6 notes when jogging at cold nights

Temperatures in the Northern provinces this weekend fluctuate between 12-16 degrees Celsius, it will be cold at night and in the morning, and there may be light rain. Master and Doctor Tran Thi Hoai Thanh, Deputy Department of Musculoskeletal and Rheumatology, Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi, said that jogging on a cold night without warming up carefully can cause cramps, slipping and falling, leading to muscle strain. , sprains, ligament strains, dislocations… Below are 6 notes for runners to ensure their health.

Warm up carefully

Before jogging, athletes should spend 10-20 minutes to warm up the body, maybe longer in cold weather. You should warm up carefully in a sheltered place with exercises such as rotating joints, raising knees, kicking heels to butt, walking, running in place to increase blood circulation to muscles and joints, helping the body get used to it and gradually get used to it. adapt to outdoor temperatures. If you have to warm up outdoors, runners should wear a windbreaker to preserve body heat.

Cramps and musculoskeletal injuries are often caused by muscles and joints becoming stiff in a cold environment, reducing flexibility, causing pain or excessive muscle tension. In addition, frostbite can occur when the body is exposed to prolonged cold temperatures, especially the fingers, toes, ears and nose, with symptoms such as cold, pale skin, stiffness, and risk of injury. tissue injury.

Protect the respiratory system

Bronchospasm or difficulty breathing due to cold and dry air irritates the respiratory tract, especially in people with a history of asthma, leading to chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing when exercising. According to doctor Hoai Thanh, if running in strong winds, runners should keep their nose and neck warm with a mask or scarf to warm and moisten the air before it enters the lungs. Breathing deeply and regularly through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth is the best way to keep warm air in the lungs, thereby reducing sudden coldness or the feeling of shortness of breath while running. This breathing technique also regulates the amount of oxygen entering the body more effectively, supporting stable muscle function.

Adjust speed

Running in the cold can restrict blood circulation, leading to muscle contractions or cramps. Trying to accelerate right from the start can damage your muscles. Adjust your speed so your body has time to warm up in the beginning and speed up in the second half of the journey. In the beginning, you should run slower than your usual speed to help your body gradually adapt to the low temperature.

Master and Doctor Nguyen Hoai Vu, Department of Cardiology, said that adjusting speed and maintaining breathing are two factors that help runners feel more comfortable throughout the journey, while maintaining the necessary endurance. without putting too much pressure on the heart and lungs when faced with low temperatures. People can run endurance instead of running fast, focusing on a moderate pace to help the body adapt to the cold air.

Keep your body warm

People who run in cold weather do not keep warm, causing their bodies to consume a lot of energy. To keep your body from getting cold, wear compression clothing with many medium layers that can be taken off when your body warms up and put back on after finishing your run.

Choose a sweat-absorbent material for the innermost layer to keep your skin dry and avoid feeling cold and damp. You should not wear cotton because it absorbs moisture easily but is difficult to dry. The middle layer should wear an insulated jacket to help retain body heat and create an insulation layer from the cold air outside. The outermost layer uses a wind jacket or light waterproof shirt, which can block the wind and keep warm but is still breathable, avoiding suffocation when running.

Clothes should fit comfortably and ensure flexibility when moving and keep you warm effectively. Do not wear shirts that are too thick or choose materials not specifically used in sports such as evening shirts or shirts with waterproof materials. They make it difficult for you to move, easily sweat and let the cold in.

Doctor Hoai Vu recommends carefully protecting parts that easily lose heat, such as wearing a wool hat or headband to keep the head and ears warm, wrapping a thin scarf or using a multi-purpose scarf to cover the neck to avoid cold wind, wearing gloves and socks to protect the body from the cold. Warms made of wool or synthetic fibers have the ability to retain heat well. Choose shoes that fit well and have anti-slip soles to prevent cold and protect joints.

Drink enough water

Many people are subjective when running at cold nights and think that the body does not need as much water as in the summer. However, according to Dr. Vu, the body still secretes sweat when running in cold weather. Drinking enough water helps the body regulate its temperature to stay warm. You should drink 220 ml before running, 200-280 ml after every 20 minutes of running. While running, slow down at water stations to drink. The body still sweats and loses water through breathing, but cold weather reduces the feeling of thirst, leading to fatigue, headaches, and reduced performance.

Be alert for signs of hypothermia

One of the things to keep in mind while jogging in cold weather, strong winds, and long distances is a sign of hypothermia. According to Dr. Thanh, this is the biggest risk when running in low temperature conditions, especially for people running 21-42 km (about 3-5 hours). Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, usually due to sweating and not keeping warm enough, causing the body temperature to drop below 35 degrees.

Cotton clothes absorb sweat on the run, making the body susceptible to water. Strong winds cause water to evaporate quickly, causing sweat to be lost. When the body is tired near the finish line, it cannot generate much heat, leading to heat loss. Hypothermia can also occur when the body runs out of energy when running hard, and glucose stores are low. Running at night increases the risk of hypothermia due to low ambient temperature. Be careful to choose clothes with materials suitable for the weather, preferably wearing many layers and having zippers.

Signs of hypothermia are usually trembling, fatigue, loss of concentration, goosebumps, constant shivering, purple lips, ears and fingers… You can use a silver blanket to retain heat when your body cools down urgently. grant. Prolonged hypothermia that is not treated properly and promptly can cause the body to lose balance, increase the risk of injury, arrhythmia, and in serious cases, unconsciousness.

Doctor Vu advises everyone to exercise enough to increase endurance when participating in running races. People with underlying medical conditions need to be screened for heart-vascular-respiratory diseases, early detect risk factors for stroke and injury, and ensure adequate health during training and competition.

Nutritional regimen

3-4 hours before running, athletes can eat meals rich in carbohydrates such as bread, oatmeal, bananas. You should drink water and warm tea 30 minutes before starting to maintain body moisture, avoid products high in fat or difficult-to-digest protein.

While running, you need to replenish energy every 30-45 minutes, add warm water or electrolyte water every 20-30 minutes, you can use energy gel, ginger candy to supplement nutrition and keep the body warm.

After your run, eat a hot meal rich in protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes to help your muscles recover. Using mineral salt water helps the body recover faster.

Runners should seek assistance from medical staff when experiencing danger signs such as unusual shaking and coldness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, chest pain, cramps, muscle and joint pain, numbness or loss of sensation. in the limbs, ears, nose, dizziness, lightheadedness or unusual sensations.