Curtesy of the American Physical Therapy Assoc. (APTA).
COVID has certainly made the importance of health very clear and we have all seen how quickly things can change with an illness. While COVID is currently front and center in most people’s thoughts, it isn’t the only thing out there that can change your life. Heart disease, diabetes, strokes and cancer can all be devastating too.
Movement offers a defense
If you’re looking to be more resilient and defend against these things, physical activity can do it. The dangers of being sedentary are well known and documented in the research. Excessive sitting and sedentary time have even been called the new smoking. For many of us, sitting and being inactive is part of our jobs. However, research has shown that getting in enough movement can counteract the negative effects of being sedentary.
A large study done in the U.K. found no association between the amount of time people spent sedentary and their chances of illness. But the authors didn’t conclude that being sedentary is OK. Instead, they felt their findings were likely “attributable to a protective effect of the high volumes of daily walking.” The study was conducted in London, where people tend to spend much more time walking or standing than average. The people in the study had daily walking times that were over double the average amount reported in the U.K.
Physical Therapists Are Unequaled Experts in Human Movement
While walking was the activity in this particular study, other research has shown that all kinds of movement can help protect your health. If you’re looking to get those protective benefits for yourself you could choose to walk, bike, lift weights, dance, garden, etc… If you’re not moving as much or as well as you’d like, see your physical therapist. PTs are the most qualified professionals on the planet to help you move better and allow you to stay healthy and enjoy life. From designing a program to get you started moving more to helping you recover from an injury, your PT is the right person to look to for help.
About Jerome/Wendell Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Clinics
Founded in 2006, Jerome Physical Therapy & Wendell Physical Therapy are fully functioning physical therapy and sports medicine clinics, offering physical therapy services of all types to all of Jerome and Gooding counties including the cities of Hagerman, Bliss, Shoshone, Gooding, Valley and smaller outlying areas. As a hometown physical therapy clinic, personal individualized care is important to our staff. Specializing in sports medicine, occupational health, and orthopedic care, our offices continue to emphasize volunteerism in our communities and schools. We recognize the benefit of assisting our community in maintaining healthy lifestyles, while keeping our health care costs controlled. To learn more, you can reach out to either office—Jerome: (208)324-3090 or Wendell: (208)536-3090—or visit www.jeromept.com.
