Mike Tipton, professor of human and functional physiology at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Anyone who starts out warm and does enough vigorous exercise to raise their body temperature is unlikely to have a problem with a cold.” Problems can occur when people become exhausted or injured in cold conditions and stop generating heat, he said.
How much cooling is required to cool the body, at least to dangerous levels; It depends on many factorsIncluding temperature, clothing, wind and exercise. Proper clothing and adequate warmth are critical to both performance and safety. The most important thing, experts say, is not to take your safety for granted.
of American College of Sports Medicine When temperatures drop below -8 degrees Fahrenheit, he urges to “avoid exercise if possible.” And runners should be more careful. Due to the difficulty of breathing in the cold air temperature, Some experts They recommend stopping cardiovascular or endurance training when the thermometer drops below 5 degrees.
“All sports performed in cold temperatures, whether it’s skiing, walking, running or team sports… are associated with injuries if you don’t use appropriate protective clothing,” said Martin Bertcher, professor at the Department of Sports Science at the University of Innsbruck. .
The human body is designed for core organs and the brain to function in cold conditions, not to facilitate exercise. One of the adaptations of the bodyShivers – small muscle contractions to generate heat – reduce muscle function.
“Shaking engages the muscles needed for exercise and warms them up,” says Tipton, “which increases oxygen demand during low-intensity exercise.” With intense physical activity, it continues, tremors are inhibited, but when the muscles cool down, the blood flow to them decreases and the maximum aerobic capacity decreases.
“The economy and efficiency of your exercise changes, in that … for a given exercise, if you’re moving in addition to exercise, you’re consuming more oxygen,” Tipton says.
And the decline is significant. As a 2021 American College of Sports Medicine Professional Consensus Statement During cold weather exercise, for every 1.8°F drop in muscle temperature, there is a 4 to 6 percent decrease in aerobic capacity, exercise time, and power or sprint capacity.
But the metabolic changes triggered by the cold can have overpowering effects from a short bout of exercise—often when the body is trying to generate heat, both Fat and total calorie burning Increase.
You can also learn cold-weather protection techniques.
“There’s a lot of evidence of disability that you see in terms of neuromuscular function, muscle efficiency, economy, any of which is consistent with repeated exposure to the flu,” Tipton said. But what they do get used to is knowing the level of clothing you should wear depending on your job and understanding the early signs of injury, which means you should stop and leave the area instead of pushing. He said.
A typical cold-weather workout garment consists of three layers: a skin-tight inner layer that does not readily absorb moisture but instead wicks it to the outer evaporative layers. The middle layer provides the main protection; And an outer layer that protects against wind and rain.
Also remember that frostbite is possible, so protect vulnerable body parts (fingers, toes, extremities) and wear a face mask to prevent air and lung irritation in sub-freezing temperatures. “The main considerations in dressing for cold weather are protecting exposed skin areas from frostbite and planning for adjustments in clothing coverage.” The authors of the 2022 paper wrote about performance and injury prevention in cold weather.
of The following symptoms It means that your body is very cold
· Numbness or numbness of the skin.
· Depression or decreased coordination.
Chest tightness, shortness of breath.
Remember to add or subtract layers depending on the temperature and intensity of your workout to prevent overheating and sweating. Often times, people start exercising wearing outer layers more suited to rest than activity, which can lead to soreness and chills after exercise.
· Avoid wearing cotton layers that absorb moisture and are difficult to dry.
· Dressing a A face mask to prevent air and lung irritation in sub-freezing temperatures
And think about your shoes. The roads, sidewalks, and trails are very slippery, very fast, so it’s best to wear shoes.