Winter Weather May Lead To Deconditioning Syndrome Warns New Zealand Chiropractors

The New Zealand Chiropractors' Association is urging Kiwis to maintain their activity levels over winter to ward off de-conditioning or inactivity syndrome.

People who curtail their daily physical activities, may develop what is known as de-conditioning. In other words they ‘get out of shape.’ Joints become stiff, muscles become flabby, endurance decreases, and some put on excess weight. In addition this de-conditioning leads to decreased pain tolerance and many other physiological effects.

According to Dr. Hayden Thomas, chiropractor and spokesperson for the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association: ‘At this time of year we see an increase in people seeking care for conditions brought on by too little activity as well as those who have tried to do too much without enough preparation.'

‘Many people find that the reduced daylight hours and the colder, wetter weather that comes with winter means they stop exercising as much and tend to hibernate. This can result in joint stiffness, loss of muscle strength and control, and numerous other health issues related to inactivity such as depression, weight gain, and increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. At the other extreme are those people who get even more active with winter sports such as rugby, netball, soccer and skiing but who don’t always prepare properly. We want to encourage people to be active, however care should be taken to train properly to reduce injury risk and to warm up and cool down appropriately. We advise people to develop and maintain a regular physical exercise program that is individually tailored to their needs.’

'In short, your body needs regular movement to stimulate growth and repair from a cellular level on up' says Dr. Thomas. 'Inactivity affects all body systems but the good news is it's never too late to start moving. Just be sure to work within your limits and build up activity slowly and sensibly'.

For further information on the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association visit www.chiropractic.org.nz.