros.com/stories?world-record">world record run</a> in the 2022 Berlin marathon, he ran with a heart rate of around 180 beats per minute for almost the entire race.</p> <h2>How does breathing change with exercise?</h2> <p>Our breathing changes with exercise to increase oxygen uptake from the air.</p> <p>At low-to-moderate intensity exercise, you start to take deeper breaths. This brings in more air and oxygen with each breath. However, there is a limit to how much the chest can expand.</p> <p>With higher intensity exercise, respiratory rate increases to increase oxygen intake.</p> <p>Elite athletes can breathe <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818249/">more than 50 times</a> per minute. This is driven by <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-breathwork-and-do-i-need-to-do-it-231192">our diaphragm</a>, the most important muscle of breathing.</p> <p><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-28/paris-olympics-grace-brown-cycling-gold-medal-australia/104151466">Grace Brown</a>, Olympic gold medal cyclist in Paris, <a href="https://inscyd.com/article/grace-brown-olympic-gold-physiology/">breathes close to a maximal oxygen uptake</a> when she is cycling at high intensity.</p> <h2>Some athletes need to slow things down</h2> <p>Archery and shooting athletes perform better with a lower heart rate. They time their shots to be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3580727/#:%7E:text=Results%20showed%20that%20the%20champion,both%20during%20diastole%20and%20systole">between heart beats</a> when the body is the most still.</p> <p>This is easier with a slower heart rate, with more time between beats.</p> <p>Archers consciously lower their heart rate <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6441821/">prior to shooting</a> by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6721071/">slowing their breathing</a>.</p> <p>Other Olympians use <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10224217/#:%7E:text=For%20practicing%20slow%20and%20deep,minutes%20before%20starting%20the%20exercise.">breathing techniques</a> to calm pre-race anticipation and high heart rates.</p> <p>Slowing the breath, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-breathwork-and-do-i-need-to-do-it-231192">especially the exhale</a>, is the best way to lower your heart rate.</p> <p>Beta-blockers also reduce heart rate, by blocking adrenaline. This is why they are on the <a href="https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list">prohibited substances list</a> of the World Anti-Doping Agency.</p> <h2>What about resting heart rates?</h2> <p>Athletes often have a <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/is-a-low-heart-rate-worrisome">low resting heart rate</a>, around 40-50 beats per minute, and slower during sleep.</p> <p>Some are even lower – five time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain famously had a resting heart rate of <a href="https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/miguel-indurain-vs-your-body-34288">28 beats per minute</a>.</p> <p>Legendary US swimmer Michael Phelps is the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/michael-phelps-olympic-medals-record-how-many-gold-swimmer-world-record">most successful Olympian</a> of all time – he had a resting heart rate of <a href="https://www.reanfoundation.org/low-resting-heart-rate-and-lifespan/#:%7E:text=Studies%20on%20Athletes%20and%20Low%20Resting%20Heart%20Rate&text=It%20could%20also%20hint%20at,BPM%20throughout%20his%20professional%20career">less than 40 beats per minute</a>.</p> <p>Regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise makes the <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/athletes-heart-rate">heart stronger and more efficient</a>. A stronger heart pumps more blood per beat, which means it doesn’t need to beat as often.</p> <p>Exercise also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12477376/">increases vagus nerve</a> activity to the heart and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4775">slows down</a> the heart’s pacemaker cells. These both reduce heart rate.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6306777/">A large review</a> found endurance training and yoga were the best exercises to reduce resting heart rate. But training needs to be maintained to keep resting heart rate low.</p> <p>When elite athletes reduced their training volume by half during COVID lockdown, their <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2970">resting heart rate increased</a>.</p> <h2>What does this mean for our health?</h2> <p>A slower resting heart rate is linked to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6306777/">longer life expectancy and reduced death from cardiovascular disease</a>. Indeed, <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/4/206">a study</a> of more than 8,000 Olympians from the United States found they lived longer than the general population.</p> <p>So it is healthy to do activities that increase your heart rate in the short-term, whether as an Olympian or Paralympian competing, or a fan with your heart racing watching a gold medal event.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235594/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gregory-peoples-1556509">Gregory Peoples</a>, Senior Lecturer - Physiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-maxing-out-to-slowing-down-how-much-do-heart-rates-vary-across-sports-235594">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

