As we all know, exercise can be beneficial when it is done regularly and the right way. Its benefits include weight loss by burning calories, lowering blood pressure, and controlling blood sugar. It can also lower stress, help with depression, keep bones strong, and decrease cardiovascular risk for stroke & heart attack.
There are three main types of exercise:
· Aerobic exercise raises one’s heart rate and thus burns calories. (e.g. walking, running, sprinting)
· Resistance training helps strengthen muscles. (e.g. weight lifting)
· Stretching helps your muscles and joints move more easily.
However, besides providing benefits to you, exercise can be harmful when you’re not doing it right, either by being unfamiliar with the exercise program you’re doing or being careless with the way you approach exercise. Being prepared before each exercise regimen is important; examples include stretching before and after to prevent muscle/joint injury and staying well hydrated to prevent dehydration.
Some of the common harmful effects of exercise, to name a few, including bodily injury, popping a hernia, or acute rhabdomyolysis and renal failure (especially seen in those individuals who use anabolic steroids or muscle building supplements and are not well-hydrated). Furthermore, exercise can cause a heart attack, especially if you have an underlying coronary artery disease and have been sedentary too long.
If you have any further questions about this topic, please contact our office. I recommend having an exercise stress test before starting your exercise regimen for those with heart disease.
