FITNESS GUIDE
By Mohammed Obarre
Environmental conditions and fitness.
Participant's safety should always be the primary concern of professionals
conducting fitness programs. Exercising in an exceptionally hot, humid
environment or in extreme cold requires both short and long term physiological
adaptations by the body. Professionals and participants should be aware of the
risk these conditions impose and how fitness programs need to be modified for
safe participation.
Extreme caution must be used when exercising in hot, humid weather. The body's
normal temperature is 98.60 F. During exercise, as the body's temperature rises,
several methods are used by the body to cool it. The main methods of cooling is
evaporation. As you exercise, you perspire or sweet, and the evaporation of the
sweat keeps the body temperature within normal limits. When it is hot and when
the relatively humidity reaches 65%, heat loss through evaporation is less
effective, and the body's ability to dissipate heat is impaired. Additionally,
excessive sweating and lack of fluid replacement can lead to dehydration. A
person who is dehydrated stops sweating, and evaporation no longer cools the
body. Heat related problems such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat
stroke can occur under hot and humid conditions.
Heat cramps are muscle cramps, typically in the muscles most used in exercise.
Heat exhaustion is characterized by muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness,
disorientation, nausea, elevated temperature, profuse sweating, rapid pulse, and
collapse. Heat stroke is a life threatening emergency. The symptoms include a
sudden collapse, unconsciousness, rapid pulse, relatively dry skin from lack of
sweating, and a core body is unable to dissipate heat by sweating. If heat
stroke occurs, immediate action is necessary to reduce the temperature of the
body and access medical care.
To prevent heat related problems, use caution when exercising in hot, humid
weather. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise to
replace fluid lost through evaporation.
Cold weather also require precautions be taken during exercise. Conserving heat
is a major concern when exercising in cold weather. Hypothermia, the breakdown
of the body's ability to produce heat, can occur when the weather is between
500F to 600F and it is damp and windy. Hypothermia occurs when the body
temperature drops below 950F. Shivering and loss of coordination initially
occur. As the body's temperature drops further, shivering stops, muscles
stiffen, and unconsciousness occurs. This is a medical emergency, and first aid
efforts should focus on raising the body's temperature and seeking immediate
medical attention.
Extreme cold can also lead to frostbite. To prevent cold related problems,
participants should be aware of the conditions that contribute to hypothermia.
Before exercising, individuals should check both temperature and wind chill to
determine whether it would be dangerous to exercise.
The author is a professional swimming coach and sports consultant based in
Arusha
E- MAIL
kilimanjaroswimingclub@yahoo.com
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