After more than 20 years in the healthcare sector, I’ve discovered a major problem in the community. Based on my personal experiences, I am certain that I must address the social issue that is plaguing our society.

Fit in today’s society is defined as having bulging muscles or being thin. This destructive social construct pushes people to live a ‘healthy’ lifestyle and overwork themselves; as a result, they are more likely to develop musculoskeletal conditions. Majority of the people suffer from osteoarthritis, a degenerative disorder that affects the joints as a result of wear and tear.

Based on research, more than 700 million individuals (40 years and above) with Osteoarthritis in 2020 worldwide. It is also expected to increase in the future due to increasing risk factors.

From my own personal experience, I have had a number of patients who did ten pull-ups and bench presses every week and now have a rotator cuff injury and a frozen shoulder. Another patient who has run marathons and another who walks 15,000 steps every day have both developed osteoarthritis. Due to the excruciating pain caused by the condition, their everyday lives have been greatly affected, and some patients even had to undergo total knee reconstruction.

Exercise is an essential component of maintaining our health and wellness throughout our lives, but you must choose the right workouts to avoid damaging our joints and tendons. There are more conventional exercising methods that do not place unnecessary pressure on our joints and tendons. Swimming or jogging/walking in the water, rather than jogging on the roads or treadmills, are two examples. Instead of weightlifting, try resistance band or isometric workouts.

Walking in water

Water walking is a low-impact cardio exercise. This means it’s gentler on your bones and joints, making it a safer exercise option for people who have conditions like osteoarthritis The extra resistance of walking in water allows you to challenge and strengthen your muscles in ways you may not be able to with a land-based routine. 

Isometric Exercises

Isometric workouts include contracting a single muscle or a group of muscles in a controlled manner. Unlike dynamic contraction exercises, isometric exercises do not cause the muscle to change the length or the afflicted joint to move. Isometric workouts aid in the maintenance of strength.

We can even do something as simple as diet to stay in shape, yet many individuals refuse. When it comes to dieting, the general rule is that you should never skip breakfast. Eating is merely a habit, as people find it more difficult to skip dinner rather than breakfast since they eat more food at dinner than at breakfast. We tend to consume fewer calories if we adjust our eating habits to include breakfast in the morning and drink a light dinner.

Society should not get obsessed to have this idea of ‘fitness’, and we should learn how to moderate our exercise and dieting habits. It is entirely up to the individual to decide how active they want to be and what types of activities they engage in. However, I believe that having a highly destructive societal construct of being “fit” as a society is harmful because it puts individuals under pressure. It is time for a change in our views to ensure that we age well and live a long and healthy life.

Hallmark Physiotherapy has created individualized workout routines for people of all ages, from children to the elderly. We train the heart and lungs with basic breathing apparatus and isometric workouts that do not put pressure on the joints and tendons. Our exercises are appropriate for people of all ages to improve mobility.