November 2013
 
The Pain Center |  Live More Comfortably  |  eNewsletter Header
We hope this note finds you continuing to do well and living your valued life. The article below by Nicole DeHaan, one of our physical therapists, will help you continue pursuing your values.

 

Get Up and Move!

(Your Life Depends on It)   

  

 

Recent studies show most Americans ages 12 and up now spend about 8-10 hours a day sitting and doing things that require little energy.

 

Activity is shown to be linked to smaller waist circumference and longer life expectancy: approximately 7 years longer than those who are both overweight and do not exercise. Even a low level of physical activity - equivalent to 10 minutes of walking a day - was associated with a gain of almost 2 years in life expectancy.

 

Recommended weekly exercise is either 2.5 hours a week of moderate intensity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise. This can be broken up to accommodate your schedule and tolerance, it does not have to be done consecutively.

 

Furthermore, extended periods of inactivity might take a toll on your lifespan even if you exercise. An extensive study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) found that even individuals who exercised a lot - 7 or more hours a week - but still spent more than 7 hours a day sitting - had an elevated risk for death from all causes or from cardiovascular disease. This suggests that even a substantial amount of exercise may not protect against the adverse effects of prolonged sitting.

 

In other words: Sit Less and Move More! A combination of both components is NECESSARY for a healthy life! And even a small change can have a large impact on your life. Think of different ways you can be more active in your day without changing much of your routine:

  • Park farther away from the entrance
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator
  • Make an extra lap around the grocery store
  • Take an extra lap around the office when walking to the fax machine
  • Walk the halls or perimeter of your building at lunch

Be creative with your routine and enjoy knowing you are doing yourself good by making these changes!

 

 Information was found in the following article. Please read for more details:

 

http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/dec2012/feature1

 

 

 

 

  
News & Updates
  
  
More than the programs ...
At The Pain Center, all of our doctor's and therapists see patients outside of the programs. If you have a new injury, significant stressor, severe pain flare-up or need to adjust your home exercise program - come back to the team that you trust. We're happy to help.
  
Have a question about a flare up?
You are still a part of The Pain Center family. If you ever have a question, please give us a call at 616.233.3480 and we'd be happy to answer it.
  
 
Sincerely,

Nicole DeHaan, PT
Physical Therapist 
The Pain Center at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
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Get Up and Move! (Your Life Depends on It)
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