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Everyone knows that exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your body. And while we’ve touched on the mental health benefits that regular exercise offers, we haven’t talked about the physical health benefits. And we’re not just talking about losing weight or building muscle. Believe it or not, there are many other, lesser-known benefits you’ll experience from getting a good workout in. Those benefits can even reduce your risk of needing physical therapy services in the first place. Here’s what you need to know.

Exercise Improves Your Flexibility

When it comes to flexibility, it’s really a use-it-or-lose-it scenario. When you stop moving around and being active, your muscles start to lose their ability to move fully. This often results in feelings of tension or tightness in your limbs, neck, and back. By exercising regularly, you’ll get those muscles moving, increasing the blood flow to those areas to further relieve stiffness. Over time, you’ll see an improvement in your flexibility and range of motion. That flexibility can keep you from hurting yourself or experiencing troubling muscle strain as often.

It May Even Reduce Your Risk of Certain Diseases

Scientists and doctors alike agree that regular exercise can dramatically reduce your risk of certain diseases. These include conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers. That means you’ll stay healthier in the long run and be able to live life more fully. That said, you’ll still want to eat right and stay on top of routine health screenings with your doctor to get the most benefit.

It Makes Kicking Bad Habits Easier

Everyone has one or two bad habits. You know—the ones you know you shouldn’t indulge in but do anyway? Kicking those habits to the curb is a wonderful way to improve your health and exercising can help make the process easier. You’ll be replacing the feel-good feelings you get from those bad habits with endorphins from exercising. 

Regular Exercise Gives You More Energy

When you think about exercising on a regular basis, you probably picture yourself feeling exhausted after each workout. While this can happen occasionally, those workouts are far more likely to leave you feeling invigorated both immediately after the workout and hours afterward. When you make it a habit, you’ll start to notice increased energy levels each day. Even better, those same workouts that give you a much-needed energy boost can make it easier to fall asleep each night. The more rested you are, the more energy you’ll have!

Start Exercising the Right Way

Getting regular exercise is a great way to improve your mental and physical health each day. You just need to make sure you do it in such a way that you avoid injuring yourself. If you’re not sure where to start or are worried about making a transition from your physical therapy routine to a workout routine, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll help you figure out the best way to get in shape without reinjuring yourself. 

When you first think about getting in shape, you likely picture yourself sweating on a treadmill or pounding the pavement on some endless jogging route. Though those methods are great ways to get your heart rate up and help you burn extra calories, they’re not the only options at your disposal. Worse, they’re high-impact exercises that can damage your joints and force you to work with an experienced physical therapy team for months. Your trusted Gillette, Wyoming physical therapy team is here to help. Instead of pounding your joints, try these great low-impact exercises to help you get in shape this summer.

Bike Riding

It should come as no surprise that riding your bike is one of the best ways to get back in shape. You’re able to get a solid cardio workout in without having to run or put too much strain on your knees and lower back. Even better, you’re able to ride any bike you have on hand. It doesn’t have to be a fancy road bike or even one with multiple gears. It just has to get you down the road in a controlled manner. So, grab your bike out of your garage, pump up the tires, and take it for a few spins around the block!

Speed Walking

If you’re not a fan of biking or don’t own a bike, you can easily get outside and back in shape by speed walking. It’s just as effective as jogging but puts far less strain on your joints. Lace up your tennis shoes and head outside. Then, start walking. Try to walk as fast as you comfortably can, making sure to pump your arms almost like you would if you were jogging. This will make the exercise even more effective and helps you get your heart rate up quickly. You might even find that you’re able to transition to jogging after establishing a good speed walking routine for a few months. Keep in mind that you might want to consult with your physical therapist before you make the switch.

Hiking

Wyoming is lucky to have many beautiful nature trails and hikes just minutes away from most major cities and towns. Use this to your advantage. Take the kids out on the weekend and tackle a new mountain trail. You’ll make memories while burning calories and will be able to escape the hustle and bustle for a few hours.

Get in Shape While Having Fun

Getting in better shape doesn’t have to feel like a chore or put tons of strain on your muscles and joints. Try these great exercises for yourself and see which ones you enjoy most. Once you find an activity that you enjoy doing, you’ll find it easy to stay motivated to reach your fitness and wellness goals in the long run. If at any point you feel that you’re not seeing the progress you want or are experiencing consistent discomfort from certain activities, don’t wait. Schedule an appointment with your trusted Gillette physical therapy team. 

Once you start recovering after an injury, it’s normal to look for ways to more accurately monitor your progress. If you’re like most people, you’re tempted to try using a fitness tracker to monitor your progress and see where you’re growing and where you’re falling behind. While fitness trackers can be a useful tool when you’re rebuilding strength after undergoing physical therapy services in Gillette, WY, there are a few pros and cons you need to know about these devices. 

They Help You Stay Active

Fitness trackers can help you keep track of the amount of physical activity you participate in each day. They show you how many steps you take, how often you stand up during each hour, how far you walk, and can give you an estimate of how many calories you burn in your regular activities. This lets you better monitor your activity and can help you make sure you meet your daily exercise goals rather than putting them off.

They Can Get You Motivated Each Day

Many fitness trackers allow you to compete with others in different events or challenges. This can make exercising more fun and challenging. You’ll feel more motivated to push yourself further and burn more calories or get more active time in than your friends. The more motivated you are, the more fun exercise can feel.

