Written by: Dr. Stephanie Soto, PT, DPT of The Green Room Physical Therapy
If you have worked with me, I’m sure you can attest that I push people here at the Green Room. There is a method behind the madness. Exercise is medicine and I’m here to prove it.
In 2018, a study conducted by Boorman et al found that 75% of patients with chronic, full thickness rotator cuff tears have a successful rehabilitation with only exercise (no surgery!).
In 2010, a study by Segal et al found that quadricep strength is protective against knee osteoarthritis.
In 2012 and again in 2018, studies conducted by Hewitt et al found that the percentage of contact ACL tears can be reduced up to 50%, and 64% for non-contact ACL tears with a strengthening program.
Small doses (only once a week) of high intensity exercise has shown improved blood glucose, oxygen consumption, power, and strength.
Moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce disease severity and preserve neuronal structures and function in Parkinson's Disease.
Exercise can improve blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, and regulate body weight.
Exercise can increase your HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
How cool is that! There are so many other incredible benefits of exercise, but I think you got the point. We have the ability to improve our health naturally, without any medications with crazy side effects, or any unwanted surgeries!
The other important aspect of exercise is the dosage. Did you know that it will take 2 hours of walking to get the same effect of 25 minutes of running? Intensity and frequency are key! Luckily, we have physical activity guidelines that we should all aim to meet:
150-300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise
OR
75-150 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise
PLUS
>300 minutes of moderate physical activity (job tasks, yard work, recreational activities) AND AT LEAST
2 days of resistance training
Now that we’ve got the frequency down, how do we measure intensity? This scale can be used to help determine adequate intensity! Moderate intensity exercise is similar to a 4-6 on the RPE scale. High intensity exercise is similar to a 7-8 on the RPE scale. If you would like more help with making sure you are exercising with the right intensity or have questions about which exercises are best for you, talk with your Physical Therapist!
Moving joints through their full range of motion, regularly and under different loads is the best practice for treating (and PREVENTING) joint conditions. As Physical Therapists, we don’t just preach it, we do it. We understand the importance of exercise with all ages. Hopefully I did a good job convincing you that exercise is medicine and hopefully you have a better understanding of why I push you so much! You may come to the Green Room because of joint pain but I assure you, we are all pushing you in hopes to tackle so much more.
We are living machines and rest is rust!
If you want to get into an optimal exercise routine for your body, whether you need to start one from scratch or progress one that you already have, feel free to schedule a free consultation with one of our Therapists (can be done over the phone or in-person) here: https://www.thegrpt.com/events-and-offers
www.thegrpt.com
Clifton Park & Troy
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