Other myths

Myth: "You should stretch before exercising."

While it's important to warm up before exercise, especially if you've just got out of bed or are about to undertake strenuous exercise, there's no good evidence that 'stretching' does much good.

By stretching they mean static stretches to pull at particular muscle and ligament groups, like hamstrings, calf muscles, Achilles tendons and so on. Warming up, on the other hand, is doing the basic moves of your exercise (running, swimming, cycling, playing soccer) at a low intensity.

Proponents of stretching say it prevents injuries and muscle soreness and improves performance. However, reviews of many studies have found there's no beneficial effect on reducing the chances of injury and soreness, and there are contradictory findings on performance - some find it helps, some find it hinders, some find no effect.

Stretching is still useful to help maintain or increase flexibility and can improve performance in the long term, so do it another time - while you're watching TV, for example.

Bottom line:

Stretching before exercise doesn't appear to help reduce muscle soreness or risk of injury.

Myth: "I'm slim and healthy, I don't need to exercise."

Even if you're slim and seem to be healthy, if you are inactive you're probably not as healthy as you could be. Studies have also found that people who are 'fat and fit' - that is, who are overweight but do regular exercise - are healthier than people who don't exercise, and therefore likely to live longer.

Meeting the minimum exercise recommendations can go a long way to achieving good health. Benefits include:

• Normal blood pressure
• Healthy cholesterol levels
• Lower levels of anxiety and depression
• Stronger bones and better balance (particularly important for older people otherwise at risk of osteoporosis)
• Weight management
• Good cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular strength and flexibility
• General self-esteem and psychological wellbeing.

Bottom line:

Exercise contributes to good overall physical and mental health - it's not just about body weight.

Think you're too old to exercise?

Some people think if they've led a pretty inactive life, there's no point taking up exercise at an older age - that it may do more harm than good. But studies have shown there are many benefits to taking up and continuing exercise well into old age.

Among the key benefits are maintaining independence through greater muscular strength, aerobic fitness and stability (balance), as well as stronger bones. Walking and (supervised) resistance training are particularly recommended.

This report was first published by the Australian Consumers' Association, CHOICE.