Physical Therapy for a Sedentary Lifestyle

When we spend most of the day sitting at a desk then arrive home exhausted, it can take a toll on our body over time. In this post, our Nepean physical therapists explain how our physiotherapy and nutrition services can help you break the habits and health effects that a sedentary lifestyle can bring. 

The Impact of a Sedentary Lifestyle

Historically, humans were a very active species by necessity. To survive, we honed our physical fitness and routinely relied on it to hunt and catch our every meal in a battle of survival of the fittest. 

However, as the human race evolved and industrialization took effect, we discovered ways to make life easier in all aspects, from eating to working, hobbies and activities to transportation. As work consumed more of our lives and we gained the ability to mass produce our food, physical activity began to take a back seat in our lives. And in the last couple of years, you may have even cut that short walk to and from the office out of your day in favour of working from home during COVID-19. 

All this lack of physical activity naturally adds up to most people spending much more time sitting. You may have even heard the declaration that "sitting is the new smoking" in terms of its negative impact on our physical health. 

Because most people today spend much of their time sitting at a desk, then going home and sitting down to dinner before spending time watching TV or on their devices, they're not burning off the same number of excess calories as they would were they leading a more physically active lifestyle. 

The results of that show when we step onto a scale or later become obese, depressed, or are diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease - just a handful of common risks. People who lead sedentary lifestyles may also notice their muscles and joints become sore and stiff due to infrequent exercise. 

How Physiotherapy & Nutrition Services Can Help Improve Health

If you want to tackle physical inactivity and break the habits that contribute to your sedentary lifestyle, our Nepean physiotherapists can help by designing a physical therapy program customized to your needs. In this post, we'll discuss measures we can take to help improve your health and safely get you back to physical activity. 

Learn About Healthy Lifestyles 

Long before you set out on your first run in years or pick up a pair of weights, you'll need to gradually reintroduce physical activity to avoid injury and introduce new, healthy habits to encourage a healthy lifestyle. A physiotherapist can design a program and timeline to help with this, and tailor it to suit your needs.

This may include working with a registered dietician to create an action plan to meet your unique dietary and lifestyle needs, based on a detailed assessment of your medical, social and dietary history. 

Whether you're interested in learning about healthy eating, managing your weight, managing a chronic disease or other topic, the team at our physiotherapy clinic in Nepean is here to help. Here are some ways we can help improve your health through physiotherapy and nutritional counseling. 

Gradually Reintroduce Physical Activity

Want to get physically active again, but not sure where to start? Our physiotherapists can help. We specialize in assessing and restoration of movement and dysfunction, in addition to injury and disease prevention. Part of our role is to improve mobility and quality of life by:

• Educating clients about how to manage and prevent injuries
• Reducing and managing pain 
• Helping to increase strength and range of motion
• Optimizing balance and coordination 
• Developing a personalized, goal-oriented therapeutic exercise program 

If your goal is to return to physical activity after some time away, our physiotherapists can help you overcome pain or injury so you can enjoy working out again. Your physiotherapist can conduct a thorough individual assessment to determine what's causing your pain or dysfunction, then develop a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your goals. 

Practice New Habits & Routines as Part of Your Physiotherapy Program

While many people find it exciting to commit to new exercise routines, once the shine wears off, it can be difficult to stay motivated and on track with your physical therapy routine - especially if you're attending multiple times a week and are slowly but gradually progressing.

That's why it can be helpful to communicate openly with your physiotherapist about how to make sticking to those new habits and routines easier, including discussing your interests and building your nutritional and exercise programs around these (and making necessary tweaks as you gain experience) to increase your chances of success. 

For example, perhaps you're into walking in nature, so daily strolls would work well. Or, like many people you may carry stress in your back and shoulders, so your physiotherapist may recommend exercises you can do at your desk to prevent soreness and stiffness. 

No matter the finer details, your goal should be to feel fulfilled, tired and content at the end of each session. In addition, never hesitate to bring your questions or concerns to our team. We are here to help. 

Physiotherapy & Nutrition Services at Nepean Sports Medicine & Physiotherapy Centre

Nutrition and physiotherapy often go hand in hand in terms of health and disease prevention for people who need to implement new habits, and break old ones that become entrenched due to living a sedentary lifestyle. 

By pairing our Nutrition Services with a customized physical therapy program, we can often help clients resolve physical function, mobility and acute and ongoing health issues, and get back to enjoying a high quality of life.