Sedentary Lifestyle: Health Risks & How to Avoid them.

Sedentary Lifestyle: Health Risks & How to Avoid them.

 Most of us are not aware of how dangerous our life can be in the long term with the limited amount of motion or activity. Sitting at the office in front of a desk for long hours, while reaching home taking a rest, and relaxing on a couch might be our routine. Upon doing this what we are missing is, we are not exercising our body, which is actually killing us. Not only office going people have such a bad lifestyle, but also sedentary people who sit or lie down for long periods.  

What is a sedentary lifestyle and how does sitting kill us?

Sedentary means sitting or not physically active. Researches have shown that people with a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to suffer from health problems like

·        Insomnia

·        Muscle shrinkage

·        Obesity

·        Anxiety

·        High blood pressure

·        Cardiovascular disease

·        Diabetes

·        Various Cancers

·        Negative effects on mental health

·        Depression

·         Memory loss

How can we incorporate activity into our daily routine even when we have a busy schedule?

·        Take a morning walk before going to the office.

·        Take a walk during break time.

·        Spend more time doing household chores.

·        Engage yourself in gardening.

·        Use stairs instead of elevators.

·        Do simple exercises while watching  TV.

·        Do activities like jogging, cycling, swimming.

·        Small workouts in leisure time.

·        Add 15 - 30 minute walk in your daily routine.

How does exercise affect our body?

Regular physical activity changes your body's physic, muscle, mind, and heart. Exercising means taking a magical pill for your brain. It actually changes the brain's anatomy, physiology, and function. It increases the blood supply through your body system, thus increasing the blood circulation, which results in the delivery of more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, strengthening them and making the heartbeat stronger, and hard breathing makes the lungs stronger. It also decreases the risk of heart and lung diseases. Sitting whole day builds up proteins called troponins in the body, which are actually released by the heart muscles. Researches show that most people who have a sedentary lifestyle are likely to die of heart attacks.

Exercise has brain-changing effects:

·        It helps in reducing the effects of diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Depression, and Dementia.

·        Reduces risk of cancer

·        No of brain cells increases, thus increasing the size of the brain.

·        Levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin elevate the mood right after the exercise or work out.

·        Lowers blood pressure

·        Increases bone density.

·        Strengthens bones and muscles.

·        Improves joint mobility.

·        Reduces body fat.

·        Boosts immune system.

·        Detoxifies the body.

·        The ability to shift and focus attention level increases, which can last for two hours.

·        Long term memory increases.

·        One becomes fast and catchy.

·        Sense of well being.

·        Energy levels increase.

·        Improves  complexion

·        More motivated, confident, and greater control over your life.

·        Less depressed.

·        Improves sleep quality.

·        Life expectancy increases.

 While exercising or stretching definitely helps, physiotherapy also provides a wide variety of activities, actions, and techniques that can help the body to maintain muscle strength, cardiopulmonary fitness, and mobility, thus delaying the various health risks caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

 

Does Telerehabilitation work? Who can benefit from it?

Telephysiotherapy also known as telerehab, Virtual physiotherapy, e-physiotherapy or Online Physiotherapy is a clinical application of consultative, diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic services via two-way interactive technology. In Telephysiotherapy we use telecommunication such as the internet and telephones through which we share videos, images, and transfer data to provide physiotherapy services to the patients.

Researches have shown that Telephysiotheapy provides multiple benefits for both the health system and patients as it optimizes the use of health resources and improves patient’s quality of life. 

The main aim of Telephysiotherapy is to overcome the various barriers, which can refrain the patient/client from taking the treatment. Access to physiotherapy treatment can be hindered due to:

·        Services unavailable in far-flung areas (remote areas).

·        Adverse weather conditions.

·        Clashes between the availability of the patient's time and the therapist’s time.

·        Patients who are too ill to travel or have difficulty in mobility.

·        Family person, who has children, old people, or household tasks to take care of.

