Careful! This can fracture your patients

Exercising is not always safe. There are times when your patients can fracture, so it is necessary to take into account a fundamental aspect before defining any exercise routine: Their Body Mass Index (BMI). I’m sure you have many patients who maintain healthy habits. And they may be in good shape. But there is also a very thin line between being healthy and being underweight, especially if you run regularly. A study from Ohio State University found that underweight female runners (that is, with a BMI at or below 19) have a higher risk of suffering fractures or injuries caused by the stress of exercise. And in these cases, recovery times are longer. Why can your patients fracture? Injuries occur because the depletion of muscle mass causes the impact of running to be absorbed by the bones, increasing the likelihood of breaking bones from the stress of exercise. Among the study volunteers, the researchers analyzed the injuries that occurred and categorized them by degree of severity on a scale of 1 to 5, based on symptoms, x-rays, CT scans and MRIs. And they also concluded that recovery time varies substantially. Runners with a BMI greater than 19 took 13 weeks to recover, while those who were underweight (a BMI less than 19) took more than 17 weeks to recover and return to running. These tests also showed that between 25% and 50% of runners suffer at least one injury in their career and that women have a higher incidence of power will fracture. To avoid this type of injury, it is important that you recommend that your patients know their BMI to keep it at a healthy level (no less than 18.5 and no more than 25). It is also important that you teach your patients the value of resistance training to strengthen their legs and prevent them from breaking. This may represent weight gain for them (those with a BMI below 19), but it will be healthy and useful for improving their performance. If you want advice on this and other topics, click here.