The doctor talked about the rules for jogging in the summer

Even a 10-minute daily jog can significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases: the heart muscles become more resilient, and the walls of blood vessels strengthen, thereby stabilizing the pulse and blood pressure. In addition, running strengthens the muscles of the legs, body and upper body. On May 29, Maxim Pankov, a neurologist at the Sberbank Health medical company, told Izvestia about the main recommendations that should be taken into account by those who practice this sport in the summer or are just planning to.

"Before starting training, it is recommended to consult your doctor for a health assessment in order to identify possible obstacles to running. For example, contraindications may include cardiovascular, infectious, surgical, dental and skin diseases," he said.

For jogging in the summer, it is necessary to choose suitable clothes and a headdress — preferably light-colored, loose-fitting outfits. Special running shoes are also a must, as they provide reliable cushioning, protecting feet and joints from injury.

"Running shoes promote good grip on the surface, which gives stability to the foot, preventing it from slipping and buckling when running. It is worth noting that such shoes should fit snugly to the foot and not cause discomfort," the doctor added.

For outdoor jogging in the summer, it is important to choose the right time of day and a shaded area to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The best solution for health is a morning or evening jog, for example, in the park. To minimize the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin, about 15-20 minutes before going outside, it is recommended to apply a sunscreen with a protection index of SPF 30 or 50 to exposed skin areas.

Before jogging, you need to do a warm-up to prepare your body for physical activity. It is recommended to perform basic joint exercises for five minutes: rotate your head, shoulders, body, and legs in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Additionally, you can add muscle stretching exercises, such as deep squats or heel-to-toe rolls.

"It is optimal to start with short short-distance runs: 20-minute workouts two to four times a week with a break of one or two days is enough. Then you can increase the distance, listening to your well—being," the specialist said.

While jogging, it is useful to use any "smart" watch with a heart rate monitoring function. It is recommended to maintain a running pace so that the pulse rate remains within 130-140 beats per minute. If the heart rate rises to 200 beats, this indicates excessive exertion, which can negatively affect health. If the heart rate is above the optimal values, it is necessary to switch to brisk walking.

"It is also recommended to observe cadence during running, the frequency with which the feet touch the surface when running. It is advisable to aim for 180 steps per minute. It is also convenient to measure cadence using gadgets, and to control this indicator using your hands: the more often they move, the more often you will be able to rearrange your legs," the specialist explained.

He added that observing cadence helps to reduce stress on the body, improve running techniques, as well as save energy and increase speed.

While running, it is important to breathe deeply through your nose — this way the air is filtered and energy consumption is reduced. If there is not enough air, you can start breathing through your mouth, so you can inhale more of it. In addition, you can try breathing in a rhythm, for example, inhale for three steps and exhale for two. If it becomes difficult to breathe, you need to slow down — switch from slow running to very slow running or fast walking.

Earlier, on May 4, expert Olga Shuppo gave advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. According to her, systematic physical activity in the fresh air is another important component of a healthy lifestyle. You need to spend at least one hour a day in motion.