Don’t Risk Your Health While Exercising in Summer

Important warnings from Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Miçooğulları on precautions to take while exercising during the summer...
With the arrival of summer, the desire to spend time outdoors increases, making sports and exercise activities more enjoyable. However, when the effects of hot weather on the body are ignored, various risks—especially related to muscle and joint health—can arise.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Miçooğulları, a faculty member at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Cyprus International University (CIU), shared key points to consider while exercising during the summer. He stated that hot weather can affect the body’s overall functioning and particularly muscle and joint health in multiple ways. Miçooğulları noted that while heat can have some positive effects on muscles and joints, it also brings certain risks, saying, “Especially in summer, if enough water is not consumed, muscle cramps, fatigue, and joint pain may occur. Individuals with orthopedic issues need to be especially cautious during this time.”
He pointed out that extreme heat can strain muscles and joints, potentially leading to serious health problems. For individuals who exercise regularly during the summer—especially athletes—he offered the following advice: “Sufficient water should be consumed before, during, and after exercise. For longer activities, drinks containing electrolytes should be preferred.” Miçooğulları emphasized that proper and adequate warm-ups, exercising with the correct technique, using appropriate equipment, maintaining balanced and sufficient nutrition, and ensuring adequate rest and sleep play major roles in protecting muscle and bone health. He added, “It’s important to listen to your body and avoid pushing through pain.”
“Starting and maintaining an exercise routine is a very valuable step. But if this process is not managed with the right approach, it can lead to discouragement, injuries, and loss of motivation,” Miçooğulları said, noting that beginners especially may overdo it in their eagerness to see quick results. Therefore, he stated that exercise should be started gradually and regularly, not with sudden or intense activity. He stressed the importance of warm-up and cool-down exercises to prepare muscles for exercise and to speed up recovery afterward.
Miçooğulları also highlighted that incorrect posture during weight training and complex exercises can place excessive strain on joints and muscles, increasing the risk of injury.
He stated that one of the key elements of muscle and joint health is balanced nutrition, saying, “Adequate intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals is essential for muscle repair and strengthening.” Miçooğulları also touched on modern methods and technologies used in orthopedic rehabilitation, noting that various contemporary approaches such as electrotherapy, physical modalities, laser therapy, ultrasound, manual therapy, exercise programs, Kinesio taping, and biofeedback are effectively employed in this process.