2 Reasons To Get A Physical Exam Prior To Beginning A Workout Plan
One of the most important things that you can do if you are planning on getting into shape is to consult your doctor first. The primary reason for this is to make sure that you are healthy enough to engage in a new workout plan so that you don't start your workout plan and end up hurting yourself severely or aggravating a condition that you may have. Listed below are two reasons to get a physical exam prior to beginning a workout plan.
Check For Any Heart Issues
The single most important reason to get a physical exam prior to getting a workout plan is to make sure that you get your heart checked out first. This is particularly important if you have any of the warning signs that point towards heart disease or heart conditions, such as having a history of smoking, a family history of heart disease, or frequent experience pain in your chest or elsewhere in your upper body whenever you exert yourself.
The reason that this is so important is the fact that most exercise programs are going to put a bit of strain on your heart, mostly because exercise does increase your heart rate. As a result, you will want a doctor to inspect you and let you know how high you can safely get your heart rate in your current condition and how to improve your current condition so that you can engage in more strenuous exercise.
Determine How Much Exercise Your Body Can Handle
Another important reason to get a physical exam when considering a new workout plan is to determine how much exercise your body can actually handle. The reason for this is that if you are extremely overweight, then it might not be a good idea to simply dive into a very strenuous running program or another difficult workout plan because your joints and bones are not really up to the task.
As a result, diving into one of those strenuous workout programs could end up with you receiving very painful joint damage that could also be permanent. However, if you have a physical exam first, the doctor will be able to help you customize your workout plan so that you can safely exercise at a lower level until your body is capable of handling the more strenuous workout programs.
Make an appointment with your doctor today in order to schedule a full physical exam if you are at all considering starting a new workout plan. Checking for any heart issues and determining how much exercise your body can handle are two of the primary reasons to get a physical exam prior to beginning a workout plan.