Running head: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WELLNESS
Physical Activity and Wellness
Timothy von Behren
Concordia University
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Physical Activity and Wellness
There is an inextricable relationship between physical activity and wellness. As a
prospective physical therapist, communicating this relationship is absolutely vital to the
success of my future clients. The following two interviews illustrate how age may affect
physical activity. The concept of wellness is truly a nebulous one and common
definitions are quite arbitrary. Bearing this in mind, please note that these persons appear
to be in a state of good health and were not aware of any underlying risk factors for
disease at the time of the interview.
My 79-year-old grandma reports that she engages in minimal physical activity
(M. Eames, personal communication, 2014). She ambulates with a slight lateral sway
and complains of ankle instability. Although she wears custom-made orthotics to
alleviate some of the discomfort associated with walking, my grandma chooses to avoid
physical activity that is not goal-oriented. She does enjoy the occasional early morning
walk, but only when accompanied by a close friend with whom she can converse. These
walks average around thirty minutes in duration and occur about five times per week,
except in the winter months when the temperature and her walking frequency drop to
zero. My grandma reports that when she was in elementary school, she was nicknamed
“the deer” because of her unmatched sprinting ability as a softball player. I explained to
her that her reduced ability to engage in high-impact physical activity could be
compensated for through some form of resistance training, the goal being to increase
bone mineral density. It is well known that bone mineral density has implications in
falling. According to the Surgeon General (2004), “Muscle strengthening reduces the
risk of fractures by improving balance, mobility, and speed of movement, each of which
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helps to prevent or reduce the severity of falls.” After some further discussion, we
discovered that she does engage in some form of resistance training. Using a push
mower, my grandma cuts her own grass during the summer months, a precautionary step
in fall prevention.
In contrast to my 79-year-old grandma who exercises primarily to avoid the risks
associated with the aging process, my 19-year-old brother engages in physical activity for
reasons related to stress reduction and cognitive enhancement (D. von Behren, personal
communication, 2014). He is a collegiate musician and has a tremendously demanding
practice schedule and reports that there are some weeks where he feels too busy to
exercise. However, he admits that he experiences an improved perception of self when
he does engage in vigorous physical activity. Furthermore, he notes that intermittent
exercise throughout the day in the form of running is especially effective for him when he
is learning a new and difficult piece. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (2011), “You can break up your [physical activity] into smaller chunks during
the day as long as your activity is being performed at a moderate or vigorous effort for at
least ten minutes at a time.” Although he thoroughly enjoys running with friends, he
values the positive physiological effect of running to a greater extent.
As a prospective physical therapist, educating my clients of the importance of
daily physical activity is more than just an adjunct to my prescribed exercise program,
but is rather an essential component in their journey to attain optimal wellness. The
gradual integration of specific exercises into natural physical activity serves to modulate
the biomechanical execution and results in observable changes in movement pattern.
Movement patterns both affect and are affected by thoughts and perceptions of reality.
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From my own experiences and observations, I believe the crux of a successful physical
therapy program to be the dovetailing of a sound body and a sound mind. Physical
activity, irrespective of client age and execution intensity, is paramount in facilitating this
integration. Frequency and duration are my primary focus from the rehabilitative
perspective. It is this focus that moves both young and old toward the state of optimal
wellness.
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References
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General |
SurgeonGeneral.gov. (2004, October 14). Retrieved January 28, 2014, from
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/bonehealth/chapter_6.html#KeyMessages
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Physical Activity for Everyone: Guidelines: Adults | DNPAO | CDC.
(2011, December 1). Retrieved January 1, 2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html