McHenry Chiropractic Tip: Go out for a walk.
Every step counts! Walks are healthy. Walking is effective, even in small spurts.
It’s a growing trend in McHenry and everywhere else. Walking is free and easy. Walking is a physical activity that most anyone can do. Sadly only about 48% of adults get enough aerobic (activity that gets the heart pumping harder and blood vessels healthier) physical activity (1), so OrthoIllinois Chiropractic recommends walking to all of our McHenry chiropractic patients especially as they recover from a back pain episode.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES
Physical Activity Guidelines propose just 2 and a half hours each week. (2) That’s manageable! That can be broken down into smaller chunks like five 30-minute walks or longer walks with others 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 McHenry walk for fun or transportation or exercise. 6 in 10 walk for their aerobic physical activity. Others take ballroom dancing or gardening. (1) Brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming or biking are potential activities when walking becomes a bit too comfortable, but walking itself works|is]19] just as well!
WALKERS KEEP WALKING
The Journal of the American Medical Association released information about 1635 inactive adults from 70 to 89 years who were at risk of losing their mobility (ie, their ability to walk without assistance). They were separated 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 positive news!
A NEW WALKING PROGRAM: Motivators & Effects
What motivates you to exercise? OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is here to inspire 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 adhere to the program (walking was perceived as a safe exercise as opposed to high-impact exercise that they wanted out of fear of making their pain worse), and to finish the program (accountability, enjoyment of the exercise and health benefits). (4) A recently planned study expects to define just how effective a walking and education program might be able to prevent low back pain recurrence as well as for cost. They’re naming it WalkBack. (5) Such a great name! Effectiveness and cost-savings can also be motivators to stick to a walking program.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
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 episode of back pain, just walk (after you check with your McHenry chiropractor first!). It will do you good! Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Amanda Harris on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that permitted a patient to walk again without a cane.
Schedule an appointment with OrthoIllinois Chiropractic today for individualized advice about integrating walking into your chiropractic care plan.
