National Fitness Day: Why it matters and what it means for your Musculoskeletal Health.
On Wednesday 16th September, the UK celebrates its 15th annual National Fitness Day. Gyms open free sessions, day passes or activity challenges, and people take part in local runs and other events. It is a day focused on movement, regardless of age, background or fitness level.
At Proactive Chiropractic and Sports Injury Clinic, we work closely with active people and athletes every day. We see National Fitness Day as more than just a one-off event. It is a yearly reminder of something we try to instil in each of our patients, that movement is the foundation of keeping healthy.
Importance of Physical Activity
Despite growing awareness of the benefits of exercise and its effect on your health, roughly a quarter of adults in the UK are classified as inactive, meaning they average less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. Inactivity is linked to a long list of conditions, including musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, depression, diabetes and dementia. An active lifestyle prevents millions of cases of these chronic illnesses each year and saves the health and care system billions annually.
The barrier to exercise is not always about motivation; often it is about physical barriers such as low back pain, shoulder pain or stiffness, knee aches, etc. These are MSK issues and exactly where chiropractic care comes in.
MSK and fitness association
MSK health and physical activity have a very close relationship. Regular movement, totalling more than 30 mins a week on average, strengthens muscles, supports joints, improves bone density and builds the resilience of the tendons and ligaments. However, those can also be negatively affected by an absence of activity.
Poor joint mobility, muscular imbalances, recurring injuries and low bone density can all present more frequently in those less physically active. As pain becomes more present, it becomes a barrier to exercise itself. This then creates a vicious cycle of inactivity.
Inactivity -> Pain -> Inactivity –> Pain ...
This is one of the most common patterns we see in clinic. People do not often give up on fitness because they lack willpower, but because something hurts and nobody has helped them understand why, or given them a clear, safe way back to movement.
How We Can Help
Our care focuses on assessing and improving the function of the spine, joints and neuromuscular system through a range of techniques and therapies and graded exercise rehabilitation to help with the return-to-exercise process:
- Identifying the root cause - Rather than just treating the symptomatic area, through assessment we get the root cause of your pain and target treatment around improving this.
- Restore mobility and reduce muscular tension - This allows for better movement quality and reduces pain so that return to exercise performance is smooth.
- Movement screening - Spotting compensations and imbalances is vital, so that they can be addressed before they become a persistent problem.
- Guided safe progression - The most common response once pain ceases is to return fully to regular training. This is often rushed and leads to re-injury. Having a gradual, guided return programme helps avoid this from happening.
The principle is the same whether you are an elite athlete or someone taking their first steps to becoming physically active: fitness is built on a well-functioning MSK system and not ignoring the warning signs your body is trying to tell you.
What you can do this National Fitness Day
1. Try something new - Walking? Swimming? Riding a bike?
2. Warm up properly - No matter your experience or level of activity, a few minutes of dynamic stretches help to prepare your muscles and joints for the exercise rather than jumping straight in.
3. Progress gradually - Do not do too much too soon. Building up a tolerance to exercise is key to injury prevention.
4. Have Fun! - Exercise should ultimately be enjoyable. Find what works for you and what you enjoy the most!