A sedentary lifestyle causes high medical, social and psychological costs

The WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. As it is easily deductible, all day-to-day tasks that involve movement effectively represent physical activity. Most of the work practice, domestic work, walks, games, dancing, represent movement and activity, however they do not represent the practice of physical exercise.

Physical exercise, as a subcategory of physical activity, requires planning, structuring, repeatability and objectivity with competitive or non-competitive objectives. Regular exercise effectively has cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, musculoskeletal and metabolic benefits in general. These benefits in turn affect a decreased risk of heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease. As additional benefits, we highlight the lower probability of colon cancer and some forms of diabetes as well as benefits in psychological and social terms with an impact on quality of life.

However, there are different types of physical exercise with specific indications and results: aerobic resistance exercises, also known as aerobics (which mainly aim at cardiovascular well-being), localized muscular resistance exercises (strengthening an anatomical region for better control of certain tasks ), flexibility exercises (allow mechanical-postural-compressive relief), strength exercises (allow gesture control and better performance in everyday life) and, finally, agility exercises (with improvements in balance, proprioception and neuromuscular function).

Children and teenagers who exercise adequate they improve their perception of their competence, learn new techniques, have fun, make new friends and grow more harmoniously physically and psychologically. Adults, especially seniors, have the advantages inherent in improving their physical condition, preventing diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia, as well as (through the ability to prevent falls) reducing the risk of fractures (neck fractures). femur, radius, spine, among others). From a psychological point of view, and pain tolerance, exercise increases the body’s level of endorphins, (substances that act in the brain reduce pain and induce a feeling of well-being), improving mood and reducing levels of anxiety and depression. .

Let everyone reflect on the importance of physical activity at various age levels as it is never too late to start! Choose the activity that you like, but get moving…for your health!

We will have to report and help cases of neck pain, especially in our young people (technological neck) who spend hours flexing and persistently contracting their neck muscles! A sedentary lifestyle and technology invade and undermine us, with increasing medical, social and psychological costs that we will have to counteract. We are all responsible and the Portuguese Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology (SPOT) will continue to do its work in promoting the importance of physical activity, transversal but specific, throughout life.

Article signed by Henrique Jones, specialist in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine / Clínica Ortopédica do Montijo / Hospital da Luz Setúbal.