It is a new year once again, and the time has come where many people start thinking of ways to better themselves and their lives. These resolutions act like a compass to help guide us into healthier lifestyles and help us live fuller, richer lives.
It seems that exercise and health are frequent topics on many resolution lists. We all want to take care of our bodies and feel our best. But how do you make taking care of your body a priority each and every day? It can be challenging with so many other distractions out there. Friends, family, work, and stress can all prevent us from taking care of ourselves. Putting ourselves and our health first can be challenging.
Take a minute now to jot down the things that are important to you, and rank them in order of importance. If you are similar to a lot of other people, your list may look like this:
- Family
- Work
- Health
- Friends
- Physical Therapy
Many people rank health after family and work. That just doesn’t make sense. If you are in poor health, how much quality time can you spend with your family? How can you perform your job to the best of your ability if poor health won’t allow it? By putting your personal health first, you provide yourself the chance to maximize your ability to care for your family, excel at your job, and enjoy time with your friends.
Recently a friend of mine told me an analogy about taking care of one’s health. If you have ever flown in a commercial airplane, you know that instructions are given shortly after takeoff of what to do in the unlikely event of cabin depressurization. Supplemental oxygen masks will fall from the ceiling. If you are travelling with someone who needs assistance, place your own mask on first, and then assist those who need help. Bottom line: take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.
This year consider putting your health first. Make changes to your posture to prevent low back pain and neck pain. Perform exercises to prevent running injuries and repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. Lose a few pounds to take strain off of your hips and knees, and perform knee and hip exercises to keep those joints healthy.
Most importantly, put your health first. Your family, your friends, and your job are counting on it. Talk to your physical therapist and receive a full evaluation to determine the exercise you need!
from About.com Physical Therapy
