The Importance Of Physiotherapy & Tackling Physical Inactivity
There was a time when people were very active. They had to be in order to survive. The very first ancestors were hunters and they relied on their physical fitness to hunt for food. It was literally survival of the fittest. As they evolved, they found ways to make their life easier in all aspects, whether it was transportation, eating, entertainment, and working. Physical activity often became limited to short walks within one’s house or office.
People spend a lot of their time sitting and that has a lot of negative impact on people’s health. When people were active, they could eat a lot because they were always moving and their metabolism was able to burn excess calories. That same process doesn’t happen when one is sitting at a desk or sofa eating large meals. They see the results of that on the scales or in overall health – diabetes and heart disease are two very big risks. Sore joints and muscles are also more common.
There is something that people can do about this, though: See a physical therapist about it. Here are some of the ways that they can help people get healthy despite a sedentary lifestyle.
Find Out What Is A Healthy Lifestyle
A mistake that people make when starting out a program and are feeling good when getting back to cardiovascular exercise like running or physical ones like lifting weights. There’s no problem with starting off where they left off, right? Wrong. That’s nearly a guarantee that they are going to hurt something and wind up resting on the sofa again, not able to do anything. It might not be immediate but it will happen. Their body is going to have to get used to doing physical activities and the physical therapist will help.
The best thing the physical therapist can do is make sure that the program is unique and tailored for that particular patient. Trying to do a “one size fits all” program will not get the desired results. There is a reason that they spend many years gaining knowledge of how the human body works and how each individual will respond to certain things.
Focus On Physical Activity
Let’s face it… for many people, physical therapy can be a grind. Especially if they have to do it many times a week and the results are slow in coming. Focusing on proper form and even finding the enthusiasm to show up can be difficult. That’s why it’s up to the physical therapist to liven it up. When they initially meet, they should probe what interests the patient has. They can then incorporate a program where it might not feel like drudgery.
For example, is the patient an avid video gamer? They can use consoles like the Nintendo Wii, where using one’s body is part of playing. There are a lot of choices, including a boxing game and tennis. If the patient is an artist, they could stand at an easel and paint or draw. By doing this, they feel like they are having fun with something and also putting their bodies through the paces. They should be feeling good after each session. Tired, but good.
Make Physiotherapy A Positive Experience
This one is a judgement call on the physical therapist’s part. Does the patient seem fairly even-keeled and determined throughout the session or are there some that could benefit from getting praise after a particularly grueling series? A well-placed thumbs-up gesture can go a long way to helping some and even words of praise can help. Others are self-sufficient and don’t need the extra boost. It’s all what the physical therapist observes.
The important part thing here is that both the patient and the physical therapist have to see it as a true partnership. It’s not like the patient has been drafted into the armed forces and has to obey every barking command the physical therapist says. Yes, there are some times that physical limits need to be pushed and broken through in order to progress, it should never feel like an adversarial relationship. By emphasizing that the physical therapist is just as invested in the results can be very helpful.
There are people who have skills whose job requires them to be sedentary – like writers, for example. Office workers, too. But working with a physical therapist can help offset what sitting down all day does to one’s body. It’s not just exercise though – the patients have to make sure that they eat right and also get enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep can contribute to a lot of problems. Exercise can be a strong part of one’s health foundation, though.
People can make changes in their own day-to-day activities. There are standing desks now and people also sometimes like to sit on exercise balls rather than chairs, since it works their core more while they are seated. They will greatly benefit from the exercise since they can regain mobility in their joints and they will feel better overall.
A doctor needs to sign off on all of this first, to make sure that there’s no underlying conditions that might wind up causing a setback like an injury or even illness. Once they have been given the OK, patients can make the effort to get back into a fit lifestyle – which often leads to a longer lifespan than those who remain sedentary.
The staff at Empire Physical Medicine and Pain Management can help patients of all ages and physical conditions become the healthy pain-free ones that they want to be. They have two easy-to-reach locations – Midtown Manhattan and Wall Street. Call them today to make an appointment – 646-665-7109.
Published By:
Empire Physical Medicine & Pain Management
7 W 45th St floor 9,
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (646) 665-7109
Website: https://manhattanpainrelief.com
