Inside the Investigation: St. David's lobbyist worked to shut down new Austin hospital bollard law
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A KXAN investigation reveals that two months after a deadly crash into an Austin hospital, the same hospital system had a near miss. This week on Inside the Investigation, Investigator Matt Grant explains the lengths the hospital went to attempting to stop a local law aimed at making medical facilities safer.
Preventing Disaster: Austin hospital crash among 300+ in US since 2014
KXAN Investigates: St. David's lobbyist worked to shut down new Austin hospital bollard law
'No bollards in place.' Second crash at St. David's hospital in Austin months after deadly incident
Join KXAN Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley every Friday at 10:30 a.m. on YouTube, Facebook, or KXAN.com for a live recap of the latest headlines and in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team.
You can also listen to KXAN's investigative podcast, highlighting some of our award-winning team's latest reports exposing corruption, safety concerns, and system failures across Texas. We also feature audio versions of our weekly 'Inside the Investigation' discussion with the journalists working on those stories.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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I'm a personal trainer — this physiotherapist's 5 back exercises for ages 55+ are a game-changer for flexibility and pain relief
Back-strengthening exercises are crucial for improving posture, building spine and shoulder stability and reducing the likelihood of developing posture-related injuries. A strong back can even improve exercise performance, reduce hunching and help you avoid muscle weaknesses related to inactivity. The best way to target your back muscles is by using a series of pull exercises combined with mobility. Thanks to a physiotherapist, you can now try five of the best back exercises for ages 55+ to help you build flexibility and improve pain relief. Here they are. Before we dive into the exercises themselves, I want to introduce you to Shrey Vazir, whose easy-to-follow YouTube channel has become a small obsession of mine recently, especially as I regularly train my dad, who is in his 70s. Vazir focuses on an important age category — the over 50s — which is roughly the age at which sarcopenia (muscle mass loss) begins to accelerate. As a result, this is also around the time to be making a strength and resistance program a regular and consistent addition to your daily routine to avoid muscle and bone density loss and prevent pain and injury. Vazir is considered an advanced physiotherapist specializing in low back pain, and his five favorite and simple back pain exercises highlight two key areas: strengthening the muscles of the core, hips, legs and surrounding the spine, plus beginner-friendly stretches to improve flexibility. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It's worth mentioning that while stretching for flexibility offers short-term improvements, you may find you're back to square one the next day. True flexibility from stretching alone is a bit of a unicorn — long-term change comes from a smart and efficient combination of targeted stretches, mobility exercises and strengthening. With a mass of misinformation available on social media, it's important to find someone you can trust when deciding on the best exercise routine for you. I'm a firm believer that you should be lifting weights (even if it's your bodyweight only) and keep moving well into your later years. In short, don't let someone tell you that hitting a certain age means you need to switch up your routine entirely. Yes, we do have to work against the natural changes in hormones, metabolism and body composition as we age. But I know plenty of people over 50 who are stronger and fitter than they were in their 20s. According to this video, the exercises are gentle and are recommended by Vazir at his clinic in Toronto, Canada. You can modify them if they are too easy or too difficult. Watch the video below for his demonstrations, guidelines and suggestions for scaling, plus sets and reps. This is considered an 'easy' stretching exercise you can perform on your back. Simply take your knee or knees up to your chest and hold behind your leg or legs to draw them closer. Focus on keeping your lower back supported throughout. Vazir recommends 5 sets per leg and hold for 10 seconds each time. Also considered a beginner-friendly move, you'll just need a chair or bench to sit on. From here, Vazir guides you to slightly open your legs and place your feet apart, then place your hands on your thighs or between your legs and slowly slide them downward as you bend forward to stretch out your lower back. Try 10 reps with a 5-second hold each time. The first strengthening exercise on Vasir's list is the crunch, which has been modified for a beginner-friendly version. Seated on a bench or chair, Vazir asks you to cross your arms over your chest, squeeze your stomach, then drive your chest forward toward your thighs. We offer some crunch variations here if this exercise feels too easy. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps. On your back, tighten your stomach and draw your belly button toward your spine (activation), then hold that tension and lift your knee into the air, lower it and repeat on the other side. Aim for 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps (5 per leg) or lift both legs together if you prefer. We love a dead bug exercise, and so does Vazir. Lay on the floor — legs lifted to 90 degrees and arms extended above your chest. One at a time, you'll extend one arm and the opposite leg, then return to center and switch sides. If you prefer, you could just hold the dead bug position without moving your arms and legs. You could also try just arms, just legs, or even one arm and one leg (in a hold) at a time — Vazir demonstrates your options. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat 3 sets.
Yahoo
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How many drowning deaths happen per year in Travis County? What prevention resources are there?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin area has several bodies of water that people use for recreational activities like kayaking and swimming, which see an uptick in the warmer months. But with an increase in outdoor activity comes an increase in tragedies caused by accidents. Earlier this week, a teenage boy's body was recovered from Lady Bird Lake after investigators said he was 'unknowingly standing near an underwater shelf' when he slipped and did not resurface. Last week, another young boy died following an eighth grade graduation celebration at Dick Nichols Park. 'It's deadly': The risks of drowning and knowing how to save a life Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4, and it's the second leading cause of accidental injury for children ages 5-14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. KXAN looked at the number of accidental deaths caused by drowning, as reported by the Travis County Medical Examiner's annual reports over the last 10 years. By the numbers, Travis County saw the lowest number of drownings last year, compared to the other years within the last decade. According to the reports, the following number of accidental death drownings happened during the following years: 2024: 17 2023: 22 2022: 28 2021: 34 2020: 19 2019: 27 2018: 21 2017: 24 2016: 23 2015: 20 2014: 19 The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services also tracks child drowning deaths throughout the state. According to that agency, 22 children drowned in Texas so far this year. There are several water safety training programs in the Austin area. The city of Austin has an injury prevention page and a water safety page on its website. The city provides training and certifications for city-hired lifeguards. MAP: Tracking deaths in Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin Aquatic Management of Austin also offers lifeguard training through two different courses -Lifeguarding, Full Certification (for new lifeguards), and Lifeguarding Recertification, for those who need to renew their current certification. Greater Austin YMCA, in collaboration with Colin's Hope, works to provide children with safety, aquatics, and fitness education. It's called Project SAFE, which stands for Safety, Aquatics and Fitness Education. The American Red Cross has several water safety certification programs and safety tips online. Goldfish Swim School has several indoor children's swim lessons and programs for children ages 4 months and up, and it offers safe swimming presentations to children in participating daycare centers, schools, and other educational facilities at no cost. UT Recreational Sports also has lifeguard certification classes for enrolled UT students. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
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Texas paramedics to get tuition exemptions already provided to firefighters, police thanks to passed bill
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