Even on frigid days, runners and cyclists may be out on area roads and bike paths making sure they get in a workout. For some people, the thought of braving temperatures in the teens and twenties seems dangerous, but is it?<\/p>\n
Even on frigid days, runners and cyclists may be out on area roads and bike paths, making sure they get in a workout. For some people, the thought of braving temperatures in the teens and twenties seems dangerous, but is it?\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is not necessarily a cut-off that has been defined, where we say no, don\u2019t go out and exercise, it is not safe,\u201d said Matt Barberio, an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Science at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.<\/p>\n
However, there are some groups who need to take precautions. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are someone who has asthma or other respiratory conditions, we have extremely dry air right now, and that typically tends to exacerbate or agitate any respiratory conditions,\u201d he said. \u201cThose individuals will just want to communicate with their physicians about what\u2019s best for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are two things to watch out for in cold weather: hypothermia \u2013 when the body\u2019s temperature drops below 95 degrees, and frostbite.<\/p>\n
When it comes to hypothermia, Barberio said, \u201cYou don\u2019t really have an issue while you\u2019re exercising, but if you do sweat and your clothes get wet; and then you stay outside for prolonged periods of time, that wet clothing could become problematic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barberio said anyone heading out into the bitter cold for a workout should pay attention to the air temperature, the wind and the \u201cfeels-like temperature,\u201d and dress accordingly to prevent frostbite.<\/p>\n
He advised layering with gloves to keep hands and fingers warm. While year-round athletes may want to tough it out to get in their long runs or workouts, he said it\u2019s important to listen to \u201cwhat their bodies are telling them. If your fingers are getting very numb to the point where you\u2019re experiencing pain in your fingertips, it\u2019s time to go inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wearing a hat during a run or under a bike helmet is helpful, he said. Like gloves, Barberio said, a hat is \u201canother one of those things where it\u2019s an easy on-off layer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cycling can generate a lot of heat, but Barberio said riders should avoid overdressing.<\/p>\n
\u201cUse what your body\u2019s telling you. If you\u2019re getting too hot while you exercise, take the layer off until you need to put it back on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
When coming back inside from a workout, Barberio said it\u2019s best to let your body reacclimate to indoor temperatures before jumping into a hot shower. He also suggests some cool-down exercises to let your body adjust after your outdoor exertion.<\/p>\n
Severe cold, shoveling and heart attacks<\/p>\n
Shoveling snow is a physical activity that Barberio and Dr. Brian Choi, professor of medicine at George Washington University, said can increase the risk of a heart attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery snowstorm, and this one was no exception, we see people that have gotten themselves into trouble shoveling snow,\u201d Choi said, \u201cIt\u2019s a situation that\u2019s best avoided.\u201d<\/p>\n
Choi explained that \u201csnow shoveling is a uniquely challenging activity compared to other kinds of physical exertion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Often, when people shovel snow, their bodies perform something called the Valsalva maneuver.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where you actually hold your breath and create sort of a thoracic pressure,\u201d Barberio said.<\/p>\n
In cases where people experience a cardiac infarction while shoveling, Barberio said, \u201ctypically, those people already have an underlying risk for having a heart attack anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like to say that the best kind of exercise for the heart is aerobic activity, when you\u2019re getting a lot of oxygen and continuous movement,\u201d Choi said.<\/p>\n
But when lifting shovels filled with snow \u2013 especially heavy, wet snow \u2013 \u201cthat heavy lifting can really increase the resistance that your heart has to pump against, and that\u2019s the worst kind of activity for your heart,\u201d Choi said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s plenty of folks out there that probably wouldn\u2019t mind making an extra buck to shovel out your driveway or your walkway for you,\u201d he added. \u201cIf you are unused to physical activity, I\u2019d certainly recommend going that route as opposed to trying it on your own if you haven\u2019t exercised in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n