This week is Exercise Right Week 2021 (24-30 May) and we at Alliance Rehabilitation are highlighting the importance of exercise. To incorporate this year’s theme, ‘Exercise Changes Lives’, we have included information on a range of topics.
Active in the Workplace
Working is something we spend a lot of our lives doing. Sitting for long periods, as required in a desk job, can impact your health and wellbeing. Not only on the length of your muscles (I’m talking all that stiffness) but on your glucose tolerance and on your concentration.
Our Accredited Exercise Physiologists have come up with some tips to get you more active in your workplace, without affecting your workflow.
– Keep an empty cup at your desk and walk to the kitchen to fill it.
– Stand to copy and file or even speak on the phone if you can (standing for 10 min in every hour has big health benefits).
– Walking breaks – go to the loo, go make a coffee, take meetings on the go.
If you live with an injury or condition, an Exercise Physiologist can individualise a workout for your specific needs.
Mental Health
Anxiety and exercise have a lot in common – they both make your heart rate and breathing rate increase. The difference is that anxiety usually alerts us to something harmful. Over time exercise can help reprogram the brain to become more comfortable with these feelings and understand they don’t always mean trouble. As a result, your anxiety response is lessened.
Regular exercise can boost serotonin levels which enhances sense of safety, increases energy levels, improves sleep, provides a distraction from intrusive thoughts, and increases control & self-esteem. Plenty of good vibes!
If you’re living with a mental health condition, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist can prescribe an individualised exercise program to get you moving safely.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles and bones, significant fatigue, and problems with memory and concentration. Pain and fatigue are understandably huge barriers to exercise. The body loves movement but what type and how much movement will be beneficial for Fibromyalgia without aggravating symptoms? The research tells us 10 minutes at a light intensity 2-3 days per week is a good start.
A few tips from our Exercise Physiologist:
– Exercise on non-consecutive days to give your body time to recover.
– Remember to listen to your body and reduce intensity of exercise when experiencing high levels of pain.
– Understand that pain will not cause further damage; it’s just the body’s response to something it’s not used to.
We had such a great time celebrating #ExerciseRightWeek2021
Alliance’s Team Pedometer Challenge
To get the week started, our team launched a pedometer challenge! Each discipline shared a pedometer to see who could get the most steps in at work, in the most creative way.
Throughout the week, our team members stepped their way to become Step Challenge champions, with the competition becoming fierce. We don’t always realise how much time we spend sitting until we shift our awareness to it. This week allowed our team to think outside of the box as well as demonstrate how introducing challenges to the workplace can encourage movement, spark creativity, and shake up a normally sedentary lifestyle. Our Occupational Therapy team took the prize, but everyone went home a winner with donuts for the entire office!
What Exercise is Right for You?
To finish our week off strong, our AEP’s, Jake and Jacinta, and AEP student, Ashleigh, were armed with knowledge and smiles outside Tobruk pool, offering a free exercise event to the Townsville community.
The combined Hydrotherapy and Strand Striders session was designed to demonstrate different exercise formats for exercising with an illness, injury, or condition.
What is Hydrotherapy?
It is a targeted water-based exercise format which uses the support of the water to improve balance, range of movement, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness.
The water helps ease physical stress on the body & therefore increases your exercise tolerance, leading to greater outcomes.
What is Strand Striders?
A supervised community walking group along the Strand designed to improve muscular strength, endurance, aerobic fitness, coordination, agility, & encourage social interaction.
Benefits for You:
Learn the right way to exercise for your condition, needs, & goals.
Learn new ways to exercise with an injury, illness, or disability (Fibromyalgia, PCOS, Chronic Illness, Mental Health, Women’s Health).
Develop new strategies for staying motivated.
We hope this week has shown you all the different ways an Exercise Physiologist can support you!