How to start exercise in a healthy way

Why exercise?

Options for gaining fitness in NZ seems to be everywhere. There are gyms, cyclists on bikes active wear clad folk and joggers at every turn. However, there are a growing number of people who have massive time pressures or sedentary hobbies. https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/motivate-me/117271127/how-much-exercise-is-enough This article discusses how New Zealanders aren’t achieving the 30 minutes of exercise per day that is recommended. Exercise is good for so many reasons from heart health to mental health.

How to start getting fit?

I often talk about how personal trainers are trained to take people with average physical fitness and train them to improve various aspects of themselves to a higher level. This could be for health (blood pressure, lung function etc), strength, sports function or a range of other goals. Physiotherapists are trained to assess where potential harm could occur and to take those with poor health or ability to average ability and as such we recommend an assessment for those wanting to take up new or strenuous activity who have been previously injured or who lack fitness after a period of inactivity.

Case study

An 18 year old was seen who had avoided PE at school, had a sedentary hobby and was studying the rest of the time. He was keen to increase his general fitness but was concerned he would sustain injury.

Unfortunately he was quite correct in this. Although he had surprisingly good core strength his balance and lower limb biomechanics were very poor and would almost certainly lead to an injury.

He was given advice and exercises to address these balance issues, a time scale about when he could join a gym or other exertion and some simple body weight exercises to improve fitness in the short term.

Get in touch with Pure Physio about your exercise needs

If you want to be assessed for the best way forward for your health and fintness needs call Pure Physio Albany 09 448 1277 or click here to book online.