Friday, January 6, 2012

Things to Know Before Getting in Shape


If your body hurts as a result of soreness from exercise, you can generally return to your normal workout schedule after a day or two of rest. More serious conditions, such as arthritis, may require a personally tailored workout schedule recommended by a physical therapist. Fortunately, exercises such as light aerobics remain a viable option for some patients and may allow you to get in shape despite your pain symptoms. As an added benefit, the endorphins released during exercise can sometimes offer relief for certain types of pain.
Definition
Most types of exercise can be broken down into three categories: aerobics, stretching and strength training. To get into shape, you need to adopt a regular regimen of light aerobics to create a caloric deficit to lose weight. While strength training plays an essential role in developing muscle tone, you won’t be able to see the muscle tone until you burn the fat surrounding areas such as your stomach, thighs or arms. Depending on the causes of your pain symptoms, you may need to limit your exercises to walking, pushups and sit-ups until your condition improves. Since both aerobic and strength training exercises place demands on a variety of muscles, bones, tissue and organs, it is generally recommended that you consult your physician before exercising to ensure that the workout is appropriate for you.
Types and Causes
Pain is the body’s natural alarm system to alert you that something is wrong or out of place. According to the Arthritis Foundation website, incidents such as injuries cause your nerves to release chemical signals that are interpreted by the brain as pain. Long-term pain conditions, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia, require pain management strategies that may incorporate medications, exercise and surgery. As the pain signals travel along your nerves, your body may attempt to inhibit them by releasing chemicals called endorphins, which can have a morphine-line painkilling effect. Since exercise is one activity that can increase the amount of endorphins in your bloodstream, chronic-pain patients are generally advised to follow some sort of exercise plan.
Getting In Shape
MayoClinic.com recommends tailoring an exercise program with the help of a physical therapist or personal trainer to ensure that each exercise is safe and appropriate. Adopt a regular schedule of low-impact aerobic exercises, such as water aerobics, swimming, bicycling, elliptical training or walking. If possible, select an aerobic exercise that elevates your heart rate for a prolonged period of time to increase the number of calories you burn each session. Strength training can help provide additional support to your joints by strengthening the different muscle groups throughout your body. Start with exercises that use your natural body weight for resistance, such as sit-ups, pushups and chin-ups, and gradually move your way up to resistance bands or weight machines.
Safety Concerns
Before trying to get in shape, your first priority is to find out what is causing your body to hurt. Some causes of pain, such as fibromyalgia, can worsen if untreated and eventually become debilitating. Talk to your doctor about the cause of your pain and which specific exercises would be best for your condition.


 
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