Chronic Illness Changes Parameters For Outside Exercise
My cardiac and pulmonary patients often ask me, “How will I know if it’s too hot to exercise outside?”
My answer to someone who is physically compromised in some way is, ”When the sum of the ambient temperature and the relative humidity is greater than 150, it is best to move exercise inside into an air conditioned room or wait until later in the day when those numbers go down.” For example, a noontime temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 88 percent far exceed this guideline for safe outdoor exercise.
Individuals living with chronic disease, including heart disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, or cancer, should use extra caution when exercising – especially outdoors. Excess heat and high humidity can tax the heart and lungs and make it difficult for these organs to keep up with the increased demands of exercise. Other outdoor exercise rules also apply: drink more water, wear sunscreen and light, breathable clothing, and modify your routine so that your heart rate remains in your training zone.
If you have a chronic illness, it is best to get your doctor’s clearance before you begin and to consult with an exercise professional to determine safe parameters for your exercise routine, i.e. heart rate, blood pressure, duration, intensity, frequency, and conditions for exercise.
About the Author
Peggy Kraus is a clinical exercise physiologist at Southampton Hospital in New York. She received her Masters degree in Professional Physical Education from New York University and after many years in commercial and corporate fitness settings has been in the cardiac and pulmonary rehab setting now for 10 years. Her job duties include educating rehab patients about the link between exercise, nutrition, and good health. Peggy has been published in IDEA’s Fitness Journal and in AFAA’s American Fitness, and her continuing education course, Atherosclerosis: Causes, Consequences, and Treatments, is offered in CEU4U’s nursing course catalog.
