Exercise and Physical Activity
From Health Benefits to Fitness Crazes
by R. K. Devlin, Editor
October 2022, 455pp, 7 x 10
1 volume, Greenwood

Hardcover: 978-1-4408-7843-5
$107, £83, 94€, A147
Please contact your preferred distributor for pricing.
eBook Available: 978-1-4408-7844-2
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Engaging in physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health, and there are many individuals, public health programs, organizations, and businesses dedicated to helping you become more active.

This encyclopedia explores exercise and physical activity from a variety of angles, including anatomy and exercise science, health benefits and risks, the wide array of sports and recreational activities available, and the sociocultural context of physical fitness.

Exercise and Physical Activity: From Health Benefits to Fitness Crazes is a one-volume encyclopedia featuring more than 200 entries that cover a multitude of exercise-related topics. Content is divided across five broad themes: anatomy, exercise science, sports and activities, health benefits and risks, and exercise and society.

The anatomy theme includes entries on all the major skeletal muscle groups and associated connective tissues. Within the exercise science theme, entries focus on topics within the fields of physiology, kinesiology, and sports psychology. Profiles of more than 70 sports and recreational activities are included. Entries under the theme of health benefits and risks explore the effects of exercise on many of the body’s physiological processes and related systems, as well as specific sports-related injuries. Exercise and society entries profile influential individuals and organizations, as well as fitness trends. Together, these themes support a holistic understanding of exercise, encompassing both the theoretical and the practical.

Features

  • Examines the topic of exercise and physical activity from five distinct angles: anatomy, exercise science, sports and activities, health benefits and risks, and exercise and society
  • Entries offer readers both theoretical and practical information, making the book an ideal resource for both students and anyone eager to improve their relationship with exercise
  • An annotated Directory of Resources and Further Readings section at the end of each entry serve as a gateway to additional learning
  • Cross-referencing in each entry, as well as both an alphabetical and thematic list of entries, makes it easy for readers to quickly find the information they're looking for
R. K. Devlin obtained a BS in exercise physiology and an MBS in biomechanics, followed by an MD with specialization in infectious diseases. She resides in the Midwest but works throughout the United States as a traveling physician. Devlin's other published works with Greenwood include What You Need to Know about the Flu. She has also owned an independent bookstore, founded a literary nonprofit, and published numerous articles, blogs, and book reviews for various online and print publications.

Awards

2023 Outstanding Reference Source—Reference and User Services Association [RUSA], January 29, 2023
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