Understanding

Sport & Exercise Medicine

By Professor Greg McLatchie

IMPORTANT NOTICE
This information is intended not as a substitute for personal medical advice but as a supplement to that advice for the patient who wishes to understand more about his or her condition.
Before taking any form of treatment YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.
In particular (without limit) you should note that advances in medical science occur rapidly and some of the information about drugs and treatment may very soon be out of date.

Contents

Introduction

The body and exercise

All about training

When extra care is needed

Diet in sport and exercise

Drug and lifestyle issues

Sports injuries

Different types of injury

Serious injuries and emergencies

Useful addresses

Introduction

Although the proliferation of magazines, newspaper articles and TV programmes devoted to fitness might suggest that more and more people are taking up exercise, the reality is very different. Many people get hardly any exercise at all, travelling everywhere by car or public transport and never using the stairs when a lift or escalator is available. In fact, many more people watch sport than actually take part in it.
Health experts and Government advisory committees are constantly urging all of us to take more exercise, but is there really good evidence that doing so will benefit our health? The answer is a very definite yes. A mass of research studies has shown that men and women whose lives include some regular physical exertion feel better and are less prone to develop a whole range of conditions, from heart disease to osteoporosis (brittle bones). Forty years ago, a study in London showed that bus conductors who ran up and down stairs all day long had fewer heart attacks than their colleagues who sat down and drove the buses. Since then, many other researchers have confirmed that regular exercise reduces the chances of dying of heart disease. Not only are they healthier, but most people who exercise regularly also look leaner and in better shape.
In contrast, being physically inactive means that you find any kind of exertion a pain and you tire easily, regardless of your age. What is more, your muscles gradually become weaker and your bones less dense. If you do try to start jogging or playing tennis, for example, you become exhausted within a few minutes.
The longer you remain inactive, the worse this state of unfitness becomes. Regular exercise, however, can turn it around at any age.

THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
• Your heart becomes stronger and works more efficiently

• You can lose weight if you combine exercise and healthy eating

• You feel better about yourself

• You are less likely to be anxious or depressed and feel more positive

• You may be able to bring down a slightly raised blood pressure to normal

• Your levels of cholesterol and other blood fats will be healthier

• You are likely to drink less alcohol and cut down or stop smoking

• Women are likely to have healthier pregnancies

• You are less likely to suffer from low back pain

• You will feel positive benefits if you have a specific health problem, such as lung disease, diabetes, arthritis or renal disease, or have had an organ transplantation

• You will find that it helps with your rehabilitation if you have cancer or are suffering the effects of cancer treatments

• You are less likely to be off work and achieve more while you’re there

This book is in two sections. The first section sets out to explain what happens to the body during exercise, how its various systems respond to training, and why such changes are beneficial. The chapter on training explains what it is, and how to go about choosing the right programme for your needs. Exercise is only one part of healthy living, and the other components – nutrition, rest, special dietary supplements and drug/alcohol use – are also discussed.
The second section deals with common sports and exercise-related problems and injuries, and how to avoid becoming a casualty. Specific injuries common to many sports are detailed, together with the appropriate treatment.
Everyone should exercise and, although the first-time aerobics class member and the marathon runner are at opposite ends of the spectrum, their problems and concerns are likely to be similar in some respects. We hope that you’ll find this a useful guide whether you’re an uncertain amateur, a regular weekend participant or someone for whom sport is far more than just a healthy pastime.

KEY POINTS

♦ Many people get hardly any exercise at all

♦ Men and women whose lives include some regular physical exertion feel better and are less susceptible to a wide range of illnesses