by Peter Culp
“Movement is medicine” is one of the most cliché phrases when it comes to physical and occupational therapy. As trite as many clichés can be, this one has some truth to it. The more an individual is able to move, the more functional and typically less painful a person will be. This does not mean you need to be running marathons or biking century bike races. It simply means make some type of movement a priority in your day. This can look like walking around your block in the evening after dinner or doing some body weight squats during the commercials of your favorite television show.
There are so many reasons why movement is good for us: to help build muscle, to prevent blood clots, to improve our cardiovascular health, to improve the function of our digestion, to improve our balance, and the list goes on. We have always heard that exercising and movement is good because it helps us lose weight and improve our cardiovascular health, but more research is coming out showing that exercise also positively affects our immune health and brain health.
In a few weeks, this beautiful fall will begin to turn into that Wyoming winter that we all know and love. As it gets colder, it is important to have a plan for keeping our bodies moving when it is much harder to go outside. Remember, this does not have to look like getting a gym membership or having a home exercise program that lasts 60 minutes a day. Start by doing something simple and reasonable related to moving such as taking the stairs, parking farther away, dancing with your significant other or your kids. To stay on track, I find it easiest to have a friend or family member keep me accountable with what my current movement goals are.
Come up with a simple way you could move more during your busy day, make a plan or a goal, and enjoy this beautiful fall weather!