Exercise and illness – what to do and what to avoid if you suffer from a health problemExercise is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But it can be worth making the effort, as physical activity can actually help you feel better. Here’s a look at how certain conditions can be helped by exercise. Remember, if you have a health problem you should always talk to your doctor before starting an exercise programme.
- High blood pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is extremely common and can increase your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke. Some forms of physical activity can help because they may reduce body fat and cholesterol. This helps unblock arteries and lowers your blood pressure. Exercise can also reduce blood pressure by relaxing you.Best exercise:Swimming, power walking, cycling or running. Start off gently so you don’t put too much strain on your body.Also good:Yoga for relaxation.Avoid:Anything where you hold your breath, like weight training. Also avoid holding your arms above your head for long periods of time.
- Asthma
Physical activity can actually trigger an asthma attack in some people. Symptoms usually start after you begin moving and get worse about 15 minutes after you stop. Breathing in cold or dry air while exercising can also lead to an asthma attack because these cause the airways to constrict. However, there are some forms of exercise that help improve asthma symptoms.Best exercise:Swimming. The warmth and humidity of the air in a heated swimming pool helps to relax you and your airways while you exercise. Breaststroke is thought to be the best stroke, as it encourages regular controlled breathing and can strengthen your chest muscles. Try not to swim in cold or heavily chlorinated water, as they can both trigger asthma.Also good:Yoga, which can teach you to control your breathing and relax.Avoid:Excessive running, which commonly triggers asthma because it is done for an extended period of time. Scuba diving, mountaineering and skiing can also cause problems.
- osteoporosis
This bone-thinning disease can be extremely debilitating and cause a lot of pain. one of the best ways of preventing it is to do regular weight-bearing exercise. This is because bone is a living tissue that is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Weight-bearing exercises cause muscles and ligaments to pull on the bones, which stimulates them to strengthen and rebuild. If we don’t exercise enough, our body assumes we don’t need them and our bones start to weaken.Best exercise:Weight-bearing exercise (in which you use weights to support your own body) helps build strong bones. Walking is especially good, as is weight training.Also good:Climbing stairs, running, tennis, dancing and aerobics.Avoid:Exercise like running or aerobics if you have already been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Activity that jars your bones may increase your chances of suffering from a broken bone. You’ll need to try gentle walking instead.
- Back problems
If you think lying still will help you recover from a bad back, think again. Inactivity could actually be the cause of back problems. Experts believe not exercising regularly can lead to the spine and the muscles around it being weakened. If you then over-exert yourself, you risk damaging your back. You could also develop bad posture, which can strain the back and cause pain.Best exercise:Activity in general will help but Pilates is particularly good. It works on the body’s core postural muscles, which are crucial for good posture and supporting the back.Also good:Walking, swimming and yoga.Avoid:Exercise that jars the back or involves lots of sudden twisting. If you’re using equipment like gym machines or a Swiss ball, make sure you know what you’re doing and you’re monitored by a trained professional.
- Depression
When you’re depressed, it can be very difficult to motivate yourself to get moving. But it really is worth it. When you exercise, your brain releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which can boost your mood and help you feel better.Best exercise:According to research from the University of California, a vigorous walk can boost your mood more effectively than 400mg of tranquilisers. Another study concluded that just 20 minutes of walking a day can lead to improvements in mental health and regular walks may be as good as a course of counselling.Also good:Dancing, especially to music that you like and makes you feel good, and yoga, because it helps you to relax.Avoid:Setting yourself unrealistic targets. If you decide you should be able to achieve a certain level of activity and don’t reach that goal, it’s not going to help your self-esteem.
- Arthritis
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, in which the cartilage lining in a joint becomes worn, rough and inflamed. It can be caused by general wear and tear or after injury to a joint, and is common among people who regularly play high-impact sports such as tennis or netball. But while it can be the result of certain types of exercise, other physical activity can help reduce symptoms by keeping you mobile and strengthening your muscles, which protects joints.Best exercise:Swimming. The warm water helps to ease stiffness and improves flexibility, while the buoyancy of the water makes the movement low-impact, protecting joints from further damage.Also good:Aqua aerobics, yoga and Pilates.Avoid:High-impact sports like tennis or anything that involves running on hard surfaces.
Did you know…? Stretching is an important part of exercise – it can help you to avoid an injury. But you should never stretch before warming up – you should only stretch warm muscles, not cold ones, or you risk hurting yourself. Do a five to 10 minute gentle warm-up, then stretch for about the same amount of time before starting your workout or exercise programme. Then get into action!
