Abstract
The benefits of engaging in Physical activity are outlined in this paper. The dangers associated with it are also elaborated. Emphasis is put on the core advantages to the health and the fitness of an individual who is involved in physical activity. The contribution of Physical activity to the wholeness of an individual is examined by detail. Finally, the solutions to the shortcomings of physical activity are explained in detail.
Keywords: Physical activity, fitness, intensity, respiration, health, diet, range of motion.
Physical activity is defined as any form of motion of the body that contributes to the overall healthy condition and physical fitness of a human being. This includes activities such as jogging, push-ups and walking. Physical activity is always carried out for a myriad of motives. Research shows that regular physical exercise has a lot of healthy benefits not only to the growing child, but also to an adult. It helps people to keep in shape. Experts argue that one of the major benefits of physical exercise is helping in managing weight. When used in combination with the appropriate diet depending on the desired results, physical exercise helps an individual to maintain a healthy weight. The management of weight involves the prevention of unhealthy weight loss of weight or weight gain. The body weight of an individual is reflective of their overall health. The body weight is a measure of the calories that are stored in the body. When one takes in food, it is broken down into calories that are stored in the form of glucagon and fat which contribute to the body weight. Muscle activity burns these calories in respiration to derive the energy needed for motion. Nevertheless, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the risks associated with excessive exercising particularly for athletes. It is the view expressed in this paper that although many past researches have established a number of benefits for doing exercises, newest researches have shown that there are dangers and disadvantages of doing such exercises in excess.
Research has shown that individuals who suffer from heart complications, for example, cannot partake in physical exercise. The regular form of physical exercise demands a lot from the heart. Due to the use of oxygen by the muscles during physical exercise, the heart has to pump more blood in order to supply the respiring tissues with more blood. As a result this increases the load of the heart. This is primarily particular with long distance athletes like marathon runners, decathlon and triathlons. These athletes are forced to carry out vigorous exercises so as to be able to withstand not only difficult terrains but unfavorable climate as well. In such situations, the heart is often overworked and as such become vulnerable to heart related illnesses. This aside, the extensive straining of their muscles could result in muscle damage.
For people who suffer from congenital heart disorders, on the other hand, this creates a strain in the heart since it cannot keep up with the demand for oxygenated blood. Pregnant women also cannot carry out exercise of high intensity. This is because it may expose them to complications such as miscarriages. As a result the health condition of such a person may deteriorate rather than improve when they become involved in physical activity (Wright). Emphasis, here, is laid on the strain that the heart has to endure the different types of people, that is, athletes, people with heart illnesses and pregnant women. Nevertheless, proper exercising will guarantee good health and a strong heart while excessive exercises may damage the heart.
Proper exercising has been said to help in the prevention and fight of many types of illnesses and medical conditions. With little or no exercise the extra calories build up in the system and are stored in the form of fat. This fat tends to clog blood vessels especially those supplying blood to the heart. This is the genesis of many heart conditions that are responsible for many deaths globally. Physical exercise not only helps in burning these extra calories but also leads to the generation of a good form of the fats known as high density lipoprotein. This form of fats helps to boost the immune system and this saves one from many life-threatening heath conditions. In addition to this, research shows that physical exercise helps to facilitate smooth blood flow (Schoolwires). This helps to prevent the incidence of blood pressure and many heart conditions. However, as seen above, excessive exercising would result in the demand for more food and nutrients. In such a case, this proves to be counter-productive. Also, as described below, exercising as way to fighting illnesses is not as guaranteed as we tend to believe.
The issue of health is dependent on the individual and the amount of exercise he/she is undertaking. For instance, physical exercise is not appropriate for all kinds of people. This is particular with individuals who are used to exercising every day. If these exercises are extensive and then suddenly stopped, the individual is often faced with a number of problems. These changes can be in terms of feelings and mood. This often develops into depression and as such lays a foundation for opportunistic illnesses such as major depressive disorder (unipolar depression). If this premise is considered, then we can ascertain that while exercises may be seen as supporting the development of good health, they can as well contribute to its deterioration.