Man behind viral "democracy manifest" arrest dies

<p>Jack Karlson, the man behind one of Australia's most famous viral memes, has died aged 82. </p> <p>Karlson shot to fame after footage of his 1991 arrest outside the China Sea Restaurant in Brisbane went viral in 2009 when someone uploaded it to the internet. </p> <p>"Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest," he said during the arrest. </p> <p>"What is the charge? Eating a meal - a succulent Chinese meal?"</p> <p>"Have a look at the headlock here. See that chap over there?" he went on.</p> <p>"Get your hand off my penis! This is the bloke who got me on the penis before."</p> <p>Reports at the time suggested that Karlson had been arrested on suspicion of being criminal that was high on Queensland police's wanted list. </p> <p>While he did have a criminal history himself as he was known for several prison escapes throughout his life, he insisted that he was the wrong man. </p> <p>The reporter who reported Karlson's arrest 33 years ago, Chris Reason, confirmed Karlson's death in a social media post on X, tweeting that "Mr Democracy Manifest has died".</p> <p>A fundraiser had been set up for Karlson by his niece in June after he was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer and needed surgery for cataracts. </p> <p>“I know Jack’s video has given a lot of people joy and he has inspired many memes, t-shirts and other things over the years but Jack himself is doing it quite tough,” his niece wrote on the fundraiser at the time. </p> <p>“He has never had much money but has always been generous to family and friends. He lives week to week in regional QLD with the help of a voluntary carer.</p> <p>“Hoping people can dig deep – I think he’s worth at least a beer, maybe even a 6-pack.”</p> <p>In an update last week, his niece said that he wasn't doing well. </p> <p>“He has been in Hospital for two weeks now,” she wrote.</p> <p>“He has had multiple procedures but things are not looking good.</p> <p>“One thing that did lift his spirits was that the GoFundMe was taking off. He has been really appreciative of the donations and the comments.”</p> <p>A documentary about his life is currently in production and set to be released in early 2025. </p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Man fined $7000 for driving offences he did not commit

<p>A New South Wales man has copped $7000 in fines and lost his licence, after he was fraudulently nominated for 14 driving offences by a woman in Victoria. </p> <p>Speaking to 2GB, Ross claimed he was falsely nominated through cars registered to two companies in Victoria, and shared an image of the woman behind the wheel. </p> <p>"I haven't been to Victoria in the last five years and I haven't driven a car in Victoria in the last five years," he told host Ben Fordham. </p> <p>"It's not me."</p> <p>Fordham then questioned whether he had "flowing long hair" as seen on the driver, to which he replied: "I don't, unfortunately. It's short hair."</p> <p>Ross, whose licence has been suspended, has been trying to clear the offences from his name. </p> <p>He has spoken to several government departments in both states including Service NSW and Vic Roads, submitted statutory declaration, police report, request of an extension and a nomination statement, to no avail. </p> <p>"I've tried to highlight that I'm a male and she is a female but it's still ongoing," Ross said.</p> <p>"It's a very convoluted process.</p> <p>"When someone assumes your identity in a fraudulent manner, it's no easy feat kind of getting it back."</p> <p>Fordham, who said the situation was "unbelievable", promised to step in and solve the matter for Ross within 24 hours, saying that they'll discuss this again tomorrow. </p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Legal

