Why Exercise Could Be Hurting—Not Helping
When we think of exercise, it’s usually seen as a one-size-fits-all solution for better health. It can help manage weight, improve cardiovascular health, and even boost mood. But what if I told you that for some people—especially those with diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, or other chronic conditions—exercise could be doing more harm than good?
Yes, you read that right. Exercise, if not properly managed, could increase inflammation and worsen symptoms, rather than improve them.
Let’s break down why.
Picture: FreePikExercise: A Double-Edged Sword
for Chronic Conditions
The general recommendation is to aim for 150
minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, along with resistance
training for overall health benefits. But let's be real: For many people with
chronic diseases of lifestyle (CDLs) like diabetes, arthritis or obesity, these guidelines
feel overwhelming and unattainable due to time constraints or lack of
inclination.
Even more critically, these recommended exercises can backfire for those with chronic health conditions. Moderate to intense exercise can result in fatigue, pain, stiffness, and even increased inflammation. This isn’t just uncomfortable; it can actively discourage people from sticking to any sort of exercise regimen, exacerbating their tendency toward a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, the natural benefits of exercise are missed, and the very conditions exercise is supposed to improve actually worsen.
16 Weeks to Fitness? Not So
Simple for Everyone
For a generally healthy but unfit person, it
takes about 16 weeks of consistent training to see noticeable
improvements in fitness. However, for many people with diabetes, the elderly,
and those with other chronic conditions, 16 weeks is an unrealistic timeline.
These individuals often struggle with fatigue, limited mobility, or other
health challenges that make sticking to a traditional exercise routine
impossible.
And this is exactly where the problem lies: When people can’t meet these guidelines, they get discouraged. Worse yet, many find themselves in a cycle where they avoid exercise, further deteriorating their health and contributing to the CDL epidemic.
The Inflammation Paradox
Exercise has two faces: it can either be a stress reliever or a stressor. When you engage in well-modulated physical activity, your muscles release myokines—beneficial proteins like IL-6—that actually reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity. However, for those with chronic health conditions or low muscle mass, intense or even moderate exercise can be perceived by the body as a stressor, increasing levels of inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and CRP.
This paradox also helps explain why some individuals with obesity struggle to lose weight despite increased physical activity. When exercise is perceived as stress, it can elevate cortisol levels, a hormone linked to fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area. Rather than burning adipose tissue, the body prioritizes retaining fat, compounding the challenges of weight loss. Over time, repeatedly stressing the body through excessive exercise without adequate recovery can suppress the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections and potentially contributing to long-term health issues.
Collectively, diseases related to chronic inflammation account for 50% of deaths worldwide, highlighting the importance of carefully tailored exercise regimens for individuals with existing health challenges. For those with compromised health, the threshold for overtraining is significantly lower, making proper modulation of exercise intensity crucial. When exercise is too intense or improperly adjusted, it can become harmful for individuals with severe diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or other chronic conditions. Instead of alleviating inflammation, such exercise can exacerbate it, particularly when the body is already burdened by chronic inflammation due to poor health or prolonged inactivity.
The Impact of Overexertion on
Immunity
While exercise is vital for strengthening the
immune system, excessive intensity can have a cumulative negative
effect. In high-performance sports, this is often referred to as burnout.
Prolonged, intense exercise can suppress immunity, increasing the risk
of infections and, over time, contributing to chronic diseases. This
risk isn’t limited to individuals with pre-existing conditions; anyone can
experience the adverse effects of overexertion. A poignant example is
that five members of the 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok team passed
away before or around their 50th birthday from chronic conditions
such as heart attacks and autoimmune diseases—a tragic reminder
of the toll that intense physical demands can take over time.
For people with chronic conditions, this effect is even more pronounced, as their bodies are already dealing with inflammation, making them more susceptible to exercise-related immune suppression.
The KineDek AI-CRT: A Smarter
Way to Exercise
Enter the KineDek AI-CRT, a
breakthrough technology designed to offer a stress-free and highly effective
form of exercise for individuals with chronic conditions. Unlike conventional
exercise, the KineDek system uses AI-enabled compensating resistance training
(AI-CRT) that adjusts to your body’s needs in real time. The system ensures optimal
muscle activation without the risk of over-exerting the body or increasing
inflammation.
The secret lies in the precise modulation of resistance. The AI-CRT works in sync with the body's muscle contraction rhythms, providing just the right amount of resistance to stimulate beneficial myokine release—such as IL-6—without triggering fatigue, pain, or post-exercise stiffness. This means you can achieve the anti-inflammatory benefits of exercise without the typical downsides, making it especially useful for individuals with diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or those in the advanced stages of cancer. It also explains why those with weight issues experience rapid weight loss with KineDek sessions, even without dietary changes.
This kind of smart exercise allows you to get the benefits of physical activity—like improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation—without risking the fatigue, inflammation, and other complications that can arise from conventional high-impact exercise routines.
The Bottom Line
For people with chronic diseases of
lifestyle, the conventional approach to exercise might not always be the
best fit. It’s important to remember that exercise should work for you, not
against you. Starting slow, modulating intensity, and focusing on what
your body can handle are key to long-term success. When done right, exercise
can still be one of the most powerful tools in managing chronic conditions,
reducing inflammation, and improving quality of life.
By adopting smarter exercise solutions like
the KineDek AI-CRT, those living with diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or
other chronic conditions can enjoy the health benefits of exercise without the
risks.
Further Reading &
Resources
- Physical
activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
- Chronic diseases taking ‘immense and increasing toll on lives’, warns WHO
- Is Diabetes
Becoming the Biggest Epidemic of the Twenty-first Century?
- The
importance of exercise when you have diabetes
- Your
Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise
- Exercise and
Type 2 Diabetes
- Obesity and Inflammation: A Vicious Cycle
- Can
Exercise Hurt People with Diabetes?
- 16
Weeks to Fitness
- Understanding
Myokines: The Muscle-Immune Connection
- Burnout and overtraining in elite athletes
- 1995 Fallen Springboks
