Let’s get physical
Modern technology and a change in lifestyle means that the demand on us physically is greatly reduced and this can be damaging to our bodies. Jobs that used to take hours now take seconds. This change has not meant people utilising their time for more physical leisure activities.
Many individuals pursue sedentary activities such as watching screens and eating. The body is designed to move and perform strenuous activity so going against this means the body starts to perform less optimally. Once this continues for extended periods of time the body becomes unhealthy.
Hypokinetic Diseases
- Physical inactivity leads to Hypokinetic diseases
- Hypo – Lack of
- Kinetic – Movement
So individuals who do not exercise regularly increase the likelihood of developing diseases including CHD, Hypertension, Osteoporisis and Obesity.
Role of physical activity and exercise in disease prevention and rehabilitation
Benefits of Physical Activity
- Up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- Up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- Up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- Up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- A 30% lower risk of early death
- Up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- Up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- A 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
- Up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- Up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
Specific Physiological Benefits
- Increase in Cardiac Output (The amount of blood your heart pumps in each minute)
- Decreased Total Peripheral Resistance (The amount of force affecting the resistance to blood flow throughout the circulatory system)
- Cardiac Hypertrophy (Thickening of the heart muscle e.g. a stronger heart)
- Improved blood flow and distribution
- Increase in Tidal Volume (The amount of air moving in and out of the lungs in one breath)
- Increase in respiratory rate (Improving the amount of breath taken in a minute)
- Improves or helps to maintain/reduce rate of loss of bone density
Easy Ways to do Activity
- Walking
- Gardening
- Take the stairs
- Jog/run
- Try and not use your car or public transport
- Bike
- Look on Principle Physiotherapy social media for great exercise ideas (Facebook & Instagram)
