Exercise Safety Tips: Warm-up, Stretching, and Proper Attire

1. Lifetime Fitness (part 3)Exercising Safely

2. Safety first • About 80% of all injuries can be prevented with knowledge and common sense • 70% of injuries start out small and gradually become worse • Warm up • Stretch 10-15 minutes • Warms up muscles and Slowly increases your heart rate • Cool down • 10-15 minutes • Relaxes muscles and Helps heart rate return to normal • (Does not prevent muscles soreness)

3. Stretching • Static stretching – • Best way to increase range of motion • Long term use most likely limits amount of injuries (improved range of motion) • Slight performance hindering effects if right before a workout/race/game. (like slack after stretching a rubber band) • Dynamic stretching- • Better used during warm-up • Keep heart rate up

4. Vocab Biomechanics • Study of human motion and the effect of the forces have on the body Warm-up • Beginning phase of the training session Lactic acid • A body waste product found in the muscles and tissues • Not the reason for being sore or “hitting the wall” Diaphragm • Muscle separating the chest and abdominal cavity Cool-down • Tapering off period after completing the conditioning phase of training

5. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness(DOMS) • Tiny tears and damage in the muscles. • Not from build up of lactic acid • Cooling down and stretching does not prevent muscle soreness. • Does help tight muscles. - Difference between being sore and being tight

6. Selecting Exercise Clothing • Clothing not suited for the weather can cause serious health problems • Hot = cotton or synthetic fibers • It is light and allows air movement to help evaporate perspiration • Comfortable and loose fitting • Exemption swimming, skiing, cycling • Light colored or white • Reflect sun’s rays • Night = white or reflective clothing • Socks • Fit tightly • Synthetic material (not cotton socks) • Need to be clean to protect against athlete’s foot

7. Footwear • Type of activity • Running shoes meant for straight forward movement • Other shoes meant for lateral movement • Arch type • Low, medium, or high • Try shoes on late in afternoon since your foot swells throughout the day • Walk or run in the shoes at the store • Don’t think they will stretch out • Shoes last around 300 – 400 miles • The cushion of the shoes wears out before the sole

8. Biomechanics • Gait cycle • the movement of the foot from heel strike to midstance to toe off. • Heel strike • Initial point of contact for most people (some are forefoot strikers). • Point of highest impact, creating a force three to six times greater than a person’s bodyweight. • Toe off • Propulsion stage Bigpeachrunnigco.com

9. Pronation • Pronation is the normal, natural rolling in of the foot. • The question is how you pronate? • Over, under, or neutral Over Pronation • Excessively rolling in of the foot. • unstable position puts added stress on the inside portion of the foot Under Pronation • Rolling out of the foot (very uncommon)

10. Exercise in hot weather • Your muscles produce heat, this heat must be removed form you body • Otherwise, quick and dangerous rise in body temp. • As body sweats it cools down, warm blood from muscles are able to cool • If you become dehydrated= blood volume decreases, causing less blood to move to skin to be cooled. • Less heat is lost • You can increase your ability to withstand heat by regularly exercising in it • Try to plan exercise for coolest part of the day (sun ray’s most intense 11a.m. – 2p.m.) • Cut back on length and intensity • Humidity makes cooling difficult • Never wear tight clothing

11. Fluid replacement • Don’t wait until you are thirsty to begin drinking water • Try to drink a couple of cups of water an hour before exercising • Try to drink every 15 minutes while exercising • If workout is • less than 90 minutes = drink water • More than 90 minutes = sport drink or gel • Diluting with 50% water may prevent cramps • High sugar sport drinks slow down absorption of fluid from the digestive tract • Avoid caffeine and alcohol • Speeds up urine function causing dehydration • Frequent trips to bathroom and clear urine indicate hydration • Dark colored urine indicate dehydration

12. Heat index • Makes the effects of the heat much worse • Air temperature + relative humidity = how hot it feels • Human body normally cools itself by sweating, as sweat evaporates it carries heat away from the body • but when humidity is high, water doesn't evaporate as quickly, so the body retains more heat. • If the temp. is 85 and the humidity is at 90% then feels like 102

