A virtual wellness program offered by the National Institute for Fitness and Sport and provided to you through your employer.

Tips for Safe Exercise

You exercise to enhance your health and to improve your quality of life.  So you definitely don’t want to hurt yourself while you’re exercising.  Here are a few tips to help you exercise safely.

Warm Up

Even before you stretch, you need to warm-up.  Stressing cold muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and even the heart can cause injury.  That is what happens when people go out to shovel snow, or push the car, or suddenly lift furniture.  Warming up prepares your body for the exercise that will follow.  Specifically it raises your heart rate and blood flow rate and loosens up the structures that will be moving and exerting forces.

You can warm-up generally by running in place and breathing deeply for a few minutes.  You can warm-up specifically by slowly and gently reversing the motions of your exercise for a few minutes before you begin.  And when you begin, go slowly and gradually build up speed, force and intensity.

Before you seek the comfort of the shower after exercising, take a few minutes to cool-down.  It is just as important as the warm-up.  It is the warm-up in reverse, but longer.  Slow down your motions and lessen your intensity for about ten minutes before you stop.  Your cool-down is completed when your skin is dry and cool to the touch.  Do not cool down by going into a cold, air-conditioned room while you are wet with perspiration or by guzzling ice cold beverages.

Wear the proper gear

If you are walking or jogging or performing any other activities outdoors, dress for the temperature and humidity.  The best rule of exercising in cold weather is to dress in layers so that as the body temperature rises, you can take off one layer at a time.  The same rule applies indoors, except that you don’t need as many layers.  Be sure to wear appropriate supportive underwear – jogging bras for women, athletic supporters for men.

Proper shoes are also very important.  Shoes are designed for specific activities.  For instance, a running shoe bends at the ball of the foot, has a thick heel wedge to tilt the foot forward, a shock absorbing mid-sole, and an outer sole with deep patterns.  The upper part of any shoe should breathe, and the whole shoe should be lightweight.  Shop for shoes late in the day, when your feet are larger than in the morning.  Wear the same socks that you would in exercising with the shoes.  There should be a thumb width between your big toe and the tip of the shoe and there should be enough room around the widest part of the foot.

The socks that go between you and your shoes are also important.  While the sock should be specific for your sport or style of exercise, they must also be able to absorb moisture from your feet.  Select socks that provide good cushioning.  Finally to prevent athlete’s foot and other problems, never wear the same socks twice without washing them.

Drink Fluids

Drink a pint of water about fifteen minutes before you start exercising.  If you exercise in a warm environment, drink a large glass of water every 20 minutes during the activity, then drink at least one pint after you cool down.  While exercising in hot weather, you can lose as much as a quart of water every hour.

Effective ways to avoid injuries 

The most powerful medicine for injuries is prevention.  Here are some effective ways to avoid injuries: 

• Gradually build up your level of activity.

• 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. 

• Listen to your body for early warning pains.

Exercising too much can cause injuries to joints, feet, ankles and legs.  So don’t make a mistake of exercising with early warning pains in theses areas or more serious injuries can result.  Most injuries can be readily treated by rest and aspirin.

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.  Heart problems may be present with lightheadedness, cold sweats, or fainting.  Ignoring these signals and continuing to exercise may lead to serious heart problems.  Should any of these signs occur, stop exercising immediately.

For outdoor activities, take appropriate precautions under special weather conditions.

On hot, humid days

Exercise during the cooler and less humid parts of the day such as the 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 most people get enough salt in their diet and a well conditioned body is better able to conserve salt.  However, if you exercise very rigorously for an extended time in the heat (for example, running a marathon), it is a good idea to increase salt intake a little more.

Watch out for signs of heat stroke – feeling dizzy, weak, lightheaded and overly tired; sweating stops as body temperature becomes dangerously high.

Wear a minimum of light, loose fitting clothing.

Avoid rubber or plastic suits, sweatshirts, and sweat pants.  Such clothes will not help you lose weight by sweating more.  The weight and fluids you lose by sweating will be quickly replaced as you begin drinking fluids again.  This type of clothing can also cause dangerously high temperatures, possibly resulting in heat stroke.

On cold days

It is better to wear several layers of clothing rather than one heavy layer.  You can always remove a layer if you get too warm. 

Use mittens or gloves to protect your hands.

Wear a hat, since up to 40 percent of your body’s heat is lost from 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.

Other handy tips

If you have eaten a meal, avoid strenuous exercise for at least two hours.  If you exercise vigorously first, wait about 20 minutes before eating. 

Use proper equipment such as goggles to protect the eyes while playing racquetball, or good shoes with adequate cushioning in the soles for running or walking.

Hard or uneven surfaces such as concrete or rough fields are more likely to cause injuries.  Soft even surfaces such as a level grass field, dirt path or running track 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 pattern so in the darkness the drivers can see you.  Remember, drivers don’t see you as well as you see their cars.  Face oncoming traffic and don’t assume that the drivers will notice you on the roadway.

If you bicycle, you can help prevent injuries by always wearing a helmet and using lights and well 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 don’t want 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.

Recognizing Injuries

One big tip off is a sharp pain during exercise.  If anything hurts, stop doing it.  Another is pain that develops slowly but persists despite home treatment.  Dull, aching soreness, 12 to 48 hours after exercise, is usually not an injury.  It means you have pushed yourself too hard.

Treatment

The most common exercise injuries are muscle aches and strains and joint pains.  Try aspirin or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin) or acetominophen (Tylenol, Panadol, Datril).  However acetominophen does not relieve inflammation, so it won’t help reduce the swelling or strains and sprains.  Use these medications according to package directions.  If aspirin upsets your stomach, try the enteric coated brand which dissolves more slowly and is less irritating.

For joint injuries, begin with RICE – rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest – stop doing what hurts.  Don’t move or place weight on the injured part.  Rest prevents injury aggravation.

Ice – Place several ice cubes in a plastic bag and wrap the ice pack in a cloth.  Place on the injury for 20 minutes.  Remove it for ten minutes and repeat.  Icing helps control pain and reduces swelling.  Do not place ice directly on the skin.  Prolonged contact can cause frostbite.

Compression – wrap the injury in an elastic bandage.  This helps limit swelling.  Do not wrap the injured area too tightly.  This may restrict the blood flow below the injured area and cause more swelling.

Elevation – raise the injured part above the level of the heart.  For arm injuries, use a sling.  For leg injuries, lie down and raise the leg on pillows.  Elevation reduces throbbing pain.

If pain and swelling persists or increases after two days of the above treatment, consult your physician.  Among the various exercise options, walking causes comparatively few problems.  But walker’s may develop muscle and joint injuries, blisters, calluses, corns, soreness, foot pain and shin splints.  Most muscle and joint injuries respond to RICE treatment.

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