Physical fitness for physicians.

The typical workload of a physician probably is not sufficient to produce and maintain a state of physical fitness. A majority of physicians seem to be involved in recreational exercise. However, the necessary data are not available regarding the frequency, duration, and intensity of their exercise--let alone on maximum heart rates and oxygen consumption in exercise--to permit determining their levels of physical fitness. Among the many factors contributing to an overall state of physical fitness, cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness (ie, endurance) appears to be most important to the physician, whose work, with rare exceptions, requires endurance but not unusual strength. Activities most suitable to development of this type of fitness include fast walking, running, cycling, swimming, and circuit training. The exercise prescription should be expressed in terms of the heart rate to be reached, and the frequency, duration, and intensity of the activity to be performed.