Sam Armytage's shock departure from Seven

<p>Samantha Armytage has announced that she is leaving the Seven Network after 21 years. </p> <p>The beloved TV and media personality has confirmed the news on Sunday via social media, with a highlight reel of her time on the network. </p> <p>"21 is a coming-of-age," she began in the post. </p> <p>"And so, after that many years, I am departing Channel 7 with lots of happy memories, a full heart & huge thanks to the many fantastic colleagues along the journey."</p> <p>The <em>Farmer Wants A Wife </em>host will bid farewell to the television network in October when her contract expires.</p> <p>According to the<em> Daily Telegraph</em>, she was offered another contract with the network but declined the offer. </p> <p>“It’s a little sad and it’s bittersweet, but the time has come,” Armytage told the outlet.</p> <p>“I leave with lots of goodwill in my heart and excitement about the future.</p> <p>“I’m big on instinct. I listen to my instinct. I know when the time comes. I am proud of the fact that I back myself enough to say, ‘I’ve done what I can do here,’ and I move on.</p> <p>“This is not the end. It’s just the end of this chapter.”</p> <p>She said that the reason why she chose to leave the network was because she wanted to "feel fulfilled". </p> <p>“I had to sit with myself here and ask, ‘What does my next five to 10 years look like?” she told the<em> </em><em>Daily Telegraph</em>.</p> <p>“I’m 47, so it was a bit of a stocktake. I’m still productive. I want to make good TV.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-O0gONTW11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-O0gONTW11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Samantha Armytage (@sam_armytage)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The beloved presented has been the host of <em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em> for the past two years, after moving from her role as a host on<em> Sunrise</em>, which she held of eight years. </p> <p>The Seven network have also released a statement confirming her departure. </p> <p>“After 21 years, Samantha Armytage has decided to leave the Seven Network in October this year. We fully understand and support her decision,” said Angus Ross, Group Managing Director of Seven Television.</p> <p>“Sam has made a remarkable contribution to Seven over more than two decades, from 7NEWS and Sunrise to, more recently, Farmer Wants A Wife.</p> <p>“Her genuine affection for the country lifestyle she’s grown up with and enjoys to this day has shone through her three seasons with the TV WEEK Logie Award-nominated series. It’s been a pleasure watching Sam share her pride of these communities with Australia as our incredible farmer love stories have unfolded.</p> <p>“We wish Sam – and her farmer – every happiness and success for the future.”</p> <p>The move comes after several high-profile staff exits at the network amid their restructure. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Chaos as The Project pulled from air to evacuate

<p>Channel 10's <em>The Project </em>was suddenly pulled from air after a fire alarm sounded, forcing presenters and crew to evacuate the building, just before 7pm on Wednesday night. </p> <p>The show was replaced with an episode of <em>Dog House</em>, and at 6:50pm the show's X account notified viewers of the matter, saying: “We are being evacuated… we think we will back soon?”.</p> <p>A few minutes later they shared a follow up post: “Due to a fire alarm in the studio, The Project has had to evacuate the building.”</p> <p>“You can see what’s happening Facebook and Instagram Live ... or watch an episode of the Dog House,” it read.</p> <p>The Project later posted a video of the hosts going outside as they joked and made light of the situation. </p> <p>“Guys, we get it you are so obsessed with us and were wondering where we went as the Dog House came on,” the caption read.</p> <p>“And to be honest we couldn’t tell you either as the fire alarm was going off and we just followed our boss.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-FSiekK_yK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-FSiekK_yK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The show returned on-air at 7:09pm, with host Waleed Aly saying: “What’s that, where did we go? Oh nowhere, we didn’t even know."</p> <p>“We all needed to go to the bathroom, at once. </p> <p>“No, there was a fire alert in our building and we had to leave.”</p> <p>Sarah Harris cut in jokingly saying they didn't only have to leave but had to "run". </p> <p>A Fire and Rescue Victorian spokesperson said that they had responded to a false alarm after a smoke detector malfunctioned. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ The Project</em></p>

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Final message from doomed Titan sub revealed

Tragic flaw sees man use voluntary assisted dying drugs prescribed for his wife

"Never been seen before": Fergie reveals new details from 9/11 near miss

Considering taking Wegovy to lose weight? Here are the risks and benefits – and how it differs from Ozempic

Grandmother's body found 800km from home

Manhunt after stranger pours scalding hot coffee on baby in public park

Men have a biological clock too. Here’s what’s more likely when dads are over 50

I’ve recovered from a cold but I still have a hoarse voice. What should I do?

Do you have knee pain from osteoarthritis? You might not need surgery. Here’s what to try instead

Booktopia saved from collapse

Chilling videos emerge from mum accused of murdering schoolgirl

Lollipop man slapped with ban over "innocent" gesture

Woman banned for life from airline for bizarre reason

"Really upsetting": Man turned away from concert for being in a wheelchair

Man arrested for climbing Eiffel Tower before closing ceremony

From maxing out to slowing down, how much do heart rates vary across sports?

Man behind viral "democracy manifest" arrest dies

Man fined $7000 for driving offences he did not commit

Sam Armytage's shock departure from Seven

Chaos as The Project pulled from air to evacuate

Our Partners