Running safely: What you need to know

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 07, 2010

Knowing your condition allows runners and others to set safe and realistic goals, said Eric Coris, a sports medicine specialist and medical team physician for University of South Florida athletics.

"You don't have to go out there and run a marathon every day to get in shape," Coris said. "If you can do ultimately 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week, you're going to do tremendous things for your body."

Coris recommends every athlete, no matter what level, answer questions about cardiac health. These are from a pre-participation exam endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians and four other medical organizations.

• Have you ever passed out during or after exercise?

• Have you ever been dizzy during or after exercise?

• Have you ever had chest pain during or after exercise?

• Do you get tired more quickly than your friends do during exercise?

• Have you ever had racing of your heart or skipped heartbeats?

• Have you had high blood pressure or high cholesterol?

• Have you ever been told you have a heart murmur?

• Has any family member or relative died of heart problems or of sudden death before age 50?

• Have you had a severe viral infection in the past month?

• Has a physician ever denied or restricted your participation in sports for heart problems?

Mary Shedden