Are You Ready to Exercise?
It seems that everyone is advocating about the
best methods to lose fat
Excessive
exercise can provoke a variety of musculoskeletal injuries, but the big fear, highlighted
by recent cases of death associated with exercisers who are apparently fit, healthy and
young, is that the program will provoke a fatal heart attack. In view of all these, I have
decided to educate the subscribers of Fitness Tutor newsletters about doing a pre-exercise
health appraisal before initiating an exercise program. This is the first
important step you must do before you even think about exercising.
For
most people physical activity should not pose any problem or hazard. The latest Physical
Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), last revised in 2003, has been
designed to identify the small number of adults for whom physical activity might be
inappropriate or those who should have medical advice concerning the type of activity most
suitable for them.
Regular
physical activity is fun and healthy, and increasingly more people are choosing to become
more active every day. Being more active is very safe for most people. However, some
people should check with their doctor before they start becoming much more physically
active.
If
you are planning to become much more physically active than you are now, start by
answering the seven questions in the box below. If you are between the ages of 15 and 69,
the PAR-Q will tell you if you should check with your doctor before you start. If you are
over 69 years of age, and you are not used to being very active, check with your doctor
first.
Common sense is
your best guide when you answer these questions. Please read the questions carefully and
answer each one honestly: check YES or NO.
- Has your doctor ever said
that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended
by a doctor?
- Do you feel pain in your
chest when you do physical activity?
- In the past month, have you
had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
- Do you lose your balance
because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
- Do you have a bone or joint
problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
- Is your doctor currently
prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart?
- Do you know of any other
reason why you should not do physical activity?
If you answered YES to one or more questions:
- Talk with your doctor by phone or in
person BEFORE you start becoming much more physically active or BEFORE you have a fitness
appraisal. Tell your doctor about the PAR-O and which questions you answered YES.
- You may be able to do any activity you
want - as long as you start slowly and build up gradually. Or, you may need to restrict
your activities to those which are safe for
you. Talk with your doctor about the kinds of activities you wish to participate in and
follow his/her advice.
Find
out which community programs are safe and helpful for you.
If you answered NO honestly to all PAR-Q questions, you can be
reasonably sure that you can:
- start becoming much more physically active - begin slowly and build
up gradually. This is the safest and easiest way to go.
- take part in a fitness
appraisal - this is an excellent way to determine your basic fitness so that you can plan
the best way for you to live actively.
DELAY
BECOMING MUCH MORE ACTIVE:
- If you are not feeling well
because of temporary illness such as a cold or a fever – wait until you feel
better; or
- If you are or may be
pregnant – talk to your doctor before you start becoming more active
Please note:
If your health changes so that you then answer YES to any of the above questions, tell
your fitness or health professional. Ask whether you should change your physical activity
plan.
Informed Use of the PAR-Q: The Canadian Society for
Exercise Physiology, Health Canada, and their agents assume no liability for persons who
undertake physical activity, and if in doubt after completing this questionnaire, consult
your doctor prior to physical activity.
