Physical activity is any activity that causes your body to work harder than normal. The actual amount of physical activity you need depends on your fitness goals, whether you are trying to lose weight, and how fit you are right now.
Alternative Names
Fitness recommendations; Exercise
Information
Physical activity can help you:
Burn calories and reduce body fat
Reduce your appetite
Keep your current weight and control it
For the purpose of weight loss, physical activity works best when you also reduce the amount of calories you take in from food and drinks.
The number of calories burned during physical activity depends on:
The amount of time you spend on physical activity: For example, walking for 45 minutes will burn more calories than walking for 20 minutes.
Your body weight: For example, a 250-pound person will burn more calories walking for 30 minutes than a 185-pound person.
Pace: For example, walking 3 miles per hour will burn more calories than walking 1.5 miles per hour.
BASAL METABOLIC RATE
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body uses when it is at rest. BMR accounts for most of your calorie use. Your basal metabolic rate is based on things your body always does such as breathing, breaking down food, and keeping your heart and brain working. Your age, sex, body weight, and level of physical activity affect the basal metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate increases with the amount of muscle tissue you have, and it reduces with age.
Along with burning more calories, physical activity increases the BMR, and the BMR can remain increased after 30 minutes of moderate physical activity. For many people, the basal metabolic rate can be increased for approximately 48 hours after the activity. This means, for example, that after the physical activity, when a person is sitting and watching television, the body is using more calories than usual.
EFFECT ON APPETITE
Physical activity at a moderate rate does not increase the appetite.
Sprains (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A sprain is an injury to the ligaments around a joint. Ligaments are strong, flexible fibers that hold bones together. When a ligament is stretched too far or tears, the joint will become painful and swell. Reviewer: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/06/2007
Strains (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A strain is when a muscle becomes overstretched and tears. This painful injury, also called a "pulled muscle," can be caused by an accident, improper use of a muscle, or overuse of a muscle. Reviewer: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/06/2007
Muscle strain treatment (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information) Reviewer: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/06/2007
Broken bone (7 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
If more pressure is put on a bone than it can stand, it will split or break. A break of any size is called a fracture. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it is called an open fracture (compound fracture. A stress fracture is a hairline crack in the bone that develops because of repeated or prolonged forces against the bone. Reviewer: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/07/2007
Colles’ wrist fracture (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Colles' fracture is a break across the end of the main bone of the forearm (the radius. A Colles' fracture results in a backward and outward position of the hand in relation to the forearm. Reviewer: Jeffrey Kauffman, MD, Sacramento Knee and Sports Medicine, Sacramento, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/21/2006
How to make a splint (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A splint is a device used for holding a part of the body stable and motionless to prevent pain and further injury. Reviewer: Andrew L. Chen, M.D., M.S., Orthopedist, The Alpine Clinic, Littleton, NH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/25/2007
Dislocation (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A dislocation is a separation¿of¿two bones where they meet at a joint. (Joints are areas where two¿bones come together) A dislocated bone is no longer in its normal position. A dislocation may also cause ligament or nerve damage. Reviewer: Kevin B. Freedman, MD, MSCE, Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Specialists, Bryn Mawr, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/31/2006
Knee cap dislocation (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A dislocated knee cap is when the triangle-shaped bone covering the knee (patella) moves or slides out of place. The problem usually occurs toward the outside of the leg. See dislocation. Reviewer: Jeffrey Kauffman, MD, Sacramento Knee and Sports Medicine, Sacramento, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/21/2006
Knee arthroscopy (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Knee arthroscopy is surgical procedure¿in which a small camera is used to examine tissues inside the knee joint. Additional instruments may be inserted to repair the knee. Reviewer: Kevin B. Freedman, MD, MSCE, Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Specialists, Bryn Mawr, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/31/2006
Knee microfracture surgery (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Knee microfracture surgery is a common technique used to repair damaged knee cartilage, the material that helps cushion bones at the joints. It is frequently performed on athletes. Reviewer: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 03/09/2007
Tennis elbow (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Tennis elbow is an inflammation, soreness, or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow. There may be a partial tear of the tendon fibers, which connect muscle to bone, at or near their point of origin on the outside of the elbow. Reviewer: Andrew L. Chen, M.D., M.S., Orthopedist, The Alpine Clinic, Littleton, NH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 09/26/2006
Head injury (5 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A head injury is any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull, or brain. The injuries can range from a minor bump on the skull to serious brain injury. Head injury is classified as either closed or open (penetrating. A closed head injury means you received a hard blow to the head from striking an object; An open, or penetrating, head injury means you were hit with an object that broke the skull and entered the brain. This usually happens when you move at high speed, such as going through the windshield during a car accident. It can also happen from a gunshot to the head. There are several types of brain injuries. Two common types of head injuries are: Concussion, the most common type of traumatic brain injury; Contusion, which is a bruise on the brain. See also: Subarachnoid hemorrhage; Subdural hematoma. Reviewer: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/08/2007
Spinal injury (8 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Your spinal cord contains the nerves that carry messages between your brain and body. The cord passes through your neck and back. A spinal cord injury is very serious because it can cause paralysis below the site of the injury. Reviewer: Andrew L. Chen, M.D., M.S., Orthopedist, The Alpine Clinic, Littleton, NH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 07/25/2007
Unconsciousness - first aid(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Unconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Often, this is called a coma or being in a comatose state. Other changes in awareness can occur without becoming unconscious. Medically, these are called "altered mental status" or "changed mental status." They include sudden confusion, disorientation, or stupor. Unconsciousness and any other SUDDEN change in mental status must be treated as a medical emergency. If someone is awake but less alert than usual, ask a few simple questions, such as: What is your name; What is the date; How old are you. Wrong answers or an inability to answer suggest a change in mental status. Reviewer: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 01/16/2007
Smashed fingers (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
This injury involves direct trauma to one or more fingers. Reviewer: Kevin B. Freedman, MD, MSCE, Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Specialists, Bryn Mawr, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/31/2006
Sports cream overdose(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Sports creams are cream- or ointment-based medicines used to treat aches and pains. Sports cream overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally uses more than the normal or recommended amount of this product.
Reviewer: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/29/2007
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