Exercising Safely

Step 2

Know How to Prevent Exercise Injuries

If You Are Sick

It’s not a good idea to exercise or do any strenuous physical activity if you have an acute illness.  An acute illness is one that comes on suddenly and usually ends in a few days or a few weeks.   It is cured when the illness is over.  The most common types of acute illnesses are infections.  These can range from simple illnesses, such as flu, to more serious infections, such as kidney infection, bronchitis or pneumonia, requiring antibiotic treatment or even hospitalization.

If you’ve got nothing more serious than a slight cold, you can go ahead with your exercise provided you don’t have a fever and your symptoms are above the neck (sneezing, runny nose, scratchy throat), and, of course, you feel like exercising.

But, if you have a fever, your body needs to direct its energy to fighting the illness and to healing itself.  Don’t exercise if you have a fever.   Allow your body to rest and heal.  Once the illness is over, you may start your exercise again.  Wait until you have been free of fever for at least 48 hours before starting to exercise again.   Never try to “sweat out” a fever.  Fever and exercise are a bad combination.  They can make the infection worse and even cause a potentially fatal condition of the heart muscle called myocarditis.   You will need to reduce the amount and intensity of your exercise when you start again after an illness.

Your INTER_xVENT MENTOR can help you make adjustments to your exercise program if you have an illness.  For each day you miss due to illness, take at least two additional days to build up to where you were before your illness.  The goal is to get back to a normal level of activity as quickly and safely as possible.

If You Have Unusual Symptoms

It is important to know what is normal and what is not normal during exercise.  Pain is not normal.  It is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong.  Listen to your body.  Learn and remember what is normal for you.  When something is different or if things aren’t normal, stop.  If you think you have a problem, get help.   

If You Get Overheated

When you exercise, your body produces heat.  Normally, sweating serves to remove the heat from the body during exercise and prevents the body temperature from rising too high.  Overheating should be avoided.  It limits your ability to exercise and can lead to heat stroke, a dangerous and even fatal condition.

Symptoms of Overheating

·        Headache

·        Light-headedness

·        Dizziness

·        Confusion

·        Disorientation

·        Clumsiness

·        Nausea

·        Muscle cramps

·        Hallucinations

·        Excessive sweating or no sweating at all  

Drinking plenty of water helps prevent dehydration and overheating.  Several factors influence the amount of water you need.

Intensity of the activity – The harder you are working or exercising, the more you will sweat and the more water you need.

Air temperature – The higher the temperature, the more water you need.

Humidity – You need more water at any temperature if the humidity is very high.

Altitude – The higher the altitude, the more water you need.

Alcohol and caffeine consumption – Alcohol and caffeine take water out of cells and dehydrate the body.  It is not a good idea to drink alcohol before or during exercise.  If you do drink alcohol or caffeine, you need to drink extra water.

Drugs – Some medicines such as diuretics, antihistamines, and antidepressants, can increase the risk for overheating.  Tell your INTER_xVENT MENTOR all of the medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter medications.

Drink water before, during and after exercising.  Drink one cup (eight ounces) of cold water about every 15 minutes before you start to exercise.  Cold water is absorbed more quickly than lukewarm water.  If you exercise for more than 30 minutes, drink another cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.  Remember, thirst is not a good way to know when you need water.

The best source of fluid for workouts of less than one hour is plain cold water.  There are a variety of sports drinks for sale that replace minerals lost through sweating.  For most people, these drinks don’t offer any benefit over plain water.  In addition to minerals, they contain sugar (calories) you don’t need.  And, they are expensive.  If you plan to exercise for more than one hour, ask your INTER_xVENT MENTOR for more specific guidelines on fluid replacement.

Other Tips to Prevent Overheating

·        Give your body time to adjust to exercising in hot and humid weather.  Gradually increase the time and intensity of your exercise in these conditions over a period of 10 to 14 days.

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