IO – Regular exercise will keep your body healthy and fit. It allows you to maintain both the energy and stamina required to perform your daily activities. On the contrary, people who do not exercise regularly will have lowered physical capacity: they have less energy, so they cannot do many things; and they have lower stamina, so they cannot endure very long. They may be “healthy” in the sense that their bodies do not suffer diseases, but they are not fit. Their muscular power, endurance, and flexibility decrease, putting them at a higher risk of injury.
“We all should perform medium-intensity physical exercises for 150-300 minutes a week – cardio exercises that will strengthen the heart and lungs like jogging, swimming, and biking, as well as muscular strength exercises. The more frequently the better, with at least two strength exercise sessions a week. Make sure you don’t exercise too hard to avoid exhaustion, which will have the reverse consequence of reduced physical endurance and higher risk of infection,” said dr. Alvin Wiharja, Sp.KO, GoodDoctor (“GD”) app’s sports medical specialist, in the #GoodHealthGoodKnowledge webinar held in cooperation with the LSPR Communication & Business Institute Jakarta.
The intensity level of exercises can be measured using the “talk test” method. “If we can speak easily during exercise, then it’s a low-intensity one. If we start to have a hard time talking, or we can only speak in bits and pieces, that’s medium intensity. And when we can’t talk at all, that’s a high-intensity exercise,” dr. Alvin said. “During the pandemic, a key factor when protecting ourselves from suffering severe symptoms of the disease is maintenance of a solid immune system. Regular , medium-intensity exercise helps a Covid-19 patient strengthen and recover their compromised immunity.”
Keep It within Your Personal Capacity
A study of 48,440 adult patients diagnosed with Covid-19 between 1 January-21 October 2020, reported by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, revealed that sedentary people have a higher risk of hospitalization, being admitted to ICU, and death than people who consistently maintain physical activity levels, according to proper guidelines. “Stop delaying regular exercise. For those who just begin, start low and start slow: exercise consistently for 2 minutes every day for a week, then gradually step up to 5, 10, 20 minutes a day until you achieve your target for optimum regular exercising. Adjust according to your personal ability. Every minute counts, and is beneficial for you,” dr. Alvin said.
He went on to explain strategies that can keep us physically active while being stuck at home: “First, stay active. Don’t sit around all day; try to keep moving. Take care of your home by yourself – that helps you move. Second, do aerobic exercises regularly, to maintain your heart and lungs’ endurance through indoor activities like skipping rope, or outdoor activities like strolling or jogging with strict physical distancing. Third, exercise your muscular strength with simple, repetitive exercises like squats, pushups, or lunges on the stairs. If you just started, you can choose yoga instead. Other than strengthening your muscles and flexibility, it is also help calm your anxiety,” he said.
“If you don’t know where to start, just download the GD digital healthcare app. It provides a Sports Medicine Clinic feature, which connects you with our certified sports specialists,” said dr. Adhiatma Gunawan, Head of Medical Affairs of GD Technology Indonesia. “We are fully aware that sports and exercise are a part of the Indonesian lifestyle, especially in Jakarta and other major cities. During the pandemic, many of our users have started to talk with our sports consultants, to discover the best type of exercise for them during the lockdown and the ‘new normal’, to maintain their fitness and strengthen their immunity.” (est)