Kenneth Gardner

Anyone, not at high risk for serious health problems, can benefit from safe, moderate exercising. If you are a man under 40 years old or a woman under 50, in good health, then exercising is relatively safe. These individuals can begin exercising even without a medical evaluation.

Medical clearance is standard for men and women older than 40 and 50 years old, respectively, if they have health issues such as hypertension, heart disease or muscle and joint problems.

Exercise prescription

It is always best if your exercise prescription is developed by a knowledgeable expert. Exercise experts are guided by a standardised questionnaire that influences the assessment of individuals who are at health risk and the development of their prescriptions.

The assessment will alert the experts to potential difficulties. Where there are doubts related to medical issues and the safety of exercising, an exercise stress test or a guided exercise test is recommended. The results of the exercise test are useful in identifying underlying problems that will influence how and what exercises are done.

There are standard practices and procedures that should be followed when we are exercising. Where equipment and facilities are used, safety is usually at the core of how things are done. When we follow the protocol that guides the administration of exercise programmes, higher levels of success are achieved and the chances of sustaining injuries reduced.

Visible clothing

If we jog, run or ride on the street, especially when it is dark, the clothing that we wear should make us visible. We need to avoid isolated areas that could be unsafe especially if we are exercising alone. An exercise partner could prove most valuable in motivating us to participate or help us should we sustain an injury.

The time we choose to exercise, as well as the climate should also be in our best interest. If it is excessively hot and humid, an exercise session is likely to be less enjoyable with an increase risk of heat-related illness. Under such conditions, the rate and duration of exercise would have to be reduced.

If we exercise early morning or late afternoon, the temperature is usually more comfortable. This could make the exercise feel less difficult and improve our confidence and performance.

Drink lots of water

Hydration is also important in exercising. Drinking fluids before, during and after exercise sessions makes exercising safe. Being thirsty is a red flag for the development of heat- related problems during exercise.

Heat-related problems can also be minimised by wearing clothing that allows for easy circulation of air. Light-coloured clothing will help by reflecting instead of absorbing heat. If you begin to feel uncomfortable during an exercise session, you should slow down or stop. If you are in the sun, get out of the heat, remove excess clothing, drink some fluid and try to reduce your temperature as much as possible.

Remember when in doubt check with an exercise expert. The safety of persons who exercise is a major cornerstone that exercise experts include in the development of exercise prescriptions.

Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G. C. Foster College of Physical Education: email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.