SINGAPORE : Mr Chng Poh Choon had been experiencing a dull, nagging pain around his neck and right hand for six years.

He attributed it to a "blood circulation problem" and started on an exercise regime that included qi gong, yoga and stretching exercises.

"I thought that exercising would help improve my blood circulation and ease the pain," said the 57-year-old retiree.

Instead, the pain worsened.

Mr Chng went to a doctor, and it turned out that his chronic neck pain was a result of a degenerative disc disease. His personal exercise programme had, in fact, aggravated his medical condition.

While regular exercise is good for your health, experts TODAY spoke to said doing it incorrectly can be dangerous. Improper exercise may even be detrimental to those with existing medical conditions.

Said Ms Ruby Poh, a physiotherapist at Singapore General Hospital (SGH): "There are many benefits resulting from participation in regular exercise. However, there are also documented risks associated with exercise - namely, acute musculoskeletal injury, sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction."

At the physiotherapy department where Ms Poh works, the number of patients seeking treatment for sports injuries last year jumped by 20 per cent from the previous year.

She said: "A lot of people tend to associate pain with exercise. They believe in the motto of 'no pain, no gain'. These people run the risk of injuring themselves and allowing the problem to escalate as they ignore the injury."

According to Ms Poh, about 60 per cent of sports-related injuries her department sees are caused by improper exercise techniques. They range from joints and muscle sprains to ligament tears, dislocations and fractures.

For others, engaging in unsuitable exercises can sometimes do more harm than good.

In particular, those with pre-existing medical conditions should be especially careful with the kind of sports they participate in, warned Dr Lim Yeow Wai, a specialist in orthopaedic surgery at Raffles Hospital.

For instance, arthritis sufferers should avoid high-impact sports and take part in low-impact sports such as swimming, said Dr Lim. Those with conditions such as ligament laxity, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis should also steer clear of extreme sports as they are more prone to having dislocations.

According to Mr Lim Hun Teck, a senior physiotherapist at Raffles Hospital, people with uncontrolled diabetes, heart or weight problems, or who suffered a heart attack in the past six months, should also be cautious when starting a new exercise regime.

"A doctor, physiotherapist or other healthcare provider should be consulted when designing an exercise programme to make sure you are safe from harm," added Mr Lim.


Don't overdo it

Besides sticking to the prescribed exercise regime, it is also important to monitor any symptoms and report any adverse effects of exercise to your physician and physiotherapist, advised Ms Poh.

"The point of exercise should be to improve an individual's fitness and well-being; not to cause debilitating pain," said Mr Lim.

Dr Lim agreed: "Exercise should be enjoyable. After exercising, you should 'feel good'. If you start to develop aches and pains, then perhaps you should consider cutting down the intensity of the exercise to a level you are comfortable with. After two weeks, you can then gradually increase the intensity."

He warned: "Don't be a weekend warrior and try to squeeze one weeks' worth of exercise into one weekend."

In Mr Chng's case, modifying his exercise techniques - as instructed by a physiotherapist - to suit his medical condition have helped.

Armed with the right exercise moves, he is now able to enjoy his active lifestyle.

- TODAY/il