Exercising your way to better health at Total Physiocare
At Total Physiocare we see a wide range of people all with varying conditions that require treatment. For a large majority of these people exercise is a simple and effective way to help reduce their symptoms or manage their condition safely. Throughout this blog you will be able to understand why we use exercise to treat common complaints, what the benefits are to your health and how to begin an exercise program to suit your needs.
Some of the more common health conditions our patients present with or suffer from are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Recurrent falls
These conditions also share some common risk factors including:
- Increased body fat
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased cholesterol; and
- Physical Inactivity
The most common treatment tool we use as physiotherapists is exercise and for these conditions and risk factors it plays a vital role. Being physically active decreases these risk factors and improves overall strength and fitness. This lowers your chances of developing one or all of these conditions and helps prevent falls.
Physical Benefits of exercise
Osteoarthritis
- Decreases body weight which minimizes stress on joints
- Improves muscle strength which decreases load through joints and promotes better movement
Heart Disease
- Decrease fatty deposits and build up in arteries (atherosclerosis). These deposits lead to an increased stress on the heart causing heart attack and can also lead to stroke.
- Also decreases blood pressure and cholesterol which are high risk factors for heart attack and stroke
Type 2 Diabetes
- Excess body fat impairs production and efficiency of insulin causing type 2 diabetes. Reducing body fat can prevent onset of the condition and even reverse its’ effects in those already diagnosed
Falls
- Falls can be caused by many medical and environmental factors. Being physically active maintains muscle strength and balance which can help reduce your risk of falling
Psychological / Emotional Benefits of Exercise
- Improved self esteem
- Social interaction
- Achievement of goals
- Improved mood through natural release of endorphins
- Empowerment of managing own health • Increased motivation
Barriers to exercise
For some of us it is not as simple as just diving into a gym program. There are a number of valid reasons that prevent us from starting an exercise regime. Common barriers to exercise can include:
- Lacking confidence in yourself or your physical capabilities
- Limited knowledge of exercises and equipment
- Health conditions
- Bad past experiences at gyms
- Past and current injuries
- Lacking motivation
- Inadequate supervision or assistance
Exercise Program at Total Physiocare
At Total Physiocare we understand these barriers can be difficult to overcome that is why we have created the “Total Fit” program. Total Fit is an 8 week individualised exercise program tailored to your needs and targeted at achieving your goals. It includes an assessment with one of our qualified physiotherapists and allows you to use our gym with other like-minded people whilst under guidance by our experienced team. The program includes a thorough orientation to our gym to ensure you feel confident to kick start your exercise journey as well as regular reviews to progress and update your program and ensure you remain on track. Our team are experts in exercise prescription for people with underlying health conditions so you can be sure that you are doing the best exercises for your individual needs.
Start exercising your way to better health or if you would like more information about our Total Fit program give us a call to schedule your assessment on 9457-7474
Post by Briony Barry (Physiotherapist)