So September is here and schools are back and life is going back to normal after a busy and hectic summer, and it’s the same here for us at the clinic. The cold weather is setting in and people are getting back to their normal activities whether that is football, rugby, running and even going back into the gym.For me it’s getting back into the gym working on my strength and mobility as these are two very important things for me personally to keep my mind and body fit and healthy to keep me performing at my best every day.
 As I’m slowly getting older, committing to eating healthy and working out becomes more and more important. Like everybody else I wake up a little bit stiffer and it takes me a little bit longer to get going in the morning. This is a good reminder that I need to keep going with this. The goal isn’t like in my 20s and 30s to lift the heaviest weights or to run ridiculous miles, but to ensure that I can stay happy and healthy as time is ticking by.Â
It’s not usual for us to get patients coming into the clinic with various aches and pains, where the underlying cause is lack of activity somewhere from or doing similar types of activities all of the time and not enough variety. Which can lead to reduced mobility over time and due to lack of stimulation muscles can become weaker. further down the line this can mean that due to the lack of mobility in certain joints Other areas of your body can be put more pressure on and often this leads to pain. This pain usually starts gradually and starts with a niggle and then gradually becomes more significant over time. often people think that these things are inevitable as you get older and there’s nothing that can be done. This is a myth and I would like to take this opportunity to clear this up.
As you get older it’s quite normal to become a little bit stiffer in your joints and for your muscles to become a little bit tougher. but the body is amazing and if you can keep stimulating the muscles and your joints you can reverse and if you catch an earlier enough prevent it from becoming stiff in the first place in many cases. gone on the times when you saw an active 60 and 70 year old and wondered how they do what they do. it is very common these days to stay very active into your old age and I’m going to now share with you the secrets to make sure you stay on top of your game and keep more about in your 40s 50s 60s and 70s and beyond! (The picture above shows an MRI scan of a 40 year old triathlete, a 70 year old triathlete and a 70 year old sedentary person, it has been used a few times but it blows me away everytime – just look at how it is possible to maintain your muscle mass).
The secret to maintaining all of the above is by using your body in a meaningful way and you need to stimulate your muscles, joints and nervous system as well as your heart and lungs. doing some form of resistance training ( a couple of times a week will do , but you need to work your muscles properly) but also balanced with some cardiovascular training ( this could be as simple as going for a walk regularly through the week, 30 mins a day would be amazing) and for bonus points something that requires you to use your coordination (like balancing on one leg and throwing a ball against a wall whilst doing this for 2-3 minutes) is an easy way to achieve this. Some people can do more than this of course and I would highly encourage this as more up to a point is better (but don’t do too much too soon).
Our role as Physiotherapists is to figure out problems when you can’t do the above and what is needed to get you back onto the path of becoming mobile and strong again. This is what we do every day, we are experts in bridging the gap between where you are (likely this is that you can’t participate in the things you love or even sometimes put your socks on without pain) and where you need to be so you can live your life without limitations. This is our passion and our purpose.
Should you be in need of any help then you know where we are. We are here ready to figure out what is stopping you from moving freely and without pain,so if you need us just let us know and we will get you booked in. We can help with therapies of course, massage, mobilisations and shockwave therapy but also with plans and programmes for mobility and strength.
Just give us a shout!
Yours in health,
Ove and the Team
