Every step counts! Walks are healthy. Walking is effective,
even in small spurts.
Walking as exercise is a growing trend in
Groton and everywhere else. Walking is free and easy. It’s a physical activity that
most everyone can do. Unfortunately only about 48% of
adults get enough aerobic (activity that makes the heart pumping
harder and blood vessels healthier) physical activity (1), so Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
recommends walking to all of our Groton chiropractic patients particularly
as they get over a back pain episode.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES
Physical Activity Guidelines advise just
2 and a half hours each week. (2)
That is manageable! That can be done in smaller chunks like five 30-minute walks or longer
walks with friends instead of coffee chats or dinners out. A walk
while waiting to pick up kids at activities can work. 145
million adults walk as part of their physical activity plan. Others like some
in Groton walk for fun or transportation or exercise. 6 in
10 walk for their aerobic physical activity. Others enjoy ballroom
dancing or gardening. (1) Brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming or biking
are potential activities when walking becomes a bit too routine,
but walking itself works|is]19] just as well!
WALKERS KEEP WALKING
The Journal of the American Medical Association published
information about 1635 inactive adults from 70 to 89 years who were at risk of not
being as mobile as they like (ie, their ability to
walk without support). They were split into 2
groups: walking (20-minutes-a-day walk) or education (reading material about
healthy aging). The walking group experienced an 18% lower risk of
major mobility disability at 2.6 years. The walkers could walk without assistance
up to a quarter mile. (3) This is great news!
A NEW WALKING PROGRAM: Motivators & Effects
What motivates you to exercise?
Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is here to coach you! A new report about outcomes
of a 6-month program of walking described what low back
pain participants reported as motivators that prompted
them to begin the walking program (back pain improvement
and better overall healthy lifestyle), to follow the program
(walking was seen as a safe exercise as opposed to high-impact
exercise that they wanted out of fear of hurting
themselves), and to complete the program (accountability, enjoyment
of the exercise and health benefits). (4) A recently planned
study anticipates defining just how effective a walking
and education program {{might be able to prevent low back pain recurrence as well as for cost. They are
calling it WalkBack. (5) Such a fitting name!
Effectiveness and cost-savings can also be motivators to stay
with a walking program.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
So if you are looking to add some physical
activity to your life or you are trying to re-gain your
physically active life after an injury, illness or bout of back
pain, just walk (after you check with your Groton chiropractor
first!). It may well be just what you
are looking for! Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Amanda Harris on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she explains
treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that allowed
a patient to walk again without a cane.
Contact
Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office to set up your next appointment for individualized
advice about integrating walking into your chiropractic
care plan.