www.sparc.org.nz www.sparc.org.nz

Push Play, get activeand feel great!

Note: The information in this leaflet contains a few broadrecommendations relating to specific medical conditions. It is notintended to be a complete answer to any questions you may have.

For more information about specific areas of concern contact therelevant agency, for example, National Heart Foundation, DiabetesNew Zealand, Arthritis Foundation or your doctor.

SPARCPush Play is a nationwide SPARC campaign to get more people moreactive more often. The campaign aims to increase awareness aboutthe benefits of regular, moderate, physical activity – and how easy itis to get active.

Push Play says

physical activity is fun

it is easy to be active

physical activity is good for everyone

it is never too late to start being active

any activity is better than none

it doesn’t have to be hard to begood for you

SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand) is the Crown Entity chargedwith promoting, encouraging and supporting sport and physicalrecreation in New Zealand.

For more information visit www.sparc.org.nz

Copyright SPARC 2003.

For more information about activities in your area phone

0800 ACTIVE (0800 22 84 83)

The walk should be started and finished at a slow pace and thetime increased by about five minutes a day as you feel able. Go atyour own pace. Being able to talk as well as walk is the aim. Progresscan be made by:

increasing the distance of the walk

increasing the speed of the walk

moving from flat ground to hills

Wait an hour or so after a heavy meal before walking.

Nitrolingual spray or anginine tablets should be carried with youwhile walking. If angina, shortness of breath or dizziness occurs –stop, rest and use your medication. Stop your exercise until theangina is relieved, after which it is safe to continue walking. However,if chest discomfort is prolonged and not relieved by rest or medicationwithin 15 minutes, an ambulance should be called immediately.

If you plan to do vigorous activity such as jogging, discuss this withyour doctor first.

Irregular heartbeatIf your heart skips a beat during physical activity it is notnecessarily a cause for concern. It happens frequently, butpeople do not notice it. In some people with heart disease,frequent ‘skipped’ heart beats may be a risk indication forfuture arrhythmias (irregular heart beat).

If it is associated with symptoms of faintness or runs ofpalpitations, chest tightness and shortness of breath, a cardiologyassessment is needed.

Asthma and respiratory conditionsPeople with asthma or respiratory conditions such as ChronicObstructive Pulmonary Disease need to stay active. Regular exercisewill help reduce their symptoms, and assist them to manage theircondition better.

People whose asthma is triggered by exercise can reduce their riskof symptoms with asthma-friendly activities such as swimming,walking and yoga. Warming up, and taking one or two puffs ofreliever medicine before exercise, can also help.

There is no need to puff and sweat tobenefit from physical activity.

Regular moderate activity, preferably everyday, is the aim. The more active you are – suchas walking up stairs instead of taking the lift– the better.

But any exercise is better than none.

The aim for adults is to do at least 30 minuteson most days and at least 60 minutes a dayfor kids (aged 5-18 years). Activity can becompleted in smaller doses throughout theday – such as three ‘snacks’ of 10 minutes ofactivity each day. We call this ‘snacktivity’.

Medical Conditionsand Physical Activity

OsteoporosisPhysical activity is important for building and maintaining strong bones.Regular, moderate activity is beneficial: research shows that weight-bearing activity (such as light jogging or brisk walking) is better thannon-weight bearing activity (swimming).

There may be an advantage in combining aerobic activity (that promotesfitness of the heart) with muscle strengthening activity (that increasesmuscle bulk). Apart from its effects on bone strength, physical activitymay also reduce the risk of falls in people who already have osteoporosis.

High blood cholesterolStudies have shown that people who do regular physical activity havehigher levels of HDL (or ‘good’ cholesterol). It also helps you keepblood pressure and weight under control. This means that regularexercise is a useful way to reduce the risk of heart disease.The ideal activity is one that you enjoy, so take time to decide whatyou like best. Good choices are walking, jogging, cycling or swimming.

High blood pressureBlood pressure varies considerably over the day and night and isaffected by thoughts and actions. At least three readings shouldbe taken on different occasions to confirm high blood pressure.

Regular physical activity has been shown to lower blood pressureby about 5-10 points in people who haven’t been active previously.Blood pressure can be most effectively lowered by activities suchas walking, swimming, cycling and running.

CancerBeing physically active is one of the most important things you cando to reduce your risk of developing cancer of the bowel or breast.Between one quarter and one third of these cancers are directly relatedto being overweight and not doing enough physical activity.

The Cancer Society supports the Push Play message – 30 minutes ofactivity for adults on most days of the week. To further reduce yourrisk of developing cancer, studies show it is even better if you increasethe 30 minutes to 45-60 minutes and make some of the activityvigorous. Vigorous activity makes you sweat and gives your hearta workout. Aim to build up the amounts of vigorous activity graduallyover time.

Things to considerArthritisExercise and physiotherapy are essential to maintain movement inyour joints and keep muscles as strong as possible. Exercising in waterincreases mobility: this is called hydrotherapy. A regular physical activityprogramme designed to suit your individual needs is an essentialaspect of pain management and will enhance your wellbeing.

Even for people with arthritis, regular activity can improve mobility and may reduce pain.

Stretching exercises should be performed with a slow, steady rhythm, allowing time for muscles to relax between repetitions. Good posture is the key to successful exercises.

Relaxing with a warm shower or bath is recommended before or after exercises.

If pain resulting from the activity lasts for more than 2 hours, the duration, frequency or intensity of the activity should be reduced.

If joints are unstable, avoid vigorous highly repetitive physical activity and overstretching.

Pain is a warning. With arthritis, activities done easily one day may be too much the next. Adjust your activity level to take this into consideration.

Depression, anxiety, stressPhysical activity can reduce cases of mild depression and anxiety andincrease feelings of wellbeing. It improves your ability to handle stressand improves self-image.

DiabetesTwo major forms of diabetes are:

Type 1 (insulin-dependent)

Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent).

Physical activity can help you control your diabetes and reduce therisk of life-threatening complications, by:

Regulating blood-sugar levels. Exercise encourages the bodyto use more glucose – a primary fuel source for the body. It transports glucose from the bloodstream into the cells where it can be used. Keeping up the activity, in consultation with your doctor, is very important for ongoing benefits.

Minimising health risks. Physical activity helps reduce the riskof heart and blood vessel disease for people with diabetes.

Reducing body weight. Exercise helps reduce excess weightand body fat, a major factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes.

Enhancing wellbeing. Physical activity can have a significantpsychological impact on people with diabetes by reducing stress,or increasing feelings of wellbeing.

Choosing the right kind of physical activity. Regular exerciseis, in general, safest and most beneficial for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. People with both types of diabetes should beencouraged to be active at the same time each day. This helpsto balance training with food intake and medication and, therefore, better controls blood-sugar levels. Exercise within 1 to 2 hours of a meal or snack, when blood-sugar levels are still relatively high. For people on insulin or diabetes tablets, taking part in physical activity without adequate food intake (especially carbohydrate) may run the risk of experiencing hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).

After a heart attackRegular physical activity is a vital part of your return to normal life.Some patients are given instructions for activity before leaving hospital.These are general guidelines.

Easy daily walking around the house and garden or out in the streetis recommended. Walking should be started:

on flat ground

at a comfortable pace

10-15 minutes a day