Stretching Advice for the Labor Day Weekend Warrior
It never fails. The weekend hits and people try to make up for lost time. Some binge drink, some lose themselves in home improvement projects, and some exercise like they have never exercised before. These weekend warriors are at risk for exercise-related injuries. In fact, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says 150,000 people between ages 45 and 64 visit the emergency room each year for treatment of exercise-related injuries.
Working our safely and effectively is not guess work. There are guidelines to follow. First, you should never workout without the approval of your doctor if you have had chest pain or unexplained light-headedness, if you smoke, or if you have any chronic disease such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, emphysema, or osteoporosis. Second, you must know your limits. Know your heart rate at all times and know where you should keep your heart rate to minimize your risk of a serious event. Third, you should include a warm-up, stretching exercises, and a cool down. It may seem like a waste of time, but your workout will be more effective and much safer than just going out while screaming “bombs away!”
If you are unsure of the safety of your routine or of your physical limits during exercise, consult an exercise professional.
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.
