THERE IS LIFE IN MOVEMENT: Exercise, Workout, and Sporting Activity

Physical activity that is done daily, is a key factor in leading a wholesome lifestyle. Physical activity helps in boosting the body’s energy, aids in metabolism, and improves self- esteem. Regular physical activity also increases longevity as it directly decreases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, thus, making it a key component in improving the quality of life. There are three types of physical movement that can be considered if we want to achieve a healthy habit: Exercise, Workout and Sporting activity.

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Our lifestyle says a lot about our physical and mental state, which in turn contributes largely to our well-being. The development and practice of healthy lifestyle habits affects our overall wellness. The elements of a healthy lifestyle include the following: physical activity, sufficient and balanced nutrition, proper rest and recovery, and stress management.

Health may be construed in different aspects: physical, mental and even emotional. It can be determined by many components, but boils down to two critical factors: those that we can control and those that are beyond our control such as family health history, genetics, age and/or gender. To attain the optimum level of wellness, we can focus on the more controllable factors such as our lifestyle and habits.

The human body is designed for the intent of doing basic functions of movement and physical activity which sustains the main components of good health. A number of researches show that inactivity and harmful habits pose a serious threat to health. It is stated in an article from YorkRegion.com news, children ages 6 to 11 are spending an average of 55 hours a week in using their gadgets and watching the television. Those are 55 hours spent on an activity where there is less to no bodily movement executed. This trend of physical inactivity is referred to as ‘Sitting Disease’ and ‘Sedentary Death Syndrome’ or SeDs. This results in the development of chronic diseases including heart problems, obesity, hypertension, and cancer which can be referred to as hypokinetic disease. According to a census made by the WHO (World Health Organization), chronic diseases account for the 60% of premature deaths worldwide.

Physical activity that is done daily, is a key factor in leading a wholesome lifestyle. Physical activity helps in boosting the body’s energy, aids in metabolism, and improves self- esteem. Regular physical activity also increases longevity as it directly decreases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, thus, making it a key component in improving the quality of life. There are three types of physical movement that can be considered if we want to achieve a healthy habit: Exercise, Workout and Sporting Activity.

Exercise, Workout, and Sporting Activity: What moves your groove?

Most of us think that exercise, workout and doing a sporting activity are all just the same. However, the three don't actually have the same procedure and outcome. Exercise could actually mean a single kind of movement (like lunges or squats) and in the state of being active. Exercise can be done in a limited space and at a certain available time a person has. A workout, on the other hand, is a particular set of exercises put together to achieve a certain goal, and in some instances would need the aid of exercise equipment. Aerobics or zumba can be considered as a workout routine.

Meanwhile, a sporting activity is usually a form of competitive physical activity, done through casual or organized movement in which an individual takes part of. This is to maintain or improve physical ability and skills for the entertainment of the participant or in some occasions, by viewers. An example of this are basketball, volleyball, and tennis.

What are the benefits?

The significance of physical activity in propagating and maintaining good health is duly recognized and substantiated the development of prescribed guidelines. In October 2008, the US Department of Health and Human Services issued the first edition of the Federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, followed by an updated version released in 2018. These guidelines align with the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (2018-2030), recently updated and issued by the WHO. The data collected and research findings served as a basis to promote the guidelines and create recommendations from the federal government on physical activity, fitness and health. The functional fitness indicated are designed to improve balance, motor skills, agility and coordination. Implementation of these kinds of physical activity enhances balance, muscular strength, and reduces the risk of fall and injury especially for the individuals in the older population.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed the following benefits of physical activity:

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (Heart disease and Stroke)
• Reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome such as Type 2 Diabetes
• Reduce risk of some cancers
• Strengthen muscular and skeletal systems
• Improve mental health and mood
• Increased lifespan

Studies show that to be able to maintain a healthy body weight, a person must be able to perform at least one hour of physical activity each day. For individuals who aim to lose weight, they must achieve at least 60 to 90 minutes of moderate to high intensity workout daily.

Summary

Currently, the age of modern technology adds to the predicament of practicing wellness. The absence and lack thereof adequate level of physical activity to promote health benefits is a foreseeable problem. In reality, poor lifestyle choices gradually result in the deterioration of health and a growing number of cases brought about by chronic diseases leading to reduced quality of life and premature death.

In light of this realization, an individual can take some necessary steps to improve his/her well-being. It could be any among the three: shake your body with some exercise, jump into a workout session or indulge in a sporting activity. No movement is too small if done accordingly. A person can aim for at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity every day and see to it that this can be a good opportunity to be active. If possible, minimize the time of prolonged inactivity and long periods of sitting or lying around by finding time to move and do something productive. Also, it is advisable to look for regular, vigorous exercises that can be another way to achieve optimum health benefits.

Moshe Feldenkrais, known as the founder of the Feldenkrais Method, a system of physical exercise that aims to improve human functioning by increasing self-awareness through movement, once quoted that: ‘Movement is life, without movement, life is unthinkable.’

David T. Neuman, MD, FAAOS is the founder and CEO of Pop-Doc. He is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Arthoscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine. He is Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. He is an instructor and member of the Arthoscopy Association of North America; and a member of the American Medical Association, the Medical Society of the State of New York, and several other medical societies. The integrity and efficacy of this database was created with a respected doctorate of physical therapy.