Exercise and Injury

The risks associated with exercise are few and significant injuries are rare. Be sure to see your physican before beginning any exercise program. Be careful not to attempt too strenuous a workout and start out slowly if you have not been exercising regularly. If you experience any of the following warning signs of overexertion--chest pain, extreme shortness of breath, nausea, being dizzy or disoriented, or profound weakness-- you should see you physician immediately. Sometimes people have significant hidden heart problems that surface during vigorous exercise.

Symptoms During Exercise
What's Normal	What's Not Normal
Faster Pulse	Chest pain, pain down your arm, heaviness in chest (angina)
Breathing deeply or faster	Persistent palpitation or uneven heartbeat
Sweating	Extreme breathlessness with light to moderate activity
	Wheezing, inability to catch breath
	Lightheadedness
	Nausea
	Extreme fatigue
	Numbness
	Pain of any kind
Source: Ettinger, W., Mitchell, B., Blair, S., 1999

As more older adults have started exercising, between 1990 to 1996, there has been a 54 percent increase in sports-related injuries to persons 65 years of age. The proportion of seniors injured while riding bicycles increased 75%-- causing an estimated 11,000 emergency room visits in 1996 alone. Many of these older adults were not wearing helmets and sustained head injuries. The largest subgroup of injuries is occurring among older adults who use exercise equipment and do weightlifting-- a staggering increase of 173%. Therefore, you (or your client) needs proper instruction in the use of weights before beginning any strength training program.