October 18, 2022

Physical Exertion

***Physical exertion or physical activity* varies *and it is*** mandatory to live a healthy life. Regular physical exercise helps in staying disease free. A person with regular exercise is less prone to non-communicable illnesses like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and several cancers. Popular ways to remain active are cycling, walking, wheeling, sports, active recreation, and play.

**What is physical exertion and How much it is required?**

Physical exertion and exercise are, as per WHO guidelines, any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure. Regular physical activity can help prevent disease by dissolving the cholesterol inside the body and blood vessels. Due to a sedentary lifestyle, people are more prone to fall ill and diseases like CHF, high blood pressure, angina, obesity and many more caught them before time.

WHO recommends the amount of physical exertion for different age groups:

Physical activity and exercise for children under 5 years of age

On a 24-hour day, infants (less than 1 year) should:

be physically active several times a day in various ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play; more is better. For those not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes in the prone position (tummy time) spread throughout the day while awake.
When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.
have 14-17h (0-3 months of age) or 12-16h (4-11 months of age) of good quality sleep, including naps.

On a 24-hour day, children 1-2 years of age should:

spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day.
not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time of regular exercise (e.g., prams/strollers, high chairs, or strapped on a caregiver’s back) or sit for extended periods of time.
- For 1-year-olds, sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, or playing computer games) is not recommended.
- For those aged 2 years, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better.
When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged; and
have 11-14h of good quality sleep, including naps, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

On a 24-hour day, children 3-4 years of age should:

spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes is moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day; more is better;
not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/strollers) or sit for extended periods of time.
Sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better.
When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is); encourage; and
have 10-13h of good quality sleep, which may include a nap, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years

should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week.
should incorporate vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week.
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly the amount of recreational screen time.

Adults aged 18–64 years

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity;
or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
should also do muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.
may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with a slight movement of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and
to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity

For adults aged 65 years and above

Same as for adults; and
as part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activities that emphasize functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.

Why do Adolescents require fewer hours of physical activity than adults?

A moderate amount of physical exertion is required for all people of different ages but adolescents required fewer hours than adults because adolescents are in their growing stage. The food they eat is well-digested and they have strong immune systems to fight diseases. In contrast, adults are grown and they have to digest what they ate in a proper manner. Moreover, due to a sedentary lifestyle, adults developed many diseases which can be healed with the proper amount of exercise, by taking a healthy and balanced diet, meditation, and yoga. The importance of physical exertion is well established in various journals of physical activity and health.

For pregnant and postpartum women

All pregnant and postpartum women without contraindications should:

do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical exertion throughout the week
incorporate a variety of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with movements of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits.

Which month to start exercising during pregnancy?

First Trimester:

Walking and slight running, swimming, aerobics, cycling, and yoga.

Seconding Trimester:

In seconding trimester, low-intensity exercises like walking, yoga, and swimming should be preferred not more than 30 minutes a day and it should be two to five times a week.

Third Trimester:

In the third trimester, the weight of the body and the size of the fetus increases rapidly. So care should be taken and starting the exercise from 5 minutes to 30 minutes a day. But listen to your body and exercise accordingly. The exercise should be simple and easy to perform like an arm lift, legs lift, etc.

For people living with chronic conditions (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, HIV, and cancer survivors)

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical fitness activities;
or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
Also, muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, providing additional health benefits.
as part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.
may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and
to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

For children and adolescents living with disability:

should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week. Proper physical training should be given.
should incorporate vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week.
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly the amount of recreational screen time.

For adults living with disability:

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical exertion;
or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
Also, muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, providing additional health benefits.
As part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.
may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.
should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and
to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.
It is possible to avoid sedentary behavior and be physically active while sitting or lying. E.g. Upper body-led activities, inclusive and/or wheelchair-specific sports, and activities.

All the above recommendations are given as per WHO guidelines. However, it is necessary to eat a healthy balanced diet, and stay hydrated to keep the body fit and fine.

Physical activity Pyramid:

The physical activity pyramid is based on the formula of FIT. Frequency, Intensity, and Time (FIT) mainly depend on the different exercises with age and requirements. It can be easily understandable in the following diagram.

Physical activity break and its benefits:

What is physical activity break?

