Therapeutic Exercise
Exercise, the Easy Way
Years ago, Americans walked approximately 12 miles every day. Today, we’re lucky if we can get to 3,000 steps. As a country, we’re not getting enough motion in our daily lives. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort to incorporate exercise into your schedule.
Start Small
If all you can manage is a five-minute walk, do it. Five minutes are better than none. Eventually, you’ll be able to work your way up to 30 minutes or more, and you’ll be taking a big step toward maintaining the flexibility and mobility of your joints.
For those on a time crunch, consider taking small breaks from work. Simply getting up from your desk and walking around the office or the parking lot or going up and down the stairs a few times is enough to get your blood flowing and to trigger feel-good endorphins to get you through the rest of your day.
You can also think about incorporating exercise into the activities that you enjoy, such as shopping. Next time you take a trip to the mall, walk around the entire perimeter before going into a store.
Or you can turn household chores and yardwork into exercise. Consider washing your car by hand rather than using a drive-through car wash. And next time you have to mow the lawn, don’t groan and put it off. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to get in some exercise and work up a sweat. The same is true of raking leaves and vacuuming the living room—anything that gets you on your feet and moving around is going to be beneficial to your health.
For Exercise, Just Try Walking
While some fitness enthusiasts relentlessly seek out the latest, trendiest exercise crazes, many others are returning to good, old-fashioned walking to help them feel great and get into shape. Whether enjoying the wonder of nature, or simply the company of a friend, walking can be a healthy, invigorating experience. And thanks to its convenience and simplicity, walking just might be right for you too.
Benefits of Walking
You don’t need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment. A sedentary lifestyle has a debilitating influence on people’s health as they age, therefore exercise is imperative. Walking accomplishes all of the following and more:
- Improves cardiovascular endurance
- Tones muscles of the lower body
- Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4.5 miles per hour
- Reduces risk of heart disease
Introduction to Stability Balls
Stability Balls, also known as exercise balls, FitBalls, Swiss balls, Physio balls, etc., are a low-cost versatile piece of equipment that can help improve core
strength, facilitate flexibility exercises, and add variety to traditional fitness routines.
The exercise ball introduces an element of instability that doesn’t come in a floor exercise. The body naturally and automatically responds to this instability by engaging the core muscles, both those in the abdominals and back and in the pelvic floor and hips. Over time, the core muscles strengthen, resulting in better
posture, improved balance and enhanced athletic ability. Furthermore, the spinal movement induced by using the exercise ball (small range, adjustment of balance) may help reduce pain by stimulating the body to produce higher amounts of natural pain inhibitors.
According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, adding a stability ball to your sit-up and back-extension routine could boost your core stability in as few as 5 weeks. In the study, 30 women performed daily abdominal and back exercises on a stability ball or on the floor for 5 weeks. While tests of muscles that control balance and stability showed nearly across-the-board improvement, those using the ball significantly outscored the floor group.
Fun Ways to Get Fit – For Kids
Eating healthy and exercising don’t have to be boring! You can spice up nourishing snacks and get exercise without even realizing it with the following tips.
Get Moving
Turn the TV off, and move more. Aim for at least 60 minutes of activity every day. Swim, run, walk the dog, bike, rollerblade, climb trees, play outside with friends—it all counts!
Fun Ways to Exercise
- Weight lifting. Ask your PE teacher or an adult to teach you how to do it right, so you don’t hurt yourself. Take turns with a friend to give your muscles a break between repetitions.
- Playing a pickup game of soccer or baseball with friends.
- Kayaking. Head down to a lake or a river and paddle around.
- Jumping rope. Have a competition with friends to see who can go the longest without stepping on the rope.
- Dancing. Turn up the volume on your favorite tunes, and invite your friends over for an impromptu dance party. You can find a lot of great music on www.YouTube.com.
- Rollerblading. Dust off your skates, grab your friends and hit the sidewalk for a tour of the town or bring your hockey stick and join in a game of street hockey.
Staying Fit as You Age
Exercise is often prescribed for patients of all ages to reduce complaints about pain in muscles and bones. But some feel it gets harder to exercise as they get older. The following tips will help you exercise more effectively as you age, making you feel better.
I’ve been inactive for so long. Won’t it hurt to exercise?
You can always become as physically fit as possible, given your current health status and limitations. When you commit to a physical fitness program, you will move toward enjoying life more fully.
First, pick an activity that you enjoy doing and perform it regularly. Make your exercise program as pleasant as possible. If you feel exercising is a chore, you will be uncomfortable with the program and will quit. If you can, ask a friend to exercise with you so you can support each other.
Second, begin your exercise program gradually, starting with five minutes of exercise each day. As you become more comfortable with the routine and notice the positive effects of fitness, you may increase the exercise time.
If you have been inactive for some time, you may feel some small aches and pains. They will fade with time. Be sure to tell your doctor if you experience any unusual pain or other symptoms while or after performing your exercises.
Check with your doctor of chiropractic or other health care provider before starting any exercise or physical fitness program. While exercise is beneficial to your health, depending on your health status, the type of exercises you perform can have profound effects on your health, both good and bad.
Back in Shape and Pain Free
Exercises to Safeguard Your Back
Stretching and an active lifestyle are often recommended to help reduce back pain and speed the recovery process following an injury. Improving exibility through stretching is also an excellent way to avoid future injuries.
Depending upon one’s individual injury and level of pain, the exercise and rehabilitation program may vary. The key is to start slowly and increase the repetitions as you feel stronger. Consult with your doctor of chiropractic prior to starting a new exercise program, especially when associated with low-back pain. He or she can help develop an individualized program and provide instruction on proper stretching technique.
Passive Stretches
Passive stretches help facilitate movement in the a ected muscle or joint. Stretches should be held for 15 to 30 seconds, allowing the muscles to gradually relax and lengthen. Stretches should never cause pain nor should you feel tingling in the extremities. Stop immediately if you experience any discomfort.
Staying Fit
Exercise is often prescribed for patients of all ages to reduce complaints about pain in muscles and bones. But some feel it gets harder to exercise as they get older. The following tips will help you exercise more effectively as you age, making you feel better.
I’ve been inactive for so long. Won’t it hurt to exercise?
You can always become as physically fit as possible, given your current health status and limitations. When you commit to a physical fitness program, you will move toward enjoying life more fully.
First, pick an activity that you enjoy doing and perform it regularly. Make your exercise program as pleasant as possible. If you feel exercising is a chore, you will be uncomfortable with the program and will quit. If you can, ask a friend to exercise with you so you can support each other.
Second, begin your exercise program gradually, starting with five minutes of exercise each day. As you become more comfortable with the routine and notice the positive effects of fitness, you may increase the exercise time.
If you have been inactive for some time, you may feel some small aches and pains. They will fade with time. Be sure to tell your doctor if you experience any unusual pain or other symptoms while or after performing your exercises.
Check with your doctor of chiropractic or other health care provider before starting any exercise or physical fitness program. While exercise is beneficial to your health, depending on your health status, the type of exercises you perform can have profound effects on your health, both good and bad.
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