The History of Exercise with Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes, author of Sweat: A History of Exercise

Bill Hayes is the author of Sweat: A History of Exercise, Insomniac City, and How New York Breaks Your Heart, a collection of his street photography, among other books. He is a recipient of the New York City Book Award for How We Live Now: Scenes from the Pandemic, and a Guggenheim Fellowship in … Read more

Acupuncture and Cupping – Part 1: Ancient Medicine or Pseudoscience?

Acupuncture

Note: this article is the first of a two-part series on acupuncture and cupping. You can read Part 2 here: Acupuncture and Cupping – Part 2: Alternative Therapies and the Placebo Effect. At this point, you have likely heard of acupuncture and cupping. Acupuncture was practiced in Asia at least … Read more

Examining COVID-19 Public Health Measures

COVID-19 public health measures advocated by the CDC

Throughout the past fourteen-plus months, we have seen consistent recommendations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Yet other health practices with strong evidence of reducing COVID-19 severity have received far less publicity. So what are the most effective public health measures for mitigating COVID-19? And what role should governments take … Read more

Illness and Morality in the COVID-19 Pandemic

A woman in a surgical mask, highlighting the illness and morality debate surrounding COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has again raised the outdated association between illness and morality. Whether through blaming victims or asserting their own health and moral superiority, many have suggested that those who contract the virus deserve their fate. I draw on previous KineSophy articles on health, fitness and virtue to … Read more

How to Support COVID-19 Relief

Logos of four charities supporting COVID-19 relief

Like so many issues discussed on KineSophy, the COVID-19 pandemic affects us all in myriad spheres of life, from health to social interactions to economics to ethics. Faced with illness, the loss of a job, loneliness and fear, many people are struggling just to make it through the next day … Read more

Social Isolation and Physical Training in COVID-19 Confinement

An astronaut exercises in social isolation

No matter where you are in the world, there’s a good chance you’re in the midst of some social isolation measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And if you’re reading this article, there’s also a good chance that you like to engage in regular physical activity. Unfortunately, the former … Read more

The Peloton Ad, Disney World and Dystopia

The Peloton Ad, Disney World and Dystopia

In November, the exercise bike company Peloton released an advertisement that many viewers have derided as sexist and even dystopian. But while some criticisms of the Peloton ad ring true, others miss the message and ignore more pressing health issues. The Peloton Ad In the Peloton ad in question, a … Read more

Do Doctors Have a Moral Obligation to Provide Physical Wellness Training?

In a recent article on the website Total Brain Health titled “Do We Have a Moral Obligation to Provide Brain Wellness Training?”, Dr. Cynthia Green argues that medical practitioners have a burden to educate and empower patients to improve their brain health. As evidence, Green cites the magnitude of dementia, … Read more