health and sports
The world of health and sports:
There has been a great development in recent decades on the concept of sport
and the practice of exercise and the need to practice sports by different ages
for both sexes, so that it has become a required and even necessary need for
the various benefits that accrue to health, especially that the issue of
physical fitness has become an important matter for healthy people and those
who suffer from some chronic diseases. Where exercise plays an important role
in prevention and treatment.
Statistics indicate a high incidence of age-related diseases among individuals
who have a low level of physical activity and have a low level of physical
fitness.
We can realize this practically by comparing two groups, the first living a
quiet life and having less motor activity, and a second group whose members
practice physical activity in terms of blood pressure, heart rate count, the
maximum amount of oxygen consumed, muscle strength and ability to do effort
and weight comparison, we find that the positive points will be in favor of
those who engage in physical activity Regularly.
Therefore, in developed countries, we find that the participation of large
numbers of people engages in various sports activities appropriate to their
ages, with continued and regular performance to gain fitness. We also note
that the encouragement to exercise is no longer limited to athletes, but has
extended to become a focus of interest from health-conscious physicians. And
medical and sports workers, and the issue of physical fitness has become an
obsession for many and the focus of their attention.
Therefore, it is necessary to address the definition of physical fitness and
what are the elements of physical fitness? And how to measure it? And the
means that allow us to develop our physical fitness, whether for the athlete
or for the average individual, whether small or large, healthy or suffering
from health problems.
Fitness concept:
The concept of physical fitness for an athlete differs from that of an
ordinary individual. To be fit, the athlete must have the ability to withstand
long-term muscular effort and endurance to perform the sporting activity
required of him.
As for the concept of physical fitness for the average person, it is related
to the ability to carry out the burdens of daily life with ease and ease with
the ability to do the emergency effort when necessary while maintaining good
health and psychological satisfaction as much as possible.
The components of physical fitness can be enumerated and abbreviated as
follows:
Muscles (strength, flexibility). Respiratory circulatory system. Weight and
physique. Neuromuscular compliance.
The greater the ability to move muscles and joints, the greater the
flexibility, and the greater the muscle growth and training to withstand the
effort, the greater the fitness of muscle strength, agility, and the ability
to perform rapid follow-up movements.
The respiratory and cardiac systems also have an important role in increasing
the ability to perform physical activity and carry out physical burdens.
In addition, physical fitness improves and develops with increasing muscle
structure, decreasing fatty tissue in the body, and maintaining an appropriate
weight.
There is no doubt that neuromuscular compatibility develops by gaining muscle
strength and the ability to perform movements in the shortest possible time.
It is known that any physical effort increases energy consumption and the need
for more oxygen, which is an important element in the continuation of physical
activity. An adequate amount of oxygen is provided during the sports activity
by increasing the absorption of a larger amount of air, and this happens in
the so-called aerobic sports such as walking, jogging and swimming. And
cycling, but if the amount of oxygen becomes insufficient for the continuation
of sports activity and this happens due to exerting an effort that exceeds the
physical ability, the process of supplying the body with energy is carried out
through an anaerobic combustion process, where sugar is decomposed in the
absence of oxygen, as happens in the last stages of races.
fitness measure:
Before delving into the facts related to physical activity, it is necessary to
address the lifestyle that people lived in the past, where amenities and
comfort were not available as it is at the present time. And physical fitness
through the lifestyle he lives, which imposes on him activity and vitality,
because work and the various means of life depended on physical ability and
physical efficiency.
In order to know the fitness of any individual, there are ways to measure it
through which the individual's physical and physical ability can be
identified.
What concerns us in this field is to address the measurement of cardiac and
respiratory fitness, and this is done by measuring the maximum capacity of the
body to consume oxygen while exerting the maximum possible physical effort, as
the maximum oxygen consumption can increase during intense exercise to 10-20
times.
There are multiple methods of measurement used to assess the function of the
cardiovascular system and this is done in physiological laboratories using:
- Treadmill test
Bicycle Ergo Meter
There are simple ways to measure cardiorespiratory or aerobic fitness, such as
measuring the time required to run a certain distance a mile or a mile and a
half, or measuring the distance traveled during a 12-minute run, thus
measuring the body’s ability to take and transfer oxygen to tissues and
muscles.
Also, physical fitness tests for young people and young adults can be used
as a guide in choosing the appropriate physical activity.
And that the frequency of the test can give a clear idea of the amount of
development that has been made on fitness.
Awareness of the importance of physical activity:
The life of many in our contemporary world has become dependent on the
comforts and physical well-being that civilization provides for us. Movement
has become less and physical activity does not exist except in a narrow
range, in addition to psychological and life pressures, which leads to a
life in which the proportion of health risks to which the individual is
exposed. That the rate of heart disease increases with the increase in
reliance on comfort and luxury and the lethargy associated with a diet in
which there are excess amounts of energy needed by the body, so weight
increases with it, blood pressure rises, and arteriosclerosis increases, and
the incidence of heart diseases in general, such as angina pectoris,
increases.
The possibility of achieving physical benefits for the average individual
can be achieved by following a moderate-intensity training program that does
not cause fatigue and stress and increases gradually to a certain extent
that can be done without causing damage or injury to the person.
The important question is how to reach community members to urge them to
participate in the performance of physical exercise and to show the health
benefits that will benefit them after changing their daily habits and adding
movement.
The way to that is to show those benefits for all ages and for both sexes to
encourage them to start and continue according to firm foundations because
achieving this goal requires health and social awareness to ensure that
individuals participate in physical activity programs.