Also, it is worthwhile mentioning that good and proper exercise goes hand in hand with proper dietary demands. In this regard therefore, if an individual is not in a position to provide for these dietary demands, they will most likely be vulnerable to certain illnesses associated with deficiency of nutrients. In this regard therefore, there is no guarantee that physical exercising, especially when carried out excessively, will contribute to good health. To better illustrate this, we will consider a pregnant woman. A pregnant woman is often advised to go for walks and carry out light exercises with the aim of ensuring proper blood circulation and reducing the risk of hypertension. However, when these women are subjected to extensive exercises, the opposite of this initiative will be realized. To begin with, they will raise their blood pressure levels and therefore fall victim to hypertension. Secondly, with the new weight of the baby steadily increasing, some exercises may strain the development of the baby leading to miscarriages. Having said this, exercising is not a certified way of reducing illnesses especially among the old with heart problems and pregnant women.
Another benefit that has been attributed to proper exercising is that it is responsible for the overall physical fitness of an individual. Exercise is a fundamental requirement for strong muscles and robust bones. The bone density and muscle strength usually decrease ones age advances. However, research has shown that the individuals who are physically active experience the muscular and bone degeneration at a delayed rate compared to those who are not physically active. In addition to this, human joints are usually molded in such a way that they necessitate movement for them to be healthy and fully functional (Schoolwires). The joints are also interconnected with many muscles and ligaments. The frequency of motion of the joints and the range of movement that they are exposed to has a great influence to the flexibility of the joints.
On the other hand, physical exercise of high intensity is highly taxing to the respiratory and the cardiovascular systems. For instance, athletes who participate in compound marathons are subject to the adverse effects of physical exercise. It causes a lot of strain to the organs in these body systems. When organs in the body are strained, the chances of one experiencing organ failures are increased. It may cause an athlete to collapse after a marathon due to exhaustion. People also report cases of scaring of the heart muscles and cardiac arrhythmia. This is responsible for dismal performance in the competitions where the athletes are involved in competitions. In some extreme incidences, excessive exercise causes damage to body muscles, for example, the Achilles tendon damage in over-performing athletes and ballet dancers. Prolonged pain is also associated with over-exercising.
When exercises are done for fitness purposes, especially for athletes and dancers who push their bodies to excessive limits, this could prove to be counterproductive. This is further heightened when there is no proper rest between these exercises. Intense cardiovascular exercises have been linked to the scarring of the heart. Also, chronic pain has been associated with overworking body organs and heel and knee problems, for example, have been characteristic of athletes (Wright). In this regard, benefits such as sleep are becomes less significant when the general health of the individual is in question (National Sleep Foundation). However, this shortcoming should not discourage patients suffering from heart conditions and pregnant women from enjoying the benefits that physical exercise brings to their lives. This is because there are guidelines that give instructions on the way the individuals are supposed to carry out their physical exercises. They should reduce the intensity of the physical exercise to levels that their hearts can manage. Such people are also advised to carry out physical exercise under the guidance of a trained fitness trainer. The trainer will develop a routine that is appropriate considering the health condition of the patient. Under a controlled setting, the individuals suffering from heart conditions will enjoy the benefits that come with physical exercise just like the normal individuals.
In conclusion, physical exercise is the foundation of impressive health status. There are many benefits that are enjoyed from physical exercise by people from all walks of life. Every person should make it a personal objective to have at least 150 minutes of physical exercise weekly. This will go a long way in enhancing the wellbeing and physical fitness of an individual. In the event one has more specific goals like weight loss or muscle toning, the routine can be adjusted to cater for the needs of the individual. This might involve increasing the weekly duration or intensity of the physical exercise. Nonetheless, as we have established from our discussion above, we should not carry out exercises in excess. Excessive exercising has been attributed to heart failures, straining of body muscles and body organs, weight gain and other health related risks. This information is useful for women who are obsessed with maintaining attractive bodies and as such go to the extent of carrying out certain exercises that compromise this. Furthermore, athletes in the fields of marathons, long distance races, decathlon, triathlon, body builders and dancers should consider the limit to which they can subject their bodies to. Pregnant women should also get advice on proper training requirements and procedures to help reduce pregnancy related illnesses. When all said and done, we have to remember that although many past researches have established a number of benefits for doing exercises, newest researches have shown that there are dangers and disadvantages of doing such exercises in excess.
Works Cited
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National Sleep Foundation. Physical Activity Impacts The Overall Quality of Sleep. 6 december 2011. 19 april 2014 <http://www.leepfoundation.org/sleep-news/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-of-sleep>.
Schoolwires. Physical Education-Wellness/ Five Types of Exercise. 2013. 19 April 2014 <http://www. hbgsd.k12.pa.us/page/523>.
Wright, Dr. Mitchelle. Pregnancy and Physical Activity. 17 december 2013. 19 april 2014 <http://www.patient.co.uk/Health/pregnency-and-physical-activity>.