14. Heat Related Disorders Heat Cramps • Affected muscle contracts violently and uncontrollably • Symptoms • thirst, nausea, clammy skin, chills and/or increased heart rate • Treatment • stop activity, massage the muscle, replace fluids

15. Heat Exhaustion • Fatigue, weakness and collapse • Symptoms • pale, wet skin, heavy perspiration, nausea, and rapid, shallow breathing • Treatment • stop activity, move to cool, shaded area, apply wet towels, drink large amount of fluids, seek medical attention

16. Heatstroke • Can be life-threatening • Brain shuts down the sweating mechanism to prevent additional water loss • Symptoms • hot, dry skin, very high body temperature, sudden collapse and possible unconsciousness • Treatment • seek medical attention, apply ice packs to head, remove clothing and apply ice, cold water, wet towels

17. Exercise in cold weather • Try to conserve body heat • Air temp., wind chill, dampness • Fatigue • Lower body’s temperature • Hypothermia • Breakdown in the body’s ability to produce heat • Body temp. below 95 degrees TIPS • Wear several layers of light clothing • Wear a head covering • Try wearing a mask or scarf • Wear sunglasses when exercising in the snow on a bright day • Get used to exercising in cold weather gradually • Easier to pull a muscle in the cold

18. Other Cautions • Skin cancer • Wear sunscreen/sunblock • Wear a sunscreen of at least 15 SPF • Sunburns increase risk • Moles - ABCD • (Asymmetry, Bleeding/unevenness on edges, Color, Diameter or size) • Pollution • Schedule exercise routes to pass through major intersections before traffic builds up • Monitor reports on air quality • When pollutants are too high, move your workout indoors • Lightning strikes • Don’t stand near metal objects, under isolated tree, open field, lake, or mountain top • Stay in automobile or shelter • Count seconds between flash of lightning and thunder

19. Using hand, ankle, and vest weights • Walking with weights increases intensity of effort and calories burned per minute. • Do not use them while running or aerobics • Can increase risk of bone, joint, and connective tissue injuries

20. Common injuries Muscle soreness • Tiny tears in muscle and connective tissue and some swelling • Gentle stretching and limit usage Muscle cramps • Powerful involuntary muscle contractions • Causes • Dehydration • Electrolyte imbalance (loss of potassium and sodium from excessive sweating) • Injury (surrounding muscles may contract to protect injured muscle/joint) • Inadequate physical conditioning • Overexertion • Solutions • Stretching, ice, massage

21. Injury treatment • R.I.C.E. • R rest injured part • I ice reduces inflammation and pain • C compression or pressure reduce blood flow and swelling • E elevation decreases internal bleeding and swelling • Heat can be used after 48 hours • Usually for tight muscles or joints before exercise

22. Side stitch • Sharp pain in upper abdomen • Usually when you first begin a workout regime • Causes • Muscle cramp – vigorous exercise before abs muscles can warm up and/or breathing incorrectly. Thus, muscles do not get enough oxygen. Muscle then goes into spasm • A spasm in the diaphragm caused by rapid breathing due to uncommon activity. • Reduced blood flow to the area because of other body demands • Solution • Slow down or stop • Take deep breaths • Stretch muscles on side of abs

23. Heel pain • A.k.a. “stone bruise” • Causes • Pounding of heel on hard surfaces • Causing a swelling • Standing for long periods at a time or Being over weight adds to pressure • Solutions • Wear adequately cushioned shoes • Avoid running on hard surfaces • Heel cup • Low impact exercising • Ice

24. Shin Splints • Prolonged running on hard surfaces sometimes cause an inflammation and tearing of muscles and soft tissues of the lower leg. • Solutions • RICE • Stretching • Complete rest

25. Sprains • Injuries to the ligaments or capsule like sac that surrounds a joint • Causes • Movement of the joint beyond normal range of motion • Trauma, which overstretches the tissue • Treatment • Time off • RICE • Sometimes you may not be able to tell a sprain from a more serious injury (like a fracture) except by x-ray

26. Muscle Strains • If muscles are forced into unaccustomed exercise, they may overstretch, causing a pull or strain. Sometimes tearing muscle fibers. • The muscle will contract, swell, and stiffen • If fibers are torn completely, surgical repair and physical therapy are often necessary • Solutions • RICE, followed with moist heat, and stretching • If pain continues see a Dr.