If you spend your days hobbling painfully from your bed to your reclining chair and back, the notion of pursuing any kind of vigorous activity may be the furthest thing from your mind.
The truth, however, is that getting active can vastly improve your health, your comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life. Keep reading to learn more about how physical activity can help you feel your best and enjoy better health!
The importance of good health
It’s all relative when it comes to the words “health” and “wellness.” It essentially indicates that your body is functioning at its peak in terms of respiration, circulation, digestion, and other areas. It doesn’t imply you have to be the most physically fit person in the room.
Any move you take to help your body function at its best is a step toward being a healthier version of yourself. Your physical therapist can provide you exercises, stretches, and nutritional advice to help you improve your health and feel more physically fit.
Physical therapy can improve your overall health in a natural way!
You can do any or all of these activities on your own time, or ask our physical therapist about incorporating them into a full-fledged physical therapy program. If you’re recovering from an injury, unclear of your exercise tolerance, or dealing with a chronic pain issue, the latter technique could be extremely beneficial.
Our physical therapist can analyze your health and make recommendations for exercises that are suitable for your needs and objectives. Various safe, helpful therapies, such as massage, ultrasound therapy, dry needling, cold and heat treatments, acupuncture, or laser therapy, may be able to enhance the benefits of your activities at the same time.
These therapies can promote tissue repair, ease inflammation, reduce pain, and increase your ability to keep moving and having a great time.
In addition to physical therapy, here are five activity suggestions from our physical therapist that you might genuinely enjoy adding to your lifestyle.
1. Cycling
Cycling will get you where you want to go while also providing you with a variety of health benefits.
Aerobic activity can help you enhance your heart health, while simply riding the bike will improve your balance and leg strength. Cycling is also lower-impact than running if you have back discomfort or knee difficulties.
2. Swimming
If even walking is too much for you these days, a swim in the pool can be a better option. Because the water reduces the effects of gravity on the body, swimming is extremely beneficial for persons with arthritis or extremities injuries.
Even if you can’t swim, go for a healthy walk or paddle with your dog in the water!
3. Running
Running is more demanding on the heart, lungs, and knees than walking, but these demands can turn out to be very good for what ails you. The famous “runner’s high” you may have heard so much about seems to offer its own pain-reducing benefits for chronic pain sufferers.
The phrase “no pain, no gain” also seems to apply here. That routine you get from running could encourage your brain to step down its baseline pain sensitivity, making your other aches and pains seem less bothersome.
4. Weight Training
It’s not simply for “muscle-heads” to lift weights. Weight training can aid in the development of muscular tissue that supports your joints.
Muscles that are stronger are less prone to fatigue and painful strains. Working with weights also helps you keep your bone density and reduce muscle wastage as you become older.
5. Walking
Walking is one of those great activities that doesn’t require any particular equipment and is really practical. Why waste gasoline on a short journey when you could get some fresh air and low-impact exercise instead?
Walking improves your circulation without putting undue strain on your body. It also moves your weight-bearing joints, which is very beneficial if you have arthritis.
What else can I do to maintain good health?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle takes work, but once you get into the groove of it, it becomes much easier. For example, eating nutritious foods is one of the easiest ways to improve your health (although we know those sweets are hard to kick.) Physical activity is the hardest aspect to get in the habit of doing, especially if you are being held back by chronic pain.
Some people try to mask their symptoms with anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving medications, while others, unfortunately, give up on the idea of being active altogether. Luckily, there is an alternative option: physical therapy. With the help of a physical therapist, it is possible to reclaim your pain-free, healthy lifestyle, and get back to doing the activities you love.
Get on a track to better health today with the help of physical therapy
Life is too wonderful to spend it in bed or in your chair. Get up right now and schedule a visit to our physical therapy center. It’s the healthiest move you could possibly make!
Sources:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
- http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2018/11/13/HHSPAGuidelinesRevision/
- https://dynamichealthcarolinas.com/blog/swimming/
- https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/arthritis-friendly/walking.php
- https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/strength-train
- https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20812312/running-as-pain-relief/
- https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/benefits-of-cycling-334144
Tags: physical therapy, physical activity, health and wellness, Healthy Diet
