The performance of any physical activity that improves health or that is used for recreation or for the correction of physical injury or deformity (see physiotherapy). Different types of exercise have different effects on the body. During aerobic exercise, such as jogging or swimming, the heart and lungs work faster and more efficiently to supply the muscles’ increased demand for oxygen; regular aerobic exercise improves the condition of both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Exercises such as weight training increase muscle strength and endurance. Activities such as yoga and pilates improve flexibility.
Regular aerobic exercise usually leads to a reduction in blood pressure. It also results in an increased amount of highdensity lipoprotein (HDL) in the blood, which is thought to help protect against atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. Exercise can relieve the symptoms of peripheral vascular disease and of some psychological disorders, particularly depression. Regular weightbearing exercise, such as running, increases the density of, and thereby strengthens, the bones. The bone disease osteoporosis is less common in people who have exercised throughout their adult lives.
However, vigorous exercise may cause injury and increase the risk of a heart attack in people who are out of condition.
Professional sportsmen such as footballers have an increased risk of osteoarthritis in later life because of repeated minor damage to the joints.
An activity requiring physical exertion. Everyone should take regular exercise: this keeps muscles in tone, maintains the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM in good shape, helps to keep weight at an optimum level and promotes relaxation and sleep. When an individual is at rest, the heart’s output is 5 litres of blood per minute. When running at 12 km (7••• miles) per hour, this rises to around 25 litres, obliging the heart and lungs to operate more e?ciently and speeding up the metabolism of food to provide the necessary energy. Lack of exercise by children may lead to faulty posture and ?abby muscles; in adults it results in an increase in weight and poorly functioning respiratory and cardiovascular system, with an increased chance of heart disease later in life. Adolescents and adults, participating regularly in sporting activities, should train regularly, preferably under expert supervision, to ensure that they do not place potentially damaging demands on their cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Those wanting to participate in demanding sports would be wise to have a medical examination before embarking on training programmes (see SPORTS MEDICINE).
n. any activity resulting in physical exertion that is intended to maintain physical fitness, to condition the body, or to correct a physical deformity. Exercises may be done actively by the person or passively by a therapist. Aerobic exercises are intended to increase oxygen consumption (as in running) and to benefit the lungs and cardiovascular system, in contrast to *isometric exercises. In isotonic exercises, the muscles contract and there is movement, but the force remains the same; this improves joint mobility and muscle strength.
(isometrics) a system of exercises based on the principle of isometric contraction of muscles. This occurs when the fibres are called upon to contract and do work, but despite an increase in tension do not shorten in length. It can be induced in muscles that are used when a limb is made to pull or push against something that does not move. The exercises increase fitness and build muscle.... isometric exercises
(pelvic-floor muscle training, pelvic-floor exelrcises) active rehabilitation of the pelvic-floor muscles by conscious contractions, which leads to a cure in 50–80% of patients with stress incontinence. [A. H. Kegel (20th century), US gynaecologist]... kegel exercises
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