Below is a written piece submitted by Moti Wilson for the physical activity course which ran earlier in the year. It is an empassioned plea to everyone to become more active.
We all in one way or the other been victims of musculoskeletal ailments, such as backache, tendinopathy, neckache etc… just a few to mention, or aware of friends, families and workmates who are really struggling with all kinds of remedy of treatments without concern of the side effects alluded to them. The country is on a population loss crisis due to chronic diseases of lifestyle termed Non Communicable Diseases comprising of Cancer, Hypertension, Diabetes, Hyperlipedemia, Osteoarthritis, COPD etc … these diseases indeed have a negative impact to the quality of life and poor prognosis for recovery if one takes life sedentary.
Physical Inactivity is a burden that is consuming us, a substance of pollution that is thriving within our livelihood. Physical Inactivity is termed as merely achieving less than 30min of moderate physical activity per week. The worst scenario would be; being physically inactive while you are sedentary, which is the art of sitting or lying down for longer period during commuting, leisure, work etc … one or a combination of Physical Inactivity and Sedentary are am annoyed to describe them as having a Sedented Dose.
The kind of life we indulge our entire energy too creates a conducive environment for deterioration of our physical health, as we struggle in making ends meet, forgetting that health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity. When it comes to Physical Activity; it is recommended either doing 150min per week of moderate physical activity, 75min of vigorous physical activity or a combination of both. Despite of the recommendation majority are way below the line.
‘Being physically active does not merely mean exercise’ since Physical Activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that require energy expenditure. Physical activity hence will include exercise as well as other activities which involve bodily movement and are done as part of playing, working, active transportation, house chores and recreational activities.
Inactivity and Sedentary lifestyle are a huge budget and a disgrace to development as the financial and socioeconomic implication delay growth and becomes a burden for the country. Even as I write against this epidemics, we all have contributed towards its establishment by forgetting to address major sectors in transport planning, recreation and leisure, education and health…etc just a few to mention.
We can break this chain of propagating the same to our future generations of offsprings if we all geared towards establishing a country that it’s population is meeting the World Health Organization(WHO) recommendations for physical activity through all sectors;
Let our roads have paths for walking as well as riding bicycles.
Let our colleges and university be constructed on ample grounds with playing fields and recreational sites unlike the modern times with schools on skyscrapers or without grounds.
Let our health practitioners who are our experts in health prescribe take history, examine, evaluate and prescribe physical activity for everyone in the aim of making every contact count.
Let the department of recreational activities take time to plan for physical activity days aimed to promote physical activity right from the grassroots which are our communities and provide more active recreational places.
Let the media and the network be the point of promoting physical activity awareness and the importance to the same.
Let parents encourage their children to be active rather than spending hours watching television and playing video games.
Let the government make acquisition and importation of physical activity goods free of tax such as bicycle, balls…etc.
Our elderly at home can be encouraged to walk. “I bought my grandy a dog and he has instruction to take it round the village twice a day” such word can be encouraging.
Finally as an individual the best route to take up the building is the stairs so as to burn calories and not misuse of electricity by going up the building using the elevator.
If we do not act, we surely shall die of ill health, that we would have prevented or Age inversely compared to our age. You can reduce the number of visits to the hospital that deny you, your freedom, because there is nothing so much dehumanizing as having physical pain. Physiological pain can be managed just by a visit for prescription or by a drug over the counter, just as a smile can sort out your psychological pain but Physical pain can nag you to the limits.
The SEDENTED DOSE is not a kind to prescribe yourself with, and rest won’t make nor ease your problem, unless you seek advice to being physically active if you have a condition you find limiting you, for there is always a physiotherapist to advice, educate and modify every exercise to suit you.
You’d rather Be;
Thin but FIT and not thin and UNFIT
Fat but FIT and not Fat and UNFIT
And rest assured that the benefits of physical activity irrespective of your condition far outweigh the risks.
We can, You can, I can change sedentary behaviour by sitting less, moving more and actively encouraging physical well-being as a state of health. I conclude my thoughts by urging you to urgently activate your sedented dose.
Many thanks to Moti for submitting this work. For more course outcomes and original work look here.