May 20, 2014 by Solaade Ayo-Aderele
| credits: nature.com
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
No comments:
Post a Comment