Staying Active While Watching March Madness

CLEVELAND – March Madness is back and that means college basketball fans are going to be spending a lot of time watching TV.

But, as Donald Ford, MD, family medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic explains, it’s important not to sit for too long.

“We have some medical concerns when it’s a really long period of time, that people could actually develop something as serious as a blood clot,” said Dr. Ford. “I think that would be unusual in the circumstance of March Madness, but it is a good caution that you should be getting up and moving around every 15, 20 minutes or so.”

Dr. Ford said you could watch the games while exercising, whether that’s at the gym or at home while on the treadmill or stationary bike.

However, if you are planning to sit for the entire game, make sure to take breaks during commercials and walk around and stretch out.

And don’t forget to drink plenty of water. It can be easy to get dehydrated, especially when you’re consuming alcohol.

Dr. Ford said you should also be mindful of what you’re eating. Try to go for more low-fat options and skip anything with a lot of salt in it.

“A lot of the prepared foods you order while you’re out, the wings, pizzas and so forth, check those labels. Those are loaded with salt. And for anybody with high blood pressure, any kidney concerns, those are things that we want to stay away from, those high salt foods,” he said.

Dr. Ford said March Madness can also be a good time to start a new workout routine or add some healthier foods into your diet. It could be motivating as you watch all those incredible athletes.