Request an Appointment

    Full name

    Phone Number

    Email

    Preferred Date

    Preferred Time

    New or existing client

    NewExisting

    Practitioner

    AnyDr Fiona McIntyreDr Matthias HouvenagelDr Chelsey Kedmenec

    Additional Information

    Movement + Rehab sessions now available - Call 93704033 to book now!
    Have a break, lift some weights Home / Blog / Have a break, lift some weights

    The importance of keeping physically active!

    One too many times I’ve heard, both in my professional and personal life, the age-old story “I used to be stronger but now I’m getting old and frail’ and how “being weak is just a part of getting old”. If you are a person who frequently uses this statement, I am here to tell you, you’re wrong! You are never too old to start, and getting old doesn’t have to mean becoming weak.

    Back in 2011, this image went viral; it was proof that even at the age of 70, an individual with an active lifestyle maintained a significant amount of muscle mass and function.

     

    This image was taken from a 2011 study conducted by Wroblewski et al. which studied the relationship of muscle preservation in masters athletes. This study found that simple lifestyle changes can preserve the majority of muscle mass and muscle function. The authors concluded that remaining physically active should be encouraged throughout an individual’s life.

    Last year a truly great commercial by Doc Morris circled the web, of a grandfather who trained with a kettlebell so he can pick up his granddaughter with ease. A work of art; truly capturing why it is so important to stay fit and healthy, if not for yourself then for  those you love. Just one of many reasons why continued physical activity is so important, but yes there is more.

    As Osteopaths – in the field of physical therapy –  we deal with chronic pain regularly. It’s complicated, frustrating and seemingly persistent – and YES! Exercise can help!

    In fact, data has shown that the therapeutic benefits of exercise even occur in the absence of changes to strength, endurance and flexibility. Which vaguely answers the question “but what exercise is best for chronic pain?”, and the answer is – whatever works for you, makes you happy, and encourages you to get up and get moving. Strenuous hard training regiments, weight training and long-distance running aren’t the only options.Even lighter exercise such as regular walking may have a positive effect on chronic pain.

    When considering the effects on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, ect. there is well established evidence that correlates Body mass Index (BMI) with increased risk of chronic diseases. However independent of BMI, a sedentary lifestyle also correlates with these diseases. A review by Barnes AS, 2012 stated that though BMI has a strong correlation, without reducing it and simply increasing physical activity can help reduce the risk of chronic illness. In fact, regular activity is so potent in its effects that 75 minutes a week of light physical activity could reduce cardiovascular risk by as much as 14%. That’s less than 15 minutes a day! 

    Some other effects exercise may have include aiding your immune system. While we sit here “reminiscing” about covid-19, most people were/are running around looking for ways to strengthen their immune system, while all along “running” may have been the answer.. No, this blog isn’t about how better we could have tackled the infamous virus, just about illnesses in general. Consistent exercise has shown to induce physiological changes at a cellular level. A review by Sallami M et al. 2018 concluded that many studies showed the positive effect of exercise on the immune system such as elevation in T-cell proliferative capacity, increased neutrophil function, and NK cell cytotoxic activity. T-Cells, neutrophils and NK cells are cells in our bodies that function to fight against the nasties we may contract during our daily lives – hence exercise may be essential in building stronger immune systems.

    Let’s bring it to the oldest of enemies: Brains vs Brawn (Who watched survivor 2021?).Which would you prefer to be – the brains or the brawn? Did you know that some studies have shown that exercise may help increase cognitive function and academic performance in adults and adolescents?

     

    To the students reading this, the constant battle between rest and study is endless. But taking periodic breaks and doing some physical activity may be beneficial to your ability to retain and regurgitate the information that you are trying to learn. A systematic review by Li JW et al.3 reviewed 10 studies, and drew the conclusion that exercise – both new and existing – may help increase both cognitive function and academic performance. All of the papers reviewed reported a significant effect of acute or chronic exercise in improving some aspect of cognitive function and academic performance, however more evidence is required. In short, though we can not be certain that exercise will help your brain capacity, the risk of exercise is heavily outweighed by the rewards. Have a break… lift some weights.

