The Fitness Stress Test

Written by Brian D. Johnston


You may publish this article in your newsletter, on your web site, or other publications, so long asrepparttar article’s content is not altered andrepparttar 144932 resource box is included. Add byline and active link. Notification ofrepparttar 144933 use of this article is appreciated, but not required. Total word count included resource box is 1374.

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It is recommended that adults overrepparttar 144934 age 35, who never have exercised before, obtain medical clearance. This is necessary forrepparttar 144935 protection ofrepparttar 144936 individual’s health and from any fitness professional’s legal perspective. Also,repparttar 144937 questionnaire consent/waiver form in Appendix A should be completed for further legal protection and forrepparttar 144938 medical doctor's perusal.

VALUE OF A STRESS TEST

A stress test should be completed by all mature adults and individuals age 35 or older who are sedentary. Individuals who possess one or several coronary risk factors, such as high HDLs, a smoker, high BP, or ifrepparttar 144939 individual has not seen a physician withinrepparttar 144940 last 5 years should undertake a stress test.

A stress test becomes even more crucial for those over 65 as it is difficult to determinerepparttar 144941 over 65's tolerance for activity. It also is necessary to determine presence or absence of myocardial ischemia (a temporary deficiency of blood supply torepparttar 144942 heart caused by an obstruction), either prior to an exercise program, while in relatively good health, or as a post-coronary test to indicate damage levels and a therapeutic program. A stress test is not a substitute for complete history and yearly physical examinations, but it is a viable test that can pick up on problems that would preclude a person's participation in an exercise program or indicate required modification of a program in accordance with physical problems.

Fitness professionals or physicians should explain in advance torepparttar 144943 individual to be tested what is involved. This helps to increase motivation and forrepparttar 144944 individual to exercise for longer and with less anxiety. The individual will need to:

-Wear proper clothing (tracksuit) and comfortable running or walking shoes.

-Refrain from eating for 2-3 hours prior torepparttar 144945 test, so that digestion does not interfere with optimal blood flow.

-Refrain from smoking for at least 1-2 hours, since smoking can impair cardiovascular capacity.

WHAT OCCURS The stress test conducted byrepparttar 144946 physician can be performed with a motorized treadmill, bicycle or arm ergometer. Often ifrepparttar 144947 individual suffers from lower body maladies, or if a return to work after an illness involves strenuous upper body activity,repparttar 144948 arm ergometer may be used to produce a more accurate test.

The stress test is designed to challengerepparttar 144949 body to a safe but necessary level to reveal irregularities that are unlikely to show when at rest. Usually an undiagnosed heart disease appears only during vigorous exercise. The narrowed coronary arteries may supply enough blood torepparttar 144950 resting individual, but, as oxygen needs rise, electrocardiographic abnormalities indicate a problem. The physician will look for evidence of ischemia and its effects in rhythm disturbances (tachyarrhythmias or bradyarrhythmias), aortic and mitral valve disease, significant hypertension, and myocardial disease.

The stress test usually will not take more than 10 minutes. Exercise for longer will measure endurance rather than aerobic capacity (VO2max). During any physical activity,repparttar 144951 body responds as follows:

-Heart rate increases

-Systolic BP increases

-Diastolic BP remainsrepparttar 144952 same or decreases

-Cardiac output increases

-Systemic vascular resistance decreases

-Coronary blood flow increases

-Myocardial O2 demand increases

The client is tested at 85-90% of predicted maximal heart rate, although some doctors do not advancerepparttar 144953 test this far as they feel it is unnecessary to do so – usually as a safety precaution. Doctors even may stoprepparttar 144954 test oncerepparttar 144955 client reaches his or her target heart rate. There is one serious drawback to this approach. There is variability in maximal heart rate of individuals within each specific age group. For example,repparttar 144956 predicted heart rate of a 60-year old at 85% maximum heart rate is approximately 132 bpm. Because there is a standard deviation, some individuals being in better health and others in worse health for any age group, or at least less tolerant to exercise strain, it is possible that some people may have a maximal heart rate well above or below 132 bpm. If an individual's heart rate is above or belowrepparttar 144957 age-specific level,repparttar 144958 result will be unreliable in that it is difficult to determinerepparttar 144959 safety or severity ofrepparttar 144960 test. The strain may not be enough, or too much. Therefore, it is necessary forrepparttar 144961 physician to motivaterepparttar 144962 client safely to his or her limits to determinerepparttar 144963 proposed intensity ofrepparttar 144964 exercise program, and forrepparttar 144965 client, orrepparttar 144966 client’s personal trainer, to know at what levelrepparttar 144967 body was stressed sufficiently.

Thinking Of Visiting Your Local Tanning Salon?

Written by Tim Gorman


Commercial tanning beds have come a long way inrepparttar last few years. The commercial tanning beds in your local salon should be safer than ever before.

There are many kinds of commercial tanning beds. You may want to do a little research on which commercial tanning beds arerepparttar 144902 best to use.

When you use commercial tanning beds you may be running a risk of health issues like skin cancer. If you do some research you will be able to decide if commercial tanning beds are for you.

Before you use commercial tanning beds you should check to see if you have any moles, skin discolorations, or freckles. Keep an eye on these when using commercial tanning beds to make sue they don’t change in color, texture or size.

There are some people who should not use commercial tanning beds. If you are under 16 you may want to avoid commercial tanning beds.

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