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Exercise and
Your Heart: A Guide to
Physical Activity
Effective ways to avoid injuries
The most powerful medicine for injuries
is prevention. Here are some effective ways to avoid injuries:
1. Build up your level of activity
gradually over the weeks to come.
- Try not to set your goals too high -
otherwise you will be tempted to push yourself too far too quickly.
- For activities such as jogging,
walking briskly and jumping rope, limber up gently and slowly before and
after exercising.
- For other activities, build up slowly
to your target zone, and cool down slowly afterwards.
2. Listen to your body for early warning
pains.
- Exercising too much can cause
injuries to joints, feet, ankles and legs. So don't make the mistake of
exercising beyond early warning pains in these areas or more serious
injuries may result. Fortunately, minor muscle and joint injuries can be
readily treated by rest and aspirin.
3. Be aware of possible signs of heart
problems such as:
- Pain or pressure in the left or
mid-chest area, left neck, shoulder or arm during or just after
exercising. (Vigorous exercise may cause a side stitch while exercising -
a pain below your bottom ribs - which is not the result of a heart
problem.)
- Sudden lightheartedness, cold sweat,
pallor or fainting. Ignoring these signals and continuing to exercise may
lead to serious heart problems. Should any of these signs occur, stop
exercising and call your doctor,
4. For outdoor activities, take
appropriate precautions under special weather conditions.
On hot, humid days:
- Exercise during the cooler and/or
less humid parts of the day such as early morning or early evening after
the sun has gone down.
- Exercise less than normal for a week
until you become adapted to the heat.
- Drink lots of fluids, particularly
water - before, during and after exercising. Usually, you do not need
extra salt because you get enough salt in your diet. (And a
well-conditioned body is better able to conserve salt so that most of the
sweat is water.) However, if you exercise very vigorously for an extended
time in the heat (for example, running a marathon), it's a good idea to
increase your salt intake a little.
- Watch out for signs of heat stroke -
feeling dizzy, weak, light- headed, and/or excessively tired; sweating
stops; or body temperature becomes dangerously high.
- Wear a minimum of light,
loose-fitting clothing.
- Avoid rubberized or plastic suits,
sweatshirts, and sweat pants. Such clothing will not actually help you
lose weight any faster by making you sweat more. The weight you lose in
fluids by sweating will be quickly replaced as soon as you begin drinking
fluids again. This type of clothing can also cause dangerously high
temperatures, possibly resulting in heat stroke.
On cold days:
- Wear one layer less of clothing than
you would wear if you were outside but not exercising. It's also better to
wear several layers of clothing rather than one heavy layer. You can
alwaysremove a layer if you get too warm.
- Use old mittens, gloves, or cotton
socks to protect your hands.
- Wear a hat, since up to 40 percent of
your body's heat is lost through your neck and head.
On rainy, icy or snowy days:
- Be aware of reduced visibility (for
yourself and for drivers) and reduced traction on pathways.
5. Other handy tips are:
- If you've eaten a meal, avoid
strenuous exercise for at least 2 hours. If you exercise vigorously first,
wait about 20 minutes before eating.
- Use proper equipment such as goggles
to protect your eyes for handball or racquetball, or good shoes with
adequate cushioning in the soles for running or walking.
- Hard or uneven surfaces such as
cement or rough fields are more likely to cause injuries. Soft, even
surfaces such as a level grass field, a dirt path, or a track for running
are better for your feet and joints.
- If you run or jog, land on your heels
rather than the balls of your feet. This will minimize the strain on your
feet and lower legs.
- Joggers or walkers should also watch
for cars and wear light- colored clothes with a reflecting band during
darkness so that drivers can see you. Remember, drivers don't see you as
well as you see their cars. Face oncoming traffic and do not assume that
drivers will notice you on the roadway.
- If you bicycle, you can help prevent
injuries by always wearing a helmet and using lights and wheel-mounted
reflectors at night. Also, ride in the direction of traffic and try to
avoid busy streets.
- Check your shopping malls. Many malls
are open early and late for people who do not wish to exercise alone in
the dark. They also make it possible to be active in bad weather and to
avoid summer heat, winter cold or allergy seasons.
National Heart, Blood, and
Lung Institute
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and Physical Activity Information>Exercise
and Your Heart: Avoid Injuries
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