    You think that would be all, right? Well you’re wrong, I haven’t finished yet. Finally, the real pandemic of this world – mental health. Now before I say that physical activity can help individuals facing stress, anxiety and depression, these can be serious conditions and it is important to seek professional help by registered mental health practitioners. But considering lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity may help you get over life’s many speed humps. Mikkelsen K et al. produced a review of articles that provided evidence to suggest that exercise can help alleviate stress, anxiety and depression through psychological and physiological levels. 

    Natural endorphins, endogenous opioids and reduction in inflammatory markers – sounds like a great cocktail. 

    So what is the take-home message? It doesn’t matter what it is, how strenuous or how light the exercise, get out there and get active. There is minimal risk but maximal reward, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

     

    References
    1. Borisovskaya A, Chmelik E, Karnik A. Exercise and Chronic Pain. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1228:233-253. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-1792-1_16. PMID: 32342462.
    2. Andrew P. Wroblewski, Francesca Amati, Mark A. Smiley, Bret Goodpaster & Vonda Wright (2011) Chronic Exercise Preserves Lean Muscle Mass in Masters Athletes, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 39:3, 172-178, DOI: 10.3810/psm.2011.09.1933
    3. Li JW, O’Connor H, O’Dwyer N, Orr R. The effect of acute and chronic exercise on cognitive function and academic performance in adolescents: A systematic review. J Sci Med Sport. 2017 Sep;20(9):841-848. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2016.11.025. Epub 2017 Jan 24. PMID: 28185806.
    4. Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Polenakovic M, Bosevski M, Apostolopoulos V. Exercise and mental health. Maturitas. 2017 Dec;106:48-56. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Sep 7. PMID: 29150166.
    5. Barnes AS. Obesity and sedentary lifestyles: risk for cardiovascular disease in women. Tex Heart Inst J. 2012;39(2):224-7. PMID: 22740737; PMCID: PMC3384027.
    6. Sellami M, Gasmi M, Denham J, Hayes LD, Stratton D, Padulo J, Bragazzi N. Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercise on Immunological Parameters in the Elderly Aged: Can Physical Activity Counteract the Effects of Aging? Front Immunol. 2018 Oct 10;9:2187. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02187. PMID: 30364079; PMCID: PMC6191490.

    Leave a Comment

    Your email address will not be published, all comments are approved before posted

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

    What’s Your Why?

    Dr Chelsey Kedmenec explains why your Osteopath asks so many questions, and getting to know your Why.

      Osteopathic treatment and management is not just about the issue...

    read more

    Managing Your Lifestyle & Running Load

      The body’s aim is to remain balanced. The official term for this is allostasis: the ability we have to maintain stability through an ever changing environment. It is not just the external environment we need to ...

    read more

    How can your Osteopath help your child?

    Osteopathy is a holistic approach to the body that considers the interconnectedness of the body's muscles, joints and systems. Typically adults are the ones getting treated, but at Ascot Vale Osteopathy, we treat children f...

    read more

    Psoas – Back pain and Breathing

    Psoas is a strong and powerful muscle, yet often overlooked, and tt can be responsible for a host of ailments. The Psoas muscle originates from the T12 and Lumbar spinal segments, where it blends in with fibers of the diaphragm (your primary breathing ...

    read more

    Anti-Inflammation Diet

    There is an enormous amount of interest in anti-inflammation diets out there and rightfully so. Chronic inflammation is very common and is tied to a large list of serious illnesses such as diabetes, cancers, auto-immune con...

    read more

    Why Do Things Hurt When We Sit All Day?

    Our modern society and the advancements of technology have led most of us towards a more sedentary lifestyle. Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, the majority of the population were getting up out of bed, walking to the lounge room/study/kitchen table, sitt...

    read more

    Take A Deep Breath

    Breathing is one of the most basic and fundamental functions of the human body, yet, a lot of us seem to do it all wrong. We don’t seem to worry about our breathing at all, until our breathing becomes abnormal. What we don’t understand is how importan...

    read more