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A marathon is a long-distance race that tests the limits of a human’s physical abilities. Most runners do not run a marathon to win. Indeed, some runners would be happy just to finish the race within six hours. Whatever your goal for your next race, you can benefit from knowing some of the risks you face when undertaking a marathon so you can stay out of the hospital. Here, Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) ER doctors list some of the diseases they’ve come across in long-distance runners and show you how you can prevent them.1. Be aware of common injuries Common health risks include injuries such as:- Blisters;- Tendonitis;- Fatigue;- Knee or ankle sprains;- Dehydration;- Other musculoskeletal and dermatological complaints;- While rare, even death is a possibility during a race.
2. Check your heart health It is recommended that new runners should get a checkup from their doctor, as there are certain warning signs that should be evaluated before marathon training. A cardiac stress test is often advised. This is a medical test performed in the presence of medical staff to look for risks associated with high heart rate. When exercising, the heart beats rapidly. High-intensity exercise lasting longer than two hours could overload the heart. This can cause the heart to pump less efficiently and provide less blood flow to the rest of the body – including the heart itself. Signs and symptoms commonly include shortness of breath, excessive tiredness, and chest discomfort. The risk of a heart event increases in individuals who have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, and cardiomyopathy, as well as in those who abuse alcohol and those who have had a recent infection.
3. Hydrate properly Overconsumption is the most significant concern associated with drinking water during marathons. Drinking excessive amounts of fluid during a race can lead to dilution of sodium in the blood – a condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia. This may result in vomiting, seizure, coma, and even death. It is recommended that runners drink a sports drink that contains carbohydrates and electrolytes instead of plain water. Runners are also often advised to only drink when they're thirsty instead of feeling compelled to drink at every fluid station. Having said that, it is true that heat exposure leads to diminished thirst drive and thirst may not be a sufficient incentive to drink an adequate amount of water. Some doctors recommend drinking fluid in small volumes frequently at an approximate rate falling between 100–250 ml every 15 minutes.
4. Stay cool Exertional heat stroke is also an emergency condition in which thermoregulation fails, and the body temperature rises dangerously above 104 °F (40 °C). It becomes a higher risk in warm and humid weather, even for young and fit individuals. Treatment requires rapid physical cooling of the body. The good news is that the 2019 Beijing Marathon will be on November 3, which is two months later than the previous years and it may feel a little cooler than summer.
5. Know how running affects your overall health The bad news is that an optimal exercise regimen to improve cardiovascular health and function is not yet clearly defined. While marathon training showed heart benefits in some studies, other studies found that light and moderate joggers had a lower mortality than sedentary non-joggers, while strenuous joggers's mortality was comparable to the sedentary group.
6. Ask a doctor Ready to run? Share your training plan with your physician and discuss how to cross the finish line with a healthy heart. BJU will be supporting the 2019 Beijing Marathon as the exclusive medical sponsor. There will be several medical aid stations along the race course and the finish area, and there will be doctors running the race wearing BJU T-shirts. Please do seek medical staff when you need medical care.Have a medical emergency? Head to BJU's ER at 2 Jiangtai Lu, Lido, at any time of the day. Want to make an appointment with a BJU doctor? Please call the BJU Service Center at 4008-919191.