Scott Buxton

Scott is editor of Physiospot so expect to see his work popping up frequently. Away from the keyboard he is AHP Workforce Development Lead at the Royal United Hospital in Bath as well as an Advanced Practice Physio in Frailty/Geriatrics with a special interest in osteoporosis and sarcopenia.

Let’s Join Together to Promote Physical Activity

July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 by Scott Buxton

Physical inactivity has a major health effect worldwide. It is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality and doesn’t discriminate between wealth, ethnicity, age or gender. With rates of inactivity on the rise and levels of NCDs growing even faster we are reaching a global health catastrophe and something needs to change. That’s why many leading health organisations have campaigns trying to turn things around. Let’s take a look at a few physiotherapy specific examples.

Let’s be Active for All

This is the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) campaign to enable their vision of a more active world. It is part of their global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030. The plan sets out 4 key objectives and 20 policy actions which address the multiple cultural, environmental and individual determinants of inactivity.

The 4 key objectives are:

Create an Active Society – Social Norms and Attitudes
Create Active Environments – Spaces and Places
Create Active People – Programmes and Opportunities
Create Active Systems – Governance and Policy Enablers

Love Activity, Hate Exercise?

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) have their own health promotion campaign running at the moment. The campaign is focusing on breaking down the barriers which prevent people from being active. The campaign, and divisive strap line, emphasises the love/hate relationship many have with the concept of exercise and shifts the focus onto the concept of physical activity.

What’s the Difference between Physical Activity and Exercise?

Physical activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.. Physical activity includes 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.

Exercise, is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful in the sense that the improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness is the objective.

Just Keep Moving

The Physiopedia #JustKeepMoving campagin aims to highlight the fact that activity is a key component of health for any human being. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, in sickness or in health, or where you live in the world. Physiopedia see’s #justkeepmoving as a mantra for personal and professional life.