They’re Not Always Accurate

If you’re planning on using a fitness tracker to monitor your activity, it’s important to remember that they’re not always accurate. Some trackers miscalculate distance. Others miscalculate calories burned. Still others fail to recognize certain periods of movement as exercise. This makes it hard to keep an accurate record of your exercise habits, recovery, and improvements in your physical well-being each day. If you choose to use a fitness tracker, don’t rely on it heavily. Instead, do what you can to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. This way, you’ll see consistent results even if the fitness tracker is less than accurate.

They’re Expensive

Even cheap fitness trackers can cost serious money. The more features they have, the more expensive they’ll get. If you’re tight on cash, using a fitness tracker may end up putting more stress on your shoulders than it solves. For those that can’t justify spending hundreds of dollars on a fitness tracker, don’t panic. Install a fitness tracking app on your phone and use it to log your activity. It might not be as detailed as the information you’d get from a fitness tracker, but it can still help you monitor your progress each day.

Staying Healthy Doesn’t Require Technology

Fitness trackers are a helpful tool in keeping track of your fitness and helping you achieve your goals, but they’re not the only option you have. All you need is a notebook and a pen. Write down the exercises you do each day or the active periods you schedule. Then, make note of how you feel after those periods. You can use this information when you schedule a follow-up appointment with your physical therapist.

Being in pain after an injury is never pleasant. And while time can help reduce your discomfort and help your body heal, it’s not always enough to get you back to normal. Going through physical therapy can both speed your recovery and help you recover more fully. But finding a physical therapist isn’t as simple as searching for “physical therapy near me.” You need to choose an experienced team that can help with your unique needs. Here’s what to look for when choosing a Gillette physical therapist that you can trust.

A Variety of Services and Treatment Options

One of the most important things to look for when choosing a physical therapist is a wide variety of services and treatment options. This ensures that they’re able to treat your unique needs and are more likely to find a method that helps you regain your full mobility and activity levels faster. When you’re calling different practices, ask about the types of treatment options they provide and how they’ll determine what options will work best for your needs. The best practices should be able to explain their processes in detail.

Experienced Staff Across the Board

Experience can make all the difference in the quality of the physical therapy you receive. Take your time and research the reputation of the staff at each physical therapy practice you consider working with. Look at their educational backgrounds and make sure that the people who will treat you know what they’re doing. It’s okay to read up on reviews and ask for references from the practice. This will give you a chance to see what their previous patients thought of their services and the quality of the treatments they received.

Detailed Knowledge of Injuries Like Yours

Every injury is different, but you want to work with a physical therapy team that’s familiar with injuries like yours. When you do, you’ll speed up the treatment process because your physical therapy experts will already know what tends to help those types of injuries recover more quickly. When you have your initial consultation, ask the therapist about the types of injuries they’ve helped with and whether they’ve treated injuries like the one you’re dealing with. If they have the necessary experience, they’re worth working with.

It’s Okay to Schedule Consultations With Several Therapists

Though it’s tempting to work with the first physical therapy practice you find, you don’t have to. In fact, it’s better to schedule consultations with several practices before you make your decision. This will let you see which therapists you get along with best and which seem better equipped to help you recover faster.

Schedule a Consultation with North Platte Today

If you’re looking for a trustworthy and experienced physical therapy team to help you speed up your recovery so you can get back to living your best life, don’t wait. Contact our Gillette-based team and schedule an appointment today. We’ll put together a comprehensive treatment plan that’s unique to your needs and your physical abilities so you can recover as fast as possible.

Working a desk job, whether you work in the office or at home, means living a sedentary lifestyle. You’re stuck at a desk for 40 or more hours each week and rarely get the chance to step away from your computer. This leads to tons of stiffness, but worse, encourages numerous health conditions that can impact your quality of life over time. The more active you can stay, the healthier you’ll be and the less likely you are to need to search for physical therapy services near me because of an overuse injury. Here are a few simple exercises you can do at your desk.

Seated March Ab Workout

Ergonomic chairs may help you maintain a better posture and prevent back pain, but they also make sitting incredibly passive. Instead of leaning back against the chair, scoot forward so that you have to engage (tighten) your abs to maintain your posture. If you’re new to exercising, hold this position for 10 seconds before relaxing for 10 and repeat five times. If you’re used to working out and have a strong core already, tighten your abs and lift one foot off the ground. Hold this position for 10 seconds and switch to the other leg. Repeat five times. 

High-Knee March

If you have some spare time or need to get up and move around to clear your head, use the time to get a bit of exercise in. Instead of walking around your office, focus on bringing your knees as high up as you can before taking a step forward. Repeat the movement on each side and march around the room. If you’re tight on space, march in place, taking care to get your knees high up and keep your shoulders back and down. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds anytime you need to get away from your computer. You’ll end up getting your heartrate up and knocking out a bit of cardio work while you’re working.

Wall Plank

The wall plank works your arms, shoulders, and abs in a single exercise. All you need is a clear spot on your desk or a wall to lean on. Assume a push-up position with your wrists positioned beneath your shoulders on the edge of your desk or against the wall. Then, lean in, supporting your weight with your arms. Engage your abs to keep your spine in alignment with your hips and your feet. Hold the position for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this whenever you need to get up and move. 

Exercise Can Improve Your Workday

These are just a few of the many exercises you can do from the comfort of your desk and the more often you do them, the better off your health will be. Even better, you may find that exercising and moving around throughout your workday will help boost your productivity and keep you from overthinking tasks as they pop up. If you need more inspiration or want a little extra help finding exercises that you can do in your Gillette, WY, office, contact our team today.