If you have had some time out from regular exercise, had an injury which has prevented you from exercising or have never participated in regular exercise before, there are some important factors to consider before leaping
into your new fitness routine to ensure you exercise safely.
Consult your GP
Your first port of call should be your GP who will assess your cardiovascular and respiratory system and advise you of any specific limitations you may have for your exercise capacity.
Once you have had the ‘green light’ from your GP, then the next step should be to choose an exercise regime that seems like fun and is appealing to you…you’ll be sure to ‘fall off the wagon’ pretty quick if you are imposing a regime on yourself that is not interesting, enjoyable and fun to participate in!
The right guidance and instruction is paramount at this stage to ensure that your introduction to exercise is safe and effective towards your goals.
Seek Advice
It is important that you have a structured approach to your progression of exercise so that your body is challenged at the appropriate level to ensure optimal improvements in fitness without risking overtraining and causing overuse soft tissue injuries. As physiotherapists we commonly treat injuries that have occurred through overenthusiastic training regimes which load the musculoskeletal system to much and too soon.
This is very frustrating for the individual who has often invested much physical and mental energy in a change in lifestyle and a commitment to better health.
Seek advice from your physio on how to safely build up strength, endurance, control and cardiovascular fitness.
We can help you avoid those common pitfalls in returning to exercise. Other professionals also play a vital role to assist you in minimising risks of injury.
For example, podiatrists can help in optimising the foot biomechanics in weight bearing exercise and exercise physiologists can guide individuals with chronic health issues through appropriate, supervised group exercises.
Don’t Give Up!
Lastly, it is important to acknowledge and congratulate yourself on your commitment to a new lifestyle and better health!
It certainly takes a lot of commitment and dedication to reap the rewards that flow from having a healthy body and mind.
If you would like to find out how to safely build up strength, endurance, control and cardiovascular fitness; Book an appointment with MyPhysioSA at Mount Barker or North Adelaide.
