Dr. Arun Waman Apte

Exercising outdoors is fun and refreshing in its own way. An early morning jog or doing pull ups on the goal post are fun ways of working out. Summers are usually the best time to take your workouts outside, as it decreases stress levels and revitalizes your body. It is also a good method to increase vitamin D levels in the body as the body is exposed to the sun.

In spite of this, there are some disadvantages of taking your workout outside. Let's focus on them:

1.Chances of accidents go up
It is very common to see people jogging on the road with their headphones plugged in. Incidents of joggers being hit by cars are fairly common, due to the fact that they are unable to hear the honking of a car or may change course along the road without realizing a vehicle is nearby.

2.Too much exposure to the sun
Long distance runners are mostly affected as they log plenty of miles. This can lead to ultraviolet ray exposure which increases the risk of skin cancer. It can also lead to sunburns and tanning of the skin. It is also known to suppress immune system and increase the risk of various infectious diseases.

3.Injury problems
Working outdoors increases your chances of injuries. Running on hard surfaces tends to cause damage your calf, hamstrings and thighs. It can put more stress on your knee, calf and cause various problems such as runner's knee and shin splints.

4.Difficult to find Help
If you suffer from a serious injury while exercising outside, then it may be difficult to find help. If you injure a joint and are unable to walk, then it may be a problem in getting you proper treatment. This delay in treatment may cause the injury to aggravate.