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Tuesday 20 May 2014

Too much exercise can hurt you


   
 


Exercise
You may have noticed that fitness is no longer a private affair but a social issue that readily crops up during any conversation. Serve someone a meal and he tells you that he is watching his weight. From there, the conversation assumes a life of its own, with everybody trying to pitch in his or her own exercise regime, how long it takes, the type of exercise — such as early morning jogging, biking, yoga, doing the cardio in the gym… The list is endless.
Engaging in exercise is an integral part of weight watching, and since people obsess so much about their bodies, they also take to prolonged physical exercises that experts say could be remarkably dangerous to heath.
There’s no doubt that exercise has immense health benefits. Those who swear by it say exercise helps you to sleep better, improves the mood and reduces anxiety. Physicians say it helps with metabolism, while psychologists say it provides an avenue to socialise.
Again, wellness experts on elign.com say exercise is one of the best things you can do to keep healthy, especially as it affects the health of the muscles, bones and joints.
Moderation, the rule
Whatever benefits accrue from exercising, however, experts still warn that moderation remains the rule because it’s possible to overdo it. Like anything that is done in excess, a study published in the British journal Heart concludes that extreme exercise may be harmful to health, after all.
The researchers warn that people who exercise vigorously on a daily basis are more than twice more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than those who exercise only two to four days a week.
The scientists say, “Any time you shift from a more sedentary lifestyle to one that is more physically demanding, there is a greater likelihood for strain on these tissues. Small imbalances, or slight weaknesses, can become exaggerated as you begin to place a greater workload on your body.”
Sports medicine experts at Johns Hopkins University aver that naturally, the muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bones of the body react to the stress of exercise very slowly. However, if the stress becomes intense and comes too fast, they cannot respond in time and they may begin to fail.
The majority of us live sedentary life-styles: In the office, we sit down for the better part of the day when doing our job; at home, we sit down for hours at a stretch to watch television or do many other things that make us sit down for long hours; and as we commute home, we still sit comfortably throughout the journey.
All these cause the bones of the body to atrophy, such that any little stress can disorient them. The muscles may become sore, while the tendons may be inflamed. The bones may develop “stress fracture” and lead to limping or sleeplessness at night.
“If untreated the bone can actually break, which can be a severe injury, depending upon which bone is involved,” the John Hopkins scientists warn.
“The cartilage may also be affected, such that the joint might swell. And should the patient be neglected, the pain and swelling can increase and cause an inability to use the joint for not only exercise but for activities of daily life,” they add.
Risk irregular heartbeats
Beyond this, experts also warn that too much exercise increases the risk of an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow to the body. Technically called atrial fibrillation, its symptom range from lack of energy to heart palpitations and dizziness.
“Atrial fibrillation may greatly increase the risk of stroke — especially among men that are younger than 50 years of age who exercise vigorously five to seven days a week,” researcher say.
Indeed, American cardiologists, James O’Keefe and Carl Lavie, in a study published in the journal Heart, submit that “exercising intensely for more than an hour or two can damage the heart, causing its tissue to stretch, tear and scar and raising the odds of dangerous changes in heart rhythm.”
Premature ageing
And if you don’t want to age prematurely, reduce your exercise regimen. Experts at bengreenfieldfitness.com, an online portal, warn, “The heart has a finite number of beats, the back has a finite number of bends, and the cartilage has a finite number of shock absorptions, and once you’ve reached your quota, your body begins to fail. Combined with a fibrotic heart, worn adrenal glands, and chronic, systemic inflammation, you have the perfect storm for a prematurely aged and broken down body.”
If you have pain after exercise…
•The treatment for any ache or pain after exercise is to cut back on the exercise for a period of time. How long to rest the area depends upon the severity of the pain. For example, if your knee hurts, it is usually reasonable to continue exercising your upper extremities or even to do lower extremity exercises that do not aggravate the problem.
•The second way to treat a painful area is by icing. Ice should be used after activity with an ice pack or ice massage for 20 minutes. This also can be done daily after exercising for several weeks. If pain persists despite the use of ice, more serious problems may exist and you should consult your physician.
•The third thing to do if you have aches and pains after exercise is to continue to move the joint or extremity to avoid stiffness. If the joint becomes stiff, over time, it will affect its ability to function normally.
•The fourth way to treat aches and pains is with over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatory agents. Follow the instructions on the label, and if you have any questions, speak with your trainer, pharmacist or physician. If these medicines do not take care of the pain over a few days then you should consider consulting a doctor.
Source: hopkinsortho.org/pain

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