Joann Bally CSCS
President Obama, in speaking of reducing healthcare costs, mentioned prevention as a key. His example was if a person loses weight and then does not develop type 2 diabetes, there is a lot of money saved that might otherwise have been used to treat the individual. This prompted a famous radio personality to assert that the high cost of healthcare is due to people who exercise, because they get injured and the injuries then have to be treated. Some of you may be wondering if he doesn’t have a good point there. He doesn’t.
Yes, some elite athletes may have a lot of injuries, but they have a medical support system the rest of us don’t. The exercise enthusiast, or even the person who does physical activity for health purposes, may get injured, but those injuries are usually relatively minor. Let’s say you sprain your ankle (the most common injury). You may do this playing tennis, running, or even fitness walking. You may also sprain your ankle sliding on a wet spot on the kitchen floor when you get up in the middle of the night for a snack. Depending on the severity, you may get by with icing the ankle and taking it easy for a couple of days, getting an x ray and having it taped, or even spending a few weeks on crutches. (The mild sprains are much more common than the severe ones.) The cost for this does not compare with the cost of treating the chronic diseases you may prevent by exercising—heart disease, diabetes, etc.
Do you have to get hurt if you exercise? No, although you are likely to have some sore muscles from time to time. Make sure you wear the right clothing and use the right gear for the sport and the weather, warm up and stay hydrated, learn proper technique, work out regularly and stay in shape, and don’t overtrain. Choose sports or activities you enjoy, have fun, and stay healthy. You’ll be helping the economy.
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
