Exercise in the Cold: No Excuses in Montana

Think it's too cold to exercise outside? Think again. Exercise physiologists say there is no temperature too cold to work out safely.

By Cord Prettyman, MPT

If you think it's been too cold to exercise outside lately, try another excuse. Julia Hensley – a 41-year-old artist – got a taste of bitter cold a decade ago when she spent a winter on a glacier near Seward, Alaska, where temperatures ranged from 10 to 15 degrees below zero. Her boyfriend persuaded her to go cross-country skiing for hours in deep snow, telling her that as long as she kept moving, she would be alright. It turns out he was right.

According to John W. Castellani – an exercise physiologist at the Army Research Institute for Environmental Medicine – although cold can be frightening, more people are injured exercising in the heat than in the cold. Dr. Castellani was the lead author of a position paper for the American College of Sports Medicine on exercising in the cold.

"The answer is no," Castellani said. "People go to the poles when it's minus-50 degrees and do incredible things safely. There really isn't a point where you can tell people it is not safe anymore." The problem is that myths lead people to overdress or stop moving – both risky in the cold.

Some worry that cold air will injure their lungs. But "no matter how cold the air is – by the time it reaches your lungs, it is body temperature," says Kenneth W. Rundell, director of respiratory research at Marywood University. Cold does NOT damage lungs.

Here are the Mayo Clinic's precautions for cold-weather exercise: Dress in layers you can remove as needed. Protect your hands, feet, and ears – cold concentrates blood flow in your core, leaving extremities vulnerable to frostbite. Head into the wind on the way out so the wind is at your back on the return. Drink plenty of fluids – dehydration happens just as easily in the cold as in the heat. Wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Visit the CDC's Cold Stress page to get up to speed on potentially lifesaving information.

Cord Prettyman is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer with 32 years of experience. He can be reached through the Montana Athletic Club at 406-837-2582.