October 5, 2011

Summer may be over, but you can still exercise outdoors. In this week's segment of Martha Jefferson Healthwise, CBS19's Stephanie Satchell explains what people in the Charlottesville area can do to prepare for a safe fall and winter workout.

Before you take your evening run, or early morning walk, there are a few things you should think about. Podiatrists at Blue Ridge Foot and Ankle say people often make several mistakes when working out in colder temperatures.

"They don't pay enough attention or take into account the thermal injuries that can happen when the seasons become cooler," said Stewart Chang, a Sports Podiatrist.

Doctors say it is important to change up your gear for fall and winter workouts.

"Often times you'll see injuries related to thermal processes where they're not insulating their body enough," said Chang.

Doctors recommend wearing synthetic fiber socks and undergarments along with running shoes made out of meshes.

"They have good capacity to rip away moisture from your skin and allow the body to naturally breath the way it needs to," said Chang. The second mistake people often make is doing too much too fast.

"Make sure you do adapt to your training and let your body adapt to increased stress. Follow the rule of thumb by not increasing the mileage more than 10% per week," said Kevin Murray, a Podiatrist.

If you do not give your body a chance to get used to the workout, you could end up with a host of injuries.

"A lot of them are due to increased mileage too quickly. We see a lot of these especially before races," said Murray. "The most important thing I could recommend to anybody, is to pay attention to what their body is telling them. Listen to the signals and the cues. Pain is not a natural condition of living and if you feel pain that your body is telling you that something is wrong," said Chang.

The best way to have a safe and healthy workout is to make sure you are doing simple stretches before and after your outdoor exercise.