Can watching sports be bad for your health?

As the new year rolls on, sports fans rejoice! You’ve had the excitement of the college football bowl games and the national championship game, the NFL playoff games are winnowing teams down to the Super Bowl contestants, and basketball and hockey seasons are in full swing. Spring training for the upcoming Major League Baseball season is around the corner.

But hold these thoughts a moment. Watching sports — not just playing them — can be hazardous to your health. I’ve seen it firsthand while working in a walk-in clinic near Fenway Park, where people would show up bleeding from cuts that needed stitches (from trips and falls at the stadium), broken bones (from trying to catch a foul ball or an altercation with another fan), and dehydration.

Most of these injuries weren’t life-threatening. But there’s evidence that the health impact of sports spectatorship can be far more serious for some of us — and, perhaps, underappreciated.

What are the health risks of watching live sports?

When you’re watching games in person, some risks are related to the weather and other fans. For example:

• Watching a baseball game in the summer for hours may lead to heat stroke or dehydration.
• Live winter football games may raise the risk of hypothermia, frostbite, or other cold-related problems.
• Stampedes, riots, and brawls between rival fans watching soccer matches are not rare and may actually be on the rise.
• And, as mentioned, spectators of live sports can be injured by balls hit into the stands or other flying objects such as bats, pucks, or golf balls.

How could watching sports on TV boost health risks?

Doctors and nurses often describe how quiet things get in the emergency room during a World Series game or the Super Bowl. But once the game ends, it tends to get much busier. One theory is that people with chest pain, trouble breathing, or other symptoms of a potentially serious problem who ordinarily would have reported to the emergency room right away may delay seeking care until after the game.

Of course, there’s another possibility: the game itself — especially if a game is close and particularly exciting — might cause enough stress on the body that heart attacks, strokes, or other dangerous conditions develop.

Research supporting the idea that watching sports can negatively affect your health includes:

• Older studies have linked hospital admissions for heart failure and cardiac arrest with watching sporting events.
• A 2017 study found that spectators of Montreal Canadiens hockey games experienced a doubling of their heart rate during games. The effect was more pronounced for live games than televised games, but even the latter experience led to faster heart rates similar to the effect of moderate exercise.
• A 2022 study found that hospital admissions for cardiovascular problems jumped 15% during and just after World Cup soccer games.

Together, these studies suggest that watching sports can be stressful enough to trigger dangerous cardiovascular events.

It’s worth emphasizing that most people watching sports enjoy it and do not experience any health problems related to the game. But these studies suggest that spectating may carry some small risk, similar to what might accompany moderate or vigorous exercise. This may be most relevant for people who are older or who already have cardiovascular disease.

What’s a sports fan to do?

One common recommendation is to remember that it’s only a game. Of course, if you care a lot about sports or a particular team, that advice is unlikely to help. A second is to get regular exercise. Staying physically active strengthens the heart and lowers blood pressure, which could help ward off some of the health risks described above.

Five additional game-day precautions are:

• Avoid overeating, especially salty junk food. For some, overindulging in food, drink, and salt can stress the heart or trigger heart failure.
• Be prepared for the weather. Check the forecast. If you’re planning to watch a game in the cold, dress in layers, use hand warmers, and drink warm fluids. If you’re going to be out in the sun, use sunscreen liberally, wear a hat, and hydrate well.
• If you have cardiovascular disease, don’t forget to take your medications, especially if there’s a big game coming up. And if you develop worrisome symptoms, such as chest pain or trouble breathing, seek medical attention right away. Don’t wait till the game ends!
• Stay hydrated and moderate your alcohol intake. Stay well-hydrated by drinking water, especially if you’re out in the heat for hours. Although beer is a liquid, it’s also a diuretic, meaning it can make you urinate more and lose more fluids than other beverages.
• Stay alert at live events. Give yourself a fighting chance of getting out of the way of a line-drive foul ball or an errant bat that’s slipped out of the batter’s hands during a swing.

The bottom line

I can attest to many upsides of watching sports: the excitement of competition and the bonding and camaraderie with likeminded friends, family, and other fans. And perhaps watching sports might improve your health if sports spectatorship sparks sports participation.

While watching sports has been linked to certain health risks, the overall risk is likely low for most people. And you can take steps to reduce this. The health risks of spectatorship only rarely require giving up watching a favorite team. So, put on your team jersey, cheer your team on to victory, and stay healthy while you’re at it. Oh, and watch out for outraged fans or flying bats.

