JOIN USWhile exercising is good for a healthy lifestyle, too much of it can harm your body! Doctors warn that excessive exercising, particularly by beginners, may be dangerous for bones.
Dr Jayant Arora, orthopaedics consultant at Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, says in general exercising is good for the body. But it can come with negative effects if people go over board.
“People who don’t exercise generally suddenly start doing heavy weight exercises, can encounter multiple injuries not just in bones but muscles too. Beginners especially, in excitement, start doing long-distance running. It poses the risk of stress fracture in the foot,” he says.
“I know many who want to participate in marathons and in the runup to it, start running for 2-3 kms every day. This when they are not even used to walking. They develop bone bruises which are not visible in X-rays. The right way is to begin is with brisk walking and then move to short-distance running. Then there are people who run everyday for 6-8 kms. If this is continued for 10-15 years regularly, the chances of that person developing arthritis is much higher,” adds Dr Jayant.
The health experts caution that beginning workouts in gym with heavy weights can be “disastrous.” Running on treadmill or doing weightlifts everyday for more than half-an-hour will start showing impact on knees over a period of time.
Dr Rajeev K Sharma, senior consultant orthopedics and joint replacement
surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, says excessive exercising that tests the limits of body’s strength can cause sprains in the wrist, neck and back or hurt the muscles. It can also cause damage to shoulders and knees.
“Running on a treadmill for more than 30 minutes a day can damage your knee as it is different from running on ground. You are trying to match the speed of the machine. Similarly, if weight is lifted beyond what the muscles can withstand, its impact is transferred to the spine. Its milder effects can be wrist sprain, elbow pain and sprain in neck,” points out Dr Rajeev.
Exercise should be done in a manner that each day a week, the stress is on one part of the body. “One day focus on chest exercise, the other day on arms and so on.
This allows that particular part of the body to recover. Also, do not keep doing same exercise everyday. This mentoring should come from the gym instructor. Each day working out for 45 minutes is enough,” advises Dr Jayant.
Begin with cardio exercises or warm up, move on to weight training and conclude with stretching for 10 to 15 minutes each. Don’t forget to change running shoes every six months else they cause heel pain.