·        Cost-effective, when it comes to working patients/clients who can’t leave their jobs for treatment purposes.

·        Transportation can restrict patients/clients access to health care services.

·        The social distancing policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been examples of a major disruptor in the way of treatment.

The process starts with a proper evaluation of the patient via electronic mode. The history and onset of pain and symptoms can give many clues about the type of injury a patient has. Treatment will focus on sorting out the cause of the problem or condition, rather than just treating the symptoms. Baseline tests help to confirm the diagnosis. Once the cause is known the physiotherapist can start the treatment with exercises and self-treatment techniques.

Telephysiotherapy program is provided by the physiotherapist who designs the exercise schedule, sets, and repetitions for the patient which is to be performed by the patient in their home environment. Patients are provided with a detailed orientation about the exercise program by the physiotherapist, accessed by mobile phone, tablet, computer, video calls, and pre-recorded video material. The physiotherapist accurately monitors the progress of the patient from each session through telecommunication. Thus enabling the professional to track patient compliance to the exercise program.   

9 Benefits of Physiotherapy

Physical therapy: Who can benefit and how can it help?

Physiotherapy combines profound information on how the body functions and uses medically proven procedures for the assessment & treatment of patients. Other than helping in the treatment/management of various conditions, preventive physiotherapy can help in maintaining the overall wellness of a person. 

Below are some conditions/symptoms where physiotherapy has been proven to help in achieving the best possible results:

Reduces/Eliminates Pain: Therapeutic exercises and techniques like Soft Tissue Mobilization or the use of modalities like Ultrasound, IFT, and TENS can help relieve pain due to Arthritis, Tendonitis, Muscle strain/Sprain, etc. and restore normal functioning. Such therapies also help in preventing pain from returning back.

Helps to avoid surgery/drugs: While surgery cannot be avoided in some cases, physiotherapy can help to avoid the same by managing and healing in the earlier stage only. And even if surgery is required Pre and Post Rehabilitation Programs always help in mitigating the complications. Also, health care costs are reduced upon avoiding the surge

Improves overall strength and coordination: Physical therapy involves usually exercise and stretches which ultimately help you in improving the overall strength of the body. It also helps you with exercises and assistive devices to improve the overall coordination of the body. By providing specific rehabilitation techniques a physiotherapist can help you in reducing and eliminating symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, etc.

Improves Lung capacity and Cardiovascular Functioning: Physiotherapy helps post-stroke patients in regaining their degree of function, balance, and movement. Special exercise plans help them to retrieve their activities of daily living. While special breathing exercises help to restore optimal lung capacity and blood circulation.

Managing Sports-related Injury: Physical Therapists understand how various sports can increase the risk to certain types of conditions like Golfers Elbow, ACL Tear, Hamstring strain etc. and they accordingly draft a proper recovery or preventive exercise program to ensure a safe return to your sport.

Manage age-related issues: Certain age-related issues like Rheumatoid arthritis(RA), Sciatica, Osteoporosis, Dementia, Knee Replacement, Neck pain, Back pain etc can easily be treated by Physiotherapy.

Restores normal movement/Improves mobility: If you are having restricted movement due to Joint fracture, Tennis Elbow, Joint Swelling or Muscle Stiffness physical therapy can help. Proper Stretches and Strengthening exercises can help you in restoring the movement to its fullest.

Helps Managing Diabetes and Vascular conditions: Diabetic patients often complain of pain in the Knees, Shoulder, and Back, etc due to mismanagement of sugar levels. Diabetic pain management Plans and exercises can help in controlling sugar levels. Physical therapists can help and educate such patients regarding the conditions like Diabetic Foot, Diabetic Neuropathy, etc.

Improves Women’s Health: Specific health issues like those related to Pregnancy, Postpartum care, Pelvic pain, etc. can easily be treated with Physiotherapy. It also offers special treatment for bowel incontinence, breast cancer, constipation, fibromyalgia, etc.