About the Author

Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. … See Full Bio View all posts by Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Plyometrics: Three explosive exercises even beginners can try

As a kid, I spent many Saturdays romping around my Florida neighborhood imitating Colonel Steve Austin, better known as The Six Million Dollar Man to avid TV watchers in the 1970s.

The popular show featured a bionic man — half human and half machine — who could jump from three-story buildings, leap over six-foot-high walls, and bolt into a full 60-mile-per-hour sprint. Naturally, these actions occurred in slow motion with an iconic vibrating electronic sound effect.

My own bionic moves involved jumping to pluck oranges from tree branches, hopping over anthills, and leaping across narrow ditches while humming that distinctive sound. I didn’t realize it, but this imitation game taught me the foundations of plyometrics — the popular training routine now used by top athletes to boost strength, power, and agility.

What are plyometrics?

Plyometric training involves short, intense bursts of activity that target fast-twitch muscle fibers in the lower body. These fibers help generate explosive power that increases speed and jumping height.

“Plyometrics are used by competitive athletes who rely on quick, powerful movements, like those in basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis, and track and field,” says Thomas Newman, lead performance specialist with Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham Center for Sports Performance and Research. Plyometrics also can help improve coordination, agility, and flexibility, and offer an excellent heart-pumping workout.

Who can safely try plyometrics?

There are many kinds of plyometric exercises. Most people are familiar with gym plyometrics where people jump onto the top of boxes or over hurdles.

But these are advanced moves and should only be attempted with the assistance of a trainer once you have developed some skills and muscle strength.

Keep in mind that even the beginner plyometrics described in this post can be challenging. If you have had any joint issues, especially in your knees, back, or hips, or any trouble with balance, check with your doctor before doing any plyometric training.

How to maximize effort while minimizing risk of injury

• Choose a surface with some give. A thick, firm mat (not a thin yoga mat); well-padded, carpeted wood floor; or grass or dirt outside are good choices that absorb some of the impact as you land. Do not jump on tile, concrete, or asphalt surfaces.
• Aim for just a few inches off the floor to start. The higher you jump, the greater your impact on landing.
• Bend your legs when you land. Don’t lock your knees.
• Land softly, and avoid landing only on your heels or the balls of your feet.

Three simple plyometric exercises

Here are three beginner-level exercises to jump-start your plyometric training. (Humming the bionic man sound is optional.)

Side jumps

Stand tall with your feet together. Shift your weight onto your right foot and leap as far as possible to your left, landing with your left foot followed by your right one. Repeat, hopping to your right. That’s one rep.

• You can hold your arms in front of you or let them swing naturally.
• Try not to hunch or round your shoulders forward as you jump.
• To make this exercise easier, hop a shorter distance to the side and stay closer to the floor.

Do five to 15 reps to complete one set. Do one to three sets, resting between each set.

Jump rope

Jumping rope is an effective plyometric exercise because it emphasizes short, quick ground contact time. It also measures coordination and repeated jump height as you clear the rope.

• Begin with two minutes of jumping rope, then increase the time or add extra sets.
• Break it up into 10- to 30-second segments if two minutes is too difficult.
• If your feet get tangled, pause until you regain your balance and then continue.

An easier option is to go through the motions of jumping rope but without the rope.

Forward hops

Stand tall with your feet together. Bend your knees and jump forward one to two feet. Turn your body around and jump back to the starting position to complete one rep.

• Let your arms swing naturally during the hop.
• To make this exercise easier, hop a shorter distance and stay closer to the floor.
• If you want more of a challenge, hop farther and higher. As this becomes easier to do, try hopping over small hurdles. Begin with something like a stick and then increase the height, such as with books of various thicknesses.

Do five to 10 hops to complete one set. Do one to three sets, resting between each set.

About the Author

Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch

Matthew Solan is the executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. He previously served as executive editor for UCLA Health’s Healthy Years and as a contributor to Duke Medicine’s Health News and Weill Cornell Medical College’s … See Full Bio View all posts by Matthew Solan

About the Reviewer

Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD

Which migraine medications are most helpful?

If you suffer from the throbbing, intense pain set off by migraine headaches, you may well wonder which medicines are most likely to offer relief. A recent study suggests a class of drugs called triptans are the most helpful option, with one particular drug rising to the top.

The study drew on real-world data gleaned from more than three million entries on My Migraine Buddy, a free smartphone app. The app lets users track their migraine attacks and rate the helpfulness of any medications they take.

Dr. Elizabeth Loder, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Headache at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, helped break down what the researchers looked at and learned that could benefit anyone with migraines.

What did the migraine study look at?

