It has been realized that smokers have a high vulnerability to injuries than it is the case with non smokers. These injuries encountered by smokers are normally due to fatigue and inefficient availability of oxygen during exercise. Another cause of injuries to smokers is a diseased associated with smoking that is known as pulmonary disease which is chronic obstructive (OCPD). Smokers suffering from this particular disease are found to experience exercise intolerance as well as instances of fatigue.
These problems are normally due to a situation where lung functioning is deteriorated and muscles get wasted. This leads to irregular composition of fibre that makes up the muscles used during exercise. Studies conducted on young males engaged in smoking shows that smoking tends to decrease their resistance to muscle fatigue. More so, a situation where smokers’ fitness decreases leads to progressive worsening of resistance to muscle fatigue. This implies that for smokers to become vulnerable to injuries they have to indulge in smoking for a longer period of time.
There is no difference of the manner in which these injuries take place considering the gender factor. (Anzueto, 2004) Other factors necessitating exercise and are also tampered with when one indulges in smoking include torque, voluntary activation, fatigability as well as properties applied in muscle contraction. Voluntary activation refers to a decreased ability to have muscles activated to the maximum. This result to diminished strength within smokers despite the fact that exercises require high levels of strength since much energy is spent.
Torque refers to the relationship that exists between the rate at which body muscles contract and the total contractile frequency. It is found out that most of the smokers’ body characteristics that result to high injuries vulnerability are normally accompanied by lung diseases which are almost obvious to individuals who have indulged in smoking for a considerably long time periods. However, even those who do not suffer in any particular lung disease still experience instances of fatigue. This effect is usually the same in men as it is in women implying that fatigue levels are not determined by gender.
On the contrary, the level and instances of fatigue increases when particular individuals whether male or female continue to indulge in smoking. The level of voluntary activation is normally higher in smokers than it is in non smokers. This increased level in voluntary activation is normally due to increase in the activity of nerves within smokers. (Anzueto, 2004) Nerve activity occurs when a particular substance contained in cigarette, nicotine stimulates the pace at which smokers’ body functions increasing it to a higher level.
Hence, smokers become charged up to engage in exercise in order to release the extra strength experienced within their body systems. Since muscles of smokers are normally wasted and are not in a position to endure activated exercises, the individuals become vulnerable to injury. Studies show that fatigue instances which result to injuries in smokers during exercise are due to a combination of factors associated with smoking. These include the composition of a fibre type that is very well weak in nature.
This kind of muscles makes it difficult for the body that is already charged to undertake exercises. This is because weak muscles cannot support the body as required. It also occurs that the weak type of fibre that is composed is irregularly distributed within the body such that specific areas in which it is required are not adequately serviced. This makes smokers very weak to withstand exercise resulting to injuries. The other factor is reduced amount of oxygen supplied to muscles to necessitate energy production.
Since carbon dioxide fixation reduces the amount of oxygen available, smokers’ muscles do not also receive efficient amounts needed reducing overall energy generated by muscles. Although less oxygen is availed to muscles, oxidative capacity of smokers’ muscles is also low. This means that even if there was more oxygen in the blood, smokers’ muscles would not be in a position to absorb the required amount since they cannot hold it all. All these factors related to the situation where muscles are weakened contribute to increased vulnerability to injury which is a common problem to people who have had a longer indulgence in smoking.
Muscle weakness causes a loss of body balance during exercise and it is normally difficult for this to be controlled as it sometimes occurs so slowly in a manner that is unnoticeable. Before they even realize what is happening to their bodies, smokers get themselves injured. Examples of injuries that this category of people encounter include tendonitis, fractures, bursitis and sprains all of which are associated to loss of body balance. (Wahren, 1997)