In this fast-moving world, everyone is running to compete with the surrounding people. with the advancement of technology and the first emergence of the internet, people are glued to chairs helping them live a motionless life. Due to these changes, we are experiencing many problems like back pain, high blood pressure, obesity, CHF, belly fat, and many more. In order to counter the issue, we need a short physical activity break. This will divert our mind completely towards physical activity enhancing the blood circulation in our body and leading to the following benefits:

Physical activity breaks can boost your health.
It will help to relieve back and neck pain.
It will help to get rid of workload fatigue.
Physical activity helps to make good habits.
Physical activity nurtures mental health.
Physical activity helps to think about new ideas.

Explain the difference between physical activity and exercise:

Physical activity is the movement of skeletal muscle that requires the expenditure of energy. Exercise is the subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive to live a healthy life.

Conclusion:

Physical exertion is a must for living a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is a subset of physical exercise that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has been done for a long duration to stay healthy. It should be followed regularly. It is also required to eat a balanced healthy diet which also helps in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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Physical Exertion

What is physical exertion and How much it is required?

WHO recommends the amount of physical exertion for different age groups:

Physical activity and exercise for children under 5 years of age

On a 24-hour day, infants (less than 1 year) should:

be physically active several times a day in various ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play; more is better. For those not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes in the prone position (tummy time) spread throughout the day while awake.

When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged.

have 14-17h (0-3 months of age) or 12-16h (4-11 months of age) of good quality sleep, including naps.

On a 24-hour day, children 1-2 years of age should:

spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, including moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day.

not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time of regular exercise (e.g., prams/strollers, high chairs, or strapped on a caregiver’s back) or sit for extended periods of time.

For 1-year-olds, sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, or playing computer games) is not recommended.

For those aged 2 years, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better.

When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is encouraged; and

have 11-14h of good quality sleep, including naps, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

On a 24-hour day, children 3-4 years of age should:

spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes is moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day; more is better;

not be restrained for more than 1 hour at a time (e.g., prams/strollers) or sit for extended periods of time.

When sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling with a caregiver is); encourage; and

have 10-13h of good quality sleep, which may include a nap, with regular sleep and wake-up times.

Children and adolescents aged 5-17 years

should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week.

should incorporate vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week.

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly the amount of recreational screen time.

Adults aged 18–64 years

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity;

or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week

should also do muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.

may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with a slight movement of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and

to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity

For adults aged 65 years and above

Same as for adults; and

as part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activities that emphasize functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.

Why do Adolescents require fewer hours of physical activity than adults?

For pregnant and postpartum women

All pregnant and postpartum women without contraindications should:

do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical exertion throughout the week

incorporate a variety of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with movements of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits.

Which month to start exercising during pregnancy?

First Trimester:

Walking and slight running, swimming, aerobics, cycling, and yoga.

Seconding Trimester:

In seconding trimester, low-intensity exercises like walking, yoga, and swimming should be preferred not more than 30 minutes a day and it should be two to five times a week.

Third Trimester:

For people living with chronic conditions (hypertension, type 2 diabetes, HIV, and cancer survivors)

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical fitness activities;

or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week

Also, muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, providing additional health benefits.

as part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.

may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and

to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

For children and adolescents living with disability:

should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity, across the week. Proper physical training should be given.

should incorporate vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week.

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary, particularly the amount of recreational screen time.

For adults living with disability:

should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical exertion;

or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week

Also, muscle-strengthening activities at a moderate or greater intensity involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, providing additional health benefits.

As part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on 3 or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and prevent falls.

may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes, or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical exercise, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.

should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and

to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behavior on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

It is possible to avoid sedentary behavior and be physically active while sitting or lying. E.g. Upper body-led activities, inclusive and/or wheelchair-specific sports, and activities.

All the above recommendations are given as per WHO guidelines. However, it is necessary to eat a healthy balanced diet, and stay hydrated to keep the body fit and fine.

Physical activity Pyramid:

The physical activity pyramid is based on the formula of FIT. Frequency, Intensity, and Time (FIT) mainly depend on the different exercises with age and requirements. It can be easily understandable in the following diagram.

Physical activity break and its benefits:

What is physical activity break?

Physical activity breaks can boost your health.

It will help to relieve back and neck pain.

It will help to get rid of workload fatigue.

Physical activity helps to make good habits.

Physical activity nurtures mental health.

Physical activity helps to think about new ideas.

Explain the difference between physical activity and exercise:

Physical activity is the movement of skeletal muscle that requires the expenditure of energy. Exercise is the subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive to live a healthy life.

**What is physical exertion and How much it is required?**