Nowadays, many women strive to maintain beauty and health through regular physical activities. Some prefer strength training in the gym, while others prefer more “feminine” forms of fitness, such as yoga and pilates. However, not all experts agree that these types of activities are completely safe for women’s health, especially in the area of reproductive health. In this article, we will explore how various physical activities affect the female body and what precautions should be taken.
Benefits of Physical Activity for Women
Undoubtedly, regular physical activity brings a number of positive effects to the female body. Research shows that aerobic exercises, such as walking, running, or swimming, are effective antidepressants, boost self-esteem, and improve quality of life. Additionally, they enhance cognitive function, improve the body’s adaptation to stress, tissue regeneration, and contribute to the normalization of sleep, hormonal balance, blood pressure, and digestive system function. During physical activity, the body produces endorphins, growth hormone, oxytocin, and melatonin, which reduce stress levels.
Risks of Excessive Strain
Nevertheless, excessive physical exertion, especially combined with low-calorie diets, can cause serious harm to women’s health. Energy deficit resulting from such a lifestyle can lead to disruptions in the functioning of the reproductive, endocrine, digestive, cardiovascular, and immune systems, as well as trigger depression and menstrual cycle disorders up to amenorrhea. Strength training in the gym, seemingly harmless, also poses a danger to women when approached incorrectly. Ignoring individual body characteristics can lead to negative consequences for reproductive health.
Excessive strain is only acceptable for professional athletes. Interestingly, women’s sports are developing at incredible rates; many bookmakers, such as Melbet Zambia, are already accepting bets on women’s sports such as football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and others.
Prevalence of Gynecological Problems
Unfortunately, gynecological diseases are becoming increasingly common in modern society, especially among women aged 25-45. In the perimenopausal period (38-45 years), reproductive health problems are observed in 80% of patients. However, many women are unaware of the state of their reproductive health and ignore contraindications when engaging in fitness, yoga, or strength training.
Popular fitness bloggers and online trainers often overlook individual body characteristics, offering universal workout programs. Meanwhile, in the presence of gynecological diseases, it is necessary to carefully select exercise routines to ensure the safety of workouts.
Possible Consequences of Improper Training
Ignoring individual contraindications during sports activities can lead to serious health problems. Among the possible consequences of improper training for women are menstrual cycle disorders up to amenorrhea, uterine fibroid growth, formation of functional cysts with the risk of rupture and bleeding, heavy and painful menstruation, pronounced varicose veins of the pelvis, progression of organ prolapse, hemorrhoids, and diastasis after childbirth. Additionally, intense exertion may contribute to the development of uterine and ovarian endometriosis, impaired menstrual blood outflow, and exacerbation of mastopathy and metabolic issues.
Recommendations for Safe Workouts
To avoid negative consequences for reproductive health during sports activities, it is necessary to follow a set of rules:
- Undergo examination by a gynecologist. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, mammary glands, and thyroid gland, as well as a specialist examination, will help assess the condition of the reproductive system and identify possible problems. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional tests to exclude anemia, inflammatory processes, and metabolic disorders. In the conclusion, the gynecologist should indicate existing problems, prescribe necessary treatment, and specify restrictions and indications for fitness or yoga sessions.
- Start with individual workouts under the guidance of a qualified trainer or yoga therapist. Together with them, a personalized program should be developed, taking into account the peculiarities of women’s health. In the presence of gynecological diseases, it is necessary to avoid exercises that increase blood flow to neoplasms, work with pelvic floor muscles only in the first phase of the cycle, and limit techniques that increase intra-abdominal pressure (for example, abdominal exercises, closed twists, inverted asanas in yoga). It is important to remember that contraindications are individual and require consultation with a gynecologist.
- Do not rely on fitness bloggers and universal online programs. Weight loss and increased workout intensity should occur gradually, taking into account individual body characteristics. It is advisable to start training in the gym under the supervision of a qualified trainer.
- Regularly undergo check-up by a gynecologist. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs with assessment of fibroid growth, endometriosis, and other neoplasms is recommended to be performed 1-3 months after the start of active workouts, and then twice a year for control.
To ensure the safety of fitness, yoga, or strength training, it is extremely important to undergo examination by a gynecologist to identify possible contraindications and develop an individual program under the supervision of a qualified specialist. Only considering the specific characteristics of the individual body will physical activity bring exclusively benefits to women’s health.
