HealthInfo Canterbury
Starting out or getting back into activity
If you have been inactive for a long time, you should start gradually. This will help you avoid getting too sore or injured.
If you have any of the following health conditions, check with your doctor before you start or increase physical activity.
- You have a heart condition or have had a stroke.
- You have unexplained pains in your chest.
- You ever feel dizzy while doing physical activity.
- You have had an asthma attack that needed medical attention during the last year.
- You have diabetes and have had problems controlling your blood glucose over the last three months.
- You have a diagnosed muscle, bone or joint problem.
- You have another medical condition that could make it dangerous to do physical activity.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Active Canterbury – Getting started
Starting out information and other useful links.
- Ministry of Health – Get up, get going
Information about starting physical activity.
- Sports Canterbury – Home based exercises and training tips
Information about exercises you can do at home. Includes videos with training tips. This page also has success stories about people who have gone through the Green Prescription programme and improved their fitness and lost weight.
- ACC – Warm-up, cool-down and stretch
Information about the importance of warming up before exercise and cooling down after exercise, and how these can reduce the risk of injury.
- Ministry of Health – If you are pregnant
Information about physical activity when you are pregnant.
On the next page: Ideas for keeping active
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Updated April 2016.
Review key: HIKEA-53695