The role of the media in this is not hidden, especially with the
participation of star athletes, as their influence will be on young people
and youth in highlighting the role of sport and its impact on the general
appearance of the individual and to keep them away from harmful and bad
habits such as smoking, and to make it clear to them that sport is a way to
gain physical skills and physical capabilities and improve the psychological
state and mood, with Clarify that sport is a way to maintain health and
well-being from chronic diseases and help treat them, as positive
physiological changes come as a natural result of physical activity.
Prepare to perform physical exercises:
Before performing the exercises, you must prepare for them with flexibility
exercises for the muscles and joints, and this is important for everyone,
whether athletes or those wishing to exercise any sports.
Flexibility exercises for athletes may include all parts of the body or
specific parts of the body according to each type of sport to reach the
required and appropriate muscle and joint flexibility.
As for muscular strength exercises, they may be specific to athletes without
the normal individuals practicing sports, and usually require muscle stress
and training for repeated periods in order to develop and grow. For example,
running for long distances develops the strength of the muscles of the lower
limbs.
For athletes, the purpose of training is to acquire and develop certain
skills according to a program that helps develop the athlete’s performance
in sports participation and competitions.
And an important point to be aware of is that the purpose of participating
in any sports program does not bear fruit until after a period of time, so
you should not rush or make an effort that exceeds personal energy,
otherwise the results will be counterproductive and sports injuries will
occur and the pathological injury will be exacerbated if it is present.
Therefore, it must be understood that through exercise we want to improve
our health, physical fitness and general appearance. As for the focus on
acquiring technical sports skills, it is a matter for athletes.
The goal must also be clear by choosing the appropriate sports activity,
preferably within a close age group, with preparation for this participation
in sports clothing, choosing the right place and the appropriate timing
without exposure to a very hot or cold weather, and following the
instructions when performing physical exercises, as any injury will
frustrate the owner and push him to stay away from the activity.
The importance of exercise for chronic diseases:
1- Cardiac diseases.
Inactivity is one of the risk factors that lead to arterial disease in
adults.
The incidence and risk increase significantly in the case of smoking and
high blood pressure with a high level of cholesterol and fats in the
blood, and the incidence of ischemic heart disease becomes expected at any
moment.
But when patients exposed to these risks engage in physical activity, they
achieve success in avoiding injury, and by a large percentage.
Aerobic exercises such as walking for a distance of 2-3 kilometers or for
half an hour is considered necessary, especially for people who have any
risk factors such as high pressure and high level of fats in the blood.
Aerobic exercises will help to stay away from unhealthy and harmful habits
such as smoking.
2- Prevention of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure leads to multiple health problems, and the positive
effect of sports on blood pressure is proven. Doing physical activity
helps reduce blood pressure, and this is especially beneficial in the case
of a slight or medium rise, but when the pressure rises significantly,
treatment and resort to sports in this case. It is considered an adjunct
to treatment, and the truth is that low blood pressure occurs in the event
of relaxation and comfort after exercising, but this does not apply to
some sports that require constant muscular effort such as wrestling and
weightlifting due to the effort and muscle contraction associated with
psychological stress. Therefore, patients are not allowed to Therefore,
aerobic exercises (walking, jogging, swimming, cycling) are suitable for
normal individuals despite the slight increase in blood pressure during
activity or effort because it begins to decline after minutes.
3- Rehabilitation of heart patients.
Establishing an appropriate and special program for motor activity and
performing regular exercises will benefit these patients, as exercise
affects in two ways the first improving physical fitness and the second
helping to strengthen the heart muscle itself. Therefore, we notice in
individuals who regularly engage in physical activity a decrease in heart
rate as well as a decrease in the rate blood pressure compared to
sedentary, sedentary individuals.
4- Osteoporosis or osteoporosis.
Regular sport is an aid to the prevention of osteoporosis, as it increases
bone mass during childhood and youth years, and usually in middle ages,
the decrease in bone mass is equal in men and women, and this accelerates
in women after menstruation stops, and this makes women more vulnerable
for osteoporosis and fractures.
Women who engage in sports from the age of 20 to the age of 80 at least
three times a week are less likely to develop osteoporosis compared to
sedentary women of the same age.
5- Diabetes mellitus.
Studies have shown that exercise increases the effectiveness of insulin
secretion and thus increases glucose burning. Exercise also helps maintain
normal weight from gaining.
6- Malignant tumors.
There is research that indicates that a sedentary life increases the risk
of breast and colon cancer.
7- Mental health.
Sports activity has a noticeable benefit in developing the individual’s
ability to withstand psychological stress due to a decrease in the level
of stress after doing sports activity, and in depressed patients to
improve mood, as well as in those who suffer from anxiety or sleep
disturbance due to the body’s need, especially the muscular and nervous
system, to rest after effort and burn energy.
8- Prevention of disability in old age.
Getting used to doing sports activities from an early age is beneficial in
old age.
Studies have proven that the incidence of disability or inability to carry
out the burdens of daily life in old age increases in inactive individuals
and decreases in people who are accustomed to physical activities at an
early age, which indicates the positive and beneficial role of sports in
general, which prevents the occurrence of health deterioration, God
willing, for adults Age and this warns of the importance of paying
attention to rehabilitating the elderly so that they can easily and
naturally practice their daily lives and in a good psychological state
when they enjoy the ability to lead a normal life without the need to help
others in their normal lives.
Watch this: Recovery in the sports field