Did you know that on average British people sit for 8.9 hours a day? That’s a very long time to be sitting and very worrying given the growing body of research that has produced evidence that shows the harmful effect of sitting for more than 4 hours every day.
The results of a sedentary lifestyle can lead to an increased risk of developing one or more of the following:
- heart disease
- diabetes
- obesity
- cancer
- back ache
- dementia
- depression
- muscle degeneration
Our chiropractor, Melanie Soomro, at Cliffs Chiropractic Chelmsford has over 30 years experience of treating patients and has seen an increase in the number of patients who are suffering from symptoms related to their sedentary lifestyles.
Melanie encourages patients to increase their levels of activity and take regular exercise where appropriate to counteract their lifestyle. While many people understand that they need to be more active and take regular exercise there are many reasons they don’t. These include being too busy, not enjoying it and of course being British what else but the weather stops them!
Melanie believes that it does help if people enjoy the form of exercise they choose and in an attempt to also eliminate the negative impact of the weather she has come up with two great forms of exercise that most people can try.
Swimming: Swimming is a good all-round form of exercise. It is a low impact form of exercise as you become virtually weightless in the water which is easy on your joints. Of course you do need to find a pool. However, there are a number of pools in and around Chelmsford, one of them being the pool at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre that’s open to the public. Most pools offer swimming classes which can be a great way to get you into the water. Some also offer other forms of water exercises such as aqua aerobics which is a great form of low impact exercise.
All you need is a swimsuit, a cap and a pair of goggles and take the plunge!
Dancing: Let’s admit it who hasn’t been tempted to “get dancing” after watching an episode of Strictly Come Dancing! Dancing has seen an increase in popularity over recent years with the advent of shows like Strictly. Whatever dance moves you want to strike there will most likely be a class to cater for you in and around Chelmsford. A search on the internet will reveal a world of dancing on your door step. Not only is dancing great fun but it is a good way to exercise. It can help maintain strong bones, improve posture, improve muscle strength and increase balance and coordination.
In the words of Strictly – “Get Dancing”.
So no more excuses, here are two fun, enjoyable and weather resistant ways to get in your dose of exercise.
Do check with your chiropractor or health care professional before starting any new form of exercise so that they can advise you what’s best for you.