Published in the journal Neurology, the study included self-reported data from about 278,000 people (mostly women) over a six-year period that ended in July 2020. Using the app, participants rated migraine treatments they used as “helpful,” “somewhat helpful,” or “unhelpful.”

The researchers looked at 25 medications from seven drug classes to see which were most helpful for easing migraines. After triptans, the next most helpful drug classes were ergots such as dihydroergotamine (Migranal, Trudhesa) and anti-emetics such as promethazine (Phenergan). The latter help ease nausea, another common migraine symptom.

“I’m always happy to see studies conducted in a real-world setting, and this one is very clever,” says Dr. Loder. The results validate current guideline recommendations for treating migraines, which rank triptans as a first-line choice. “If you had asked me to sit down and make a list of the most helpful migraine medications, it would be very similar to what this study found,” she says.

What else did the study show about migraine pain relievers?

Ibuprofen, an over-the-counter pain reliever sold as Advil and Motrin, was the most frequently used medication in the study. But participants rated it “helpful” only 42% of the time. Only acetaminophen (Tylenol) was less helpful, helping just 37% of the time. A common combination medication containing aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine (sold under the brand name Excedrin) worked only slightly better than ibuprofen, or about half the time.

When researchers compared helpfulness of other drugs to ibuprofen, they found:

• Triptans scored five to six times more helpful than ibuprofen. The highest ranked drug, eletriptan, helped 78% of the time. Other triptans, including zolmitriptan (Zomig) and sumatriptan (Imitrex), were helpful 74% and 72% of the time, respectively. In practice, notes Dr. Loder, eletriptan seems to be just a tad better than the other triptans.
• Ergots were rated as three times more helpful than ibuprofen.
• Anti-emetics were 2.5 times as helpful as ibuprofen.

Do people take more than one medicine to ease migraine symptoms?

In this study, two-thirds of migraine attacks were treated with just one drug. About a quarter of the study participants used two drugs, and a smaller number used three or more drugs.

However, researchers weren’t able to tease out the sequence of when people took the drugs. And with anti-nausea drugs, it’s not clear if people were rating their helpfulness on nausea rather than headache, Dr. Loder points out. But it’s a good reminder that for many people who have migraines, nausea and vomiting are a big problem. When that’s the case, different drug formulations can help.

Are pills the only option for migraine relief?

No. For the headache, people can use a nasal spray or injectable version of a triptan rather than pills. Pre-filled syringes, which are injected into the thigh, stomach, or upper arm, are underused among people who have very rapid-onset migraines, says Dr. Loder. “For these people, injectable triptans are a game changer because pills don’t work as fast and might not stay down,” she says.

For nausea, the anti-emetic ondansetron (Zofran) is very effective, but one of the side effects is headache. You’re better off using promethazine or prochlorperazine (Compazine), both of which treat nausea but also help ease headache pain, says Dr. Loder.

Additionally, many anti-nausea drugs are available as rectal suppositories. This is especially helpful for people who have “crash” migraines, which often cause people to wake up vomiting with a migraine, she adds.

What are the limitations of this migraine study?

The data didn’t include information about the timing, sequence, formulation, or dosage of the medications. It also omitted two classes of newer migraine medications — known as gepants and ditans — because there was only limited data on them at the time of the study. These options include

• atogepant (Qulipta) and rimegepant (Nurtec)
• lasmiditan (Reyvow).

“But based on my clinical experience, I don’t think that any of these drugs would do a lot better than the triptans,” says Dr. Loder.

Another shortcoming is the study population: a selected group of people who are able and motivated to use a migraine smartphone app. That suggests their headaches are probably worse than the average person, but that’s exactly the population for whom this information is needed, says Dr. Loder.

“Migraines are most common in young, healthy people who are trying to work and raise children,” she says. It’s good to know that people using this app rate triptans highly, because from a medical point of view, these drugs are well tolerated and have few side effects, she adds.

Are there other helpful takeaways?

Yes. In the study, nearly half the participants said their pain wasn’t adequately treated. A third reported using more than one medicine to manage their migraines.

If you experience these problems, consult a health care provider who can help you find a more effective therapy. “If you’re using over-the-counter drugs, consider trying a prescription triptan,” Dr. Loder says. If nausea and vomiting are a problem for you, be sure to have an anti-nausea drug on hand.

She also recommends using the Migraine Buddy app or the Canadian Migraine Tracker app (both are free), which many of her patients find helpful for tracking their headaches and triggers.

About the Author

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio View all posts by Julie Corliss

About the Reviewer

Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD