Movement is essential

Introduction

Over the last 2 years there has been a marked increase in obesity among the vast majority of my pediatric patients. Some of them have gained upwards of 50 pounds in one year. They have been what I call,” hiding like Biden” during the pandemic. Initially it was non-voluntary for many of them. However, for many a sedentary lifestyle became and continues to be the new normal. The truth is, the sedentary problem predates the global pandemic. The problem is not a pediatric one. Rather, it is universal. At least prior to the lockdowns kids had physical education at school and would go outside and play. Clearly, as the following figure illustrates being sedentary spans all ethnicities.

Living Things Move

There is a saying, “Dead men tell no tales.” They also cannot move of their own volition. The converse is true of the living. Adequate exercise or movement is important to good health and wellness. Movement is important for: maintaining bone health and structure, maintaining muscle mass, having regular bowel movements, stimulating lymph movement, facilitating the movement of blood in the veins, and sustaining proper mental health by reducing stress and releasing endorphins.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Exercise

Regular exercise also has heart and blood vessels-related health benefits. Specifically, it helps to improve blood pressure, fat metabolism, body mass and composition, fitness and longevity. One study found that those who engage in regular, moderate exercise are at a lower risk for mortality, and enjoy an average life expectancy 7 years greater than their sedentary counterparts. The study found that those benefits were produced by moderate weekly exercise. It was observed that incremental benefits in coronary heart disease risk reduction are manifest with increasing activity. The greatest benefit in terms of coronary heart disease risk reduction is produced by activity as simple as brisk jogging for around 5 hours accumulatively per week.

From Athletes and Arrhythmias to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Congenital Heart Disease. Abbas Zaidi; Sanjay Sharma Future Cardiol. 2013;9(1):119-136. 

Use or lose it

If we do not use our muscles then they lose mass or atrophy. There is no saving it for a later day by not using it. Of course, there is always potential for an overuse injury from excessive movements of the same set of joints. There is also potential for abuse injury from trying to do too much too quickly. That is more likely in the realm of the amateur or professional athlete. The goal of this lesson is not to advocate that you immediately go from zero to an Olympic hero. I just want you to do more than you have been doing.

Think and get ripped

Life happens. Circumstances may prevent us from working out like we may have planned. Thankfully there is an answer. Scientists who were attempting to come up with solutions to prevent muscle atrophy in those who are bedridden due to injury made a startling discovery. Subjects who spent 15 minutes daily imagining that they were exercising not only prevented muscle atrophy. They also had a 15 % increase in their muscle mass. If you cannot get to your planned workout close your eyes and imagine you are there. The human body is such that it cannot tell the difference between imagined or real occurrences. The physiological response is essentially the same. Use this to your advantage.