HEALTHY LIVING
An Informed Approach to Sport and Exercise
Sport and exercise are like a medicine: you need to know when, how and at what dose to take them.
Updated: · General information
Exercise is a medicine too
Sport and exercise are in fact like a medicine; as with any medicine, you need to know when, where, of what kind and at what dose they should be taken. It should not be forgotten that they can have side effects if taken to excess or applied incorrectly. Depending on the aim, different types of exercise can be chosen for goals such as muscle strengthening, flexibility, balance and coordination, postural correction, weight loss or improved endurance.
Not every sport suits everyone
A person’s age, weight, exercise capacity, body type and past and present conditions all determine which type of exercise or sport is appropriate. The flooring and ventilation of the venue, the clothing worn, the time of day, and nutrition and fluid intake before and afterwards should also be taken into account.
The risks of uninformed exercise
Exercise undertaken without proper guidance can do more harm than good; musculoskeletal disorders, fractures, dislocations, muscle tears, tendon ruptures and cardiac problems are among the outcomes frequently seen. Having measurements such as heart rate, maximum liftable weight and range of flexibility assessed by a professional beforehand can help reduce the risk of injury.
