If you don’t make movement a priority, then you are not nearly as likely to live a long, healthy life. The best part is, you don’t have to move fast or a lot, you just need to get a certain amount every day, with no exceptions. How much is enough? Fitbit and other fitness trackers suggest we should move 10,000 steps per day. This is a good target for younger, fit individuals but may be too much for some. Remember, you don’t have to run those steps and you don’t have to break out in a sweat that requires a shower afterwards.
As I have always said, one of the main secrets of Wellness is to “Move More and Sit Less.” So, the next time you find yourself sitting for 30 minutes or more, be sure to get up and walk around your house, go clean up the kitchen, get a healthy snack, walk up and down your stairs a few times, or do a few stretches in your seat, or standing, or lying on the couch. Try to move for a few minutes every half hour and over the course of the day you could do a full workout if you wanted. If you set a goal of say 8,000 steps per day, be sure to start out with just a few more steps than you currently do and gradually increase them.
What do you do if you are too sore to move or exercise? This is the most common reason I hear for why people don’t exercise more. Sure, we can all be guilty of being lazy, sometimes. Sore joints, muscles, or even headaches are very common. Find a way to reduce or totally get rid of your pain. Of course if you haven’t seen your chiropractor lately, it could be that sore shoulder, muscle, back or knee pain is the result of a stiff, dysfunctioning spine. An adjustment may be the answer.
Trigger point therapy is another Chiropractic specialty. It is painful at the time, but releases the tension and the pain. Many patients feel they are much better than before they came in for a treatment.
I have treated many patients who waited until it was extremely sore before coming in. They admit they just put up with the pain, hoping it would ‘GO AWAY.’ My response is, “Wait for two days, if it’s not severe pain, but come in if it persists longer.”
There are many aids that could help you right away. Try icing the sore area for 15 minutes at a time with a 45 minute break, then ice again. Use moist heat (use a grain bag or a damp cloth on your skin with a heating pad overtop) for 20 minutes over achy areas that are stiff. Simply stretching sore areas can sometimes help, but be careful not to pull hard on a sprained joint or muscle, you might do more harm than good. As a last resort, anti-inflammatories like Motrin, Aleve, or Tylenol may help.