Valentine’s Day isn’t the only reason to celebrate hearts in February…did you know it is National American Heart Month?
There are many types of heart disease, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of deaths in Americans. The good news is that most forms of heart disease are preventable by making lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking, practicing good nutrition habits and reducing stress in your everyday life. Still, one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease is by getting active.
While the word “cardio” might invoke horror in some, cardiovascular or aerobic activity is important for cardiovascular health. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t feel overwhelmed–cardiovascular activity includes a wide range of activities that get your heart pumping, such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming and dancing.
Along with cardio, strength training can decrease the risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. Strength training can speed up the body’s metabolic rate, which can decrease fatty tissue in the body. Studies have shown that strength training twice a week, especially combined with regular cardio, can have profoundly positive effects on heart and overall health.
One thing to consider when starting to take control of your heart health is seeing a physical therapist. Physical therapy can get you moving and stay moving for good. Most of us know that exercising regularly is good for our health, but getting started, or re-started, can often be intimidating-and even more so if your experiencing pain or a recurring injury. It is not uncommon that having pain in your back, neck, knee, shoulder or other joints and muscles can sideline a person for an extended period of time, and in many cases being in pain can cause one to slip into permanent inactivity.
At Fast Track, our physical therapists are musculoskeletal experts who are trained to get your body healthy enough to start exercising and getting back into a routine without pain, as well as create and support an appropriate exercise program for people of all ability levels.
PT’s can help you get moving again by:
-Assessing and diagnosing the root causes of pain and injury
-Teaching correct form and posture to ensure that you’re performing exercises correctly to prevent future injuries
-Treating problem areas with customized plans of care that can include a wide range of modern clinical approaches, like manual (hands-on) therapy, exercises and stretches, dry-needling, and more.
Whatever your goals are, don’t let pain stop you from achieving them, especially when it comes to your heart health. Getting back into a routine of cardio and strength training can be a vital part of preventing heart disease down the road, and physical therapy can get you back into action and keep you moving.
At Fast Track Physical Therapy, we can see you without a doctor’s referral, that way we can get you pain free fast and on your way back to a heart healthy lifestyle.
