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A pedometer
proves useful in assessing physical activity. Motivation plays a big part in people with chronic conditions,
encouragement to do any form of exercise without trying to put yourself on an
aerobic fitness level would make a difference. The amount of exercise could be determined by a 12 minute walk or graded
exercise stress test.
The author
reports that there were 12 studies involving chronic diseases and exercise,
with only 1 by Ker (Taiwan) National Council on Physical Fitness & Sport
(1990), focusing on Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B which was a study of
alterations of liver function in patients of Hepatitis B or C after exercise. There were 64 subjects, 10 with normal tests
and 8 with abnormal HCV. They were put
on running machines (treadmills) and their ALT/AST levels were tested. They were tested for any heart disease or
erythrocytes disorders. The age of the
study and its translation from Chinese made it difficult to examine the
results.
The Surgeon
General and CDC recommend a 30 minute a day physical activity but the
Institute of
Medicine would recommend using your Body
Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) to work out how much exercise you need
daily. For example a BMI of 18.5 – 24.9
is considered in normal range, so a BMI of 25 would need to exercise for 60
minutes a day. Meaning healthy person
need 1 hour a day exercise to prevent weight gain and achieve maximum reduction
of chronic disease.
In these studies
they used various measurement tools including questionnaires, motion sensors
(pedometer), activity monitors (accelerometers), heart rate monitors and daily
exercise logs.
Pedometers,
accelerometers and heart rate monitors balance the subjectivity of physical
activity measurement using self-reporting measures.
Another study
found a pedometer to be more useful when walking or if bike riding an
accelerometer would be used.
Using an
exercise log and pedometer to monitor your exercise with supervision and
checking your pulse rate would all contribute to giving you encouragement and
motivation to exercise.
Following
through and sticking to the exercise program was a common problem among the
exercise treatment programs in the studies which interfered with accurately
measuring individual study results. Fear
of increased pain by doing the exercises was a cause of dropout in one study.
If we want to
feel better why not stick to the exercise if it’s going to make a difference and
help with your chronic illness. I know
it is hard to get into the habit of exercising, even if you do it 4 days a week
this would help, anything is better than nothing.
In relation to
the symptoms we suffer from having a chronic illness, in these studies that
were undertaken there were some good results, here are some of the findings:
Fatigue in
cancer patients where adequate rehabilitation was achieved with a 6 minute walk
on a treadmill. (Dimeo, Rumberger & Keul (
Germany, 1998)
An exercise
intervention for management of fatigue and emotional distress during
radiotherapy for breast cancer, doing a self paced exercise program of 10 – 45
minute walk proved that women who walk during radiotherapy for early stage
breast cancer would demonstrate more adaptive responses than women who did not
participate in the exercise. (Mock, Hassey Dow & Grimm (
USA, 1997)
Exercise
treatment to counteract protein wasting of chronic conditions, 9 studies from
June 2001 – 2002 reviewed for benefits of exercise training for treatment of
protein wasting and unintentional weight loss associated with 6 chronic
illnesses, found that low to moderate intensity exercise appeared beneficial.
(Zinna & Yarasheski (
USA,
2003).
The other studies performed didn’t show me any
results or were only studies to determine which measuring tool is the best.
Reference:
Factors Influencing the Development of a Hepatitis C Exercise Protocol-A Literature Review.
Author: Mary Ann Gapinski, Donna M Zucker
Received October 26, 2004; accepted January 5, 2005
2903-06_GN2803_Gapinski.qxd 6/1/05 page S10
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