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Consequence of acute lack of exercise: detraining and overall decrease in functional capacity

Publication at Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen |
2021

Abstract

Almost everyone will experience a short-term lack of physical activity during their lifetime. In athletes who train regularly, the reason is most often an acute illness or injury.

In the untrained population, restrictions on physical activity at any age are most often linked to health problems, but may also be related to anti-pandemic measures, as we have recently seen in the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. As "detraining" we mean a condition that occurs with such an extraordinary reducing of physical activity.

It is manifested mainly by a decrease or loss of adaptive abilities, achieved by previous training or previous normal daily physical activity. In athletes there is a decrease in performance, in average fit people there is a weakening of the state of health, which requires convalescence.

For people who have previously suffered from health problems, "detraining" can lead to loss of independence and deepening of their frailty to complete dependence on the environment. In the prevention of these negative consequences, it is necessary to reduce the period of necessary restriction of movement to a minimum, ensure sufficient protein in the diet, minimize time spent in bed or sedentary and use online instruction on how to exercise at home.

Otherwise, only a few weeks without optimal movement leads to a very significant reduction in physical condition, manifested in particular by a very significant decrease of adaptations earned from training especialy of cardiorespiratory capacity.