Physical Rehabilitation For A Morbidly Obese Male

Obesity occurs when a person's body mass index exceeds 30 kg/m2. Morbid obesity exists when a person's BMI is 40 kg/m2 or higher. According to a 2002 article in the Annals of Obesity, physical rehabilitation and proper nutrition, "can be effective for inducing weight loss" which "can result in substantial reductions in obesity-induced early mortality." In the case of morbid obesity, surgery is the preferred treatment, according to the 2002 article. However, large male patients pose a much higher risk of fatal complications during surgery, thus physical rehabilitation before and after surgery is recommended.

Considerations

For a morbidly obese male, exercise can be dangerous. The excessive weight can cause muscle strains or soft tissue sprains. To prevent these types of injuries, do not engage in jumping or high-impact exercises. In addition, remember that any exercise that uses body weight will be too much if additional weight is added. Do not be discouraged if some exercises are painful to start. The exertion that exercise requires is more than your body, particularly your heart, will be used to.

Decrease Weight and Increase Heart Health

The No. 1 goal in the treatment of obesity is to first lose weight. This will not only reduce the strain on your body during the exercises, it will also encourage heart and organ health. To most efficiently begin shedding the pounds, cardiovascular exercise is prescribed. To reduce the risk of injury because of the extra pressure on your joints, begin with aerobic exercises in the pool. An example is water running. In order to break down fat stores while exercising you must sustain an activity. In order to stay safe, monitor the heart with a heart rate monitor. Maintain a level of exercise that requires 60 percent to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, which is 220 minus your age.

Increase Strength

In order to gain muscle endurance and strength, use little to no weight when performing exercises and use a high number of repetitions. For example, when doing a bicep curl, use light resistance bands as opposed to heavy free weights and attempt 12 to 20 repetitions. The resistance bands or water weights are an easy way to keep the weight low while yielding results.

Frequency and Commitment

With cardiovascular exercise you will be able to make minimal gains by exercising two days per week. Exercise three to four times per week to achieve healthful weight loss goals without over-training. In order to maintain the benefits of physical rehabilitation, the addition of exercise must become a lifestyle change, rather than a temporary treatment.