Exercise Safely in Winter with These Tips

Baby-Its-Cold-Outside-Dans-Wellness-Newsletter-January-2016Almost everyone can exercise in a safe way during cold weather.  But if you have certain conditions, such as asthma or heart problems, check with your doctor before you work out in cold weather.  Your doctor can review any precautions you need to take based on your condition.

Check the forecast.  Temperature, wind and moisture, along with the length of time that you’ll be outside, are key considerations.  The combination of wind and cold make up the wind-chill index.  Wind-chill extremes can make exercising outdoors unsafe even if you dress warmly.  The wind can penetrate your clothes, making any exposed skin vulnerable to frostbite.  Although the risk of frostbite is less than 5% when the air temperature is above 5 degrees Fahrenheit, the risk increases as the wind chill falls.  At wind chill levels below -18°F, frostbite can occur on exposed skin in 30 minutes or less.

Dress in layers to trap warm air and use common sense when temperatures drop dangerously.

–Source:  Mayo Clinic