Following balanced diet

A balanced diet contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins,

mineral salts and fibre taken in correct proportion. An unbalanced
diet affects the normal functioning and repair of the
musculoskeletal system directly and indirectly.

Carbohydrates

Main source of energy for the contractions of muscle tissues

Digested in the body to form blood glucose in the form of
starches and sugars
Glucose is used to meet the immediate energy needs of
contracting muscles and some stored as glycogen in the liver
and muscle for the future needs.
Insufficient intake of energy leads to the breakdown of tissue fat,
carbohydrates or muscle protein, which causes a loss in body
mass.
Excessive high energy food intake results in increased storage of
body fat causing a strain on the musculoskeletal system.

Protein
 Provide for the growth and repair of the muscle tissues

Vitamins
Vitamin B (thiamine) is needed for the release of energy for
muscle contractions
Vitamin C is needed for body and muscle tissues to repair
themselves
Vitamin D is needed for the absorption of calcium which is
needed to strengthen the bones.

Minerals
 Calcium is required for maintaining healthy teeth, bones and
muscles.
Magnesium is needed in bones, proteins, making new cells and
relaxing muscle.
Phosphorus is used in the formation of ATP (for the contraction of
muscle), the formation of bones and in cell division.
Sodium is needed for all type of cells including muscle cells to
function properly.
Sulphur is required for protein formation which is needed to
repair muscles.

Having a good posture

Posture is the position in which the body is hold upright against gravity
while standing, sitting, lying down, lifting or pushing. Good posture
involves training body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the
least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during
movement or weight-bearing activities.

Importance of good posture

• Keep bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles can
function properly.
 • Prevent fatigue by using muscles more efficiently, allowing the body to
use less energy or overuse of certain part of the musculoskeletal
system.
• Prevent backache and muscular pain due to strain, overuse or abuse of
the musculoskeletal system.
• Avoid and decrease the abnormal wearing joints surfaces that could
results in arthritis.
• Reduce the stress on the ligaments holding the joints of the vertebral
column together.
• Prevent the vertebrae column from becoming fixed in abnormal
positions.
• Contributing in good appearance

Standing posture

Good posture when ears are aligned above shoulders, shoulders over hips,
hips over ankles, with a slight inward curve in lower back.

Bad posture

i) The shoulders are held back, but the abdomen is pushed too forward
causing the abdominal muscles to slacken.

ii) The head is tilted forward, shoulders rounded, pelvic girdle is tilted
forward to maintain balance resulting in strained back muscles and affecting
proper breathing.

Sitting posture
 Bad posture Good posture

➢ Good posture when the muscles are relaxed and body weight is
evenly supported by the chair
➢ Bad posture when the abdominal are contracted and tense.

Good lying down posture

Lying on the back Lying on the side

Ensure that the shape of body is in comfortable position

The natural S-shaped of vertebra column should be maintained
when lying on back
The vertebral column should be straight when lying on side

Lifting posture

➢ When picking up an object that lower than the level of waist,

keep the back is straight and bend at knees and hips
➢ Do not bend at the waist with knees straight
➢ Stand with a wide stance close to the object and keep feet firm
on the ground
 ➢ Straighten knees in a steady motion to rise up

Using proper attire for daily activities

⇒ Wear light-coloured, lightweight, tightly-woven, loose fitting

clothing on hot days
⇒ Wear shoes with good arch support with plenty room for toes to
extend fully
⇒ Avoid wearing jewellery such as a long necklace or large earrings
to avoid been entangled by the equipment used in the activity.

Taking appropriate precautions during vigorous activities

Vigorous activities are activities done with force and energy
Example: jogging, running, aerobic dancing, swimming and
digging
There always a risk of injury doing vigorous activities, of
which the most common one is injury to the muscle and
joints
Taking appropriate precautions may help to minimize the
risk of getting injury.
Precautions
• Always do warm-up, stretch and cool down exercises
○ Warm up help body to adjust from a state of rest to
exercise
○ Cool-down help body to adjust from exercise to rest
• Build up level of activity gradually over time
○ Do not overexert body by exercising too hard or too
long
○ Prolonged exercise, in spite of muscle pains and
fatigue, leads to severe energy shortage which causes
muscle spasms and cramps
• Listen to body for warning pains
○ Exercising too much can cause injuries to joints, feet,
ankles and legs
○ Do not exercise beyond early warning pains in these
areas or more injuries may result
• Drinks a lots of water
○ Before, during and after the vigorous activities
 ○ To avoid dehydration- the loss of fluids and salts
through sweating, which may lead to muscle spasms
and muscle cramps
• Watch out for the sign of heart stroke
○ Feeling dizzy, weak, light-headed, excessively tired,
sweating stops and body temperature becomes
dangerously high.

Practicing correct and safe exercise technique

• Don't eat for two hours before vigorous exercise.
• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout.
• Adjust activity according to the weather and reduce it when fatigued or ill.
• When exercising, listen to the body warning symptoms, and consult a physician if
exercise induces chest pain, irregular heartbeat, undue fatigue, nausea, unexpected
breathlessness, or light-headedness.
Warm-Up and Cool-Down Period.
Warming up and cooling down are important parts of any exercise routine. They aid the
body in making the transition from rest to activity and back again and can help prevent
soreness or injury, especially in older people.
• Warm-up exercises should be practiced for five to 10 minutes at the beginning of
an exercise session. Older people need a longer period to warm up their muscles.
Low-level aerobic exercise is the best approach, such as walking briskly, swinging
the arms, or jogging in place.
• To cool down, one should walk slowly until the heart rate is 10 to 15 beats above
resting rate. Stopping too suddenly can sharply reduce blood pressure, is a danger
for older people, and may cause muscle cramping.
• Stretching may be appropriate for the cooling down period, but it must be done
carefully for warming up because it can injure cold muscles. (There is no clear
evidence, however, that stretching reduces muscle injuries.)
Warming up before exercise and cooling down after are just as important as the exercise
itself. By properly warming up the muscles and joints with low-level aerobic movement
for 5 to 10 minutes, one may avoid injury and build endurance over time. Cooling down
after exercise by walking slowly, then stretching muscles, may also prevent strains and
blood pressure fluctuation.