Exercise: The Key To Wellness and Healthy Living

It is a well known fact that physical activity and/or exercise have many benefits. Some of the benefits of exercising regularly include helping with weight control, prevention of health conditions/diseases, improved mood, boosting energy levels, and promoting better sleep. Exercise is also a key component in the prevention of numerous injuries. Certain exercises have been shown to reduce and prevent many sports, work related, or repetitive strain injuries. As well, full recovery from an injury is unlikely to occur without some component of restorative exercise. Finally, exercise has also been found to be effective in older populations for preventing falls as well as maintaining mobility and independence.

Work place injuries are a common occurrence and for the most part, are preventable. For example, if someone works at a computer, or their job involves regular lifting, a few simple stretches and strengthening exercises can go a long way to prevent stress and strain on the body. A physiotherapist can recommend an exercise program to minimize the development of bad posture or poor work techniques.

While recovering from an injury, doing specific exercises during the correct phase of healing can decrease recovery time and allow for proper healing. Exercises are not meant to be painful, rather they should be quite comfortable and easy to do. Many exercises help to decrease pain, increase movement and strength, and improve balance. Activity is then geared to the return to functional activity, whether it be a sport, regular work duties, or just to live life without pain or restriction. Physiotherapists are skilled in developing exercise programs based on your injury or pain and your phase of healing.

Exercise programs focused on seniors are on the rise, since staying active can prevent the onset of many age related health concerns. In addition, exercise has been shown to increase bone density thus decreasing a senior’s risk for fractures. Another key area of focus with seniors is fall prevention, where the importance of maintaining flexibility, increasing balance and strength has been shown to be effective. Many retirement homes and community centres are now offering falls prevention classes.

Senior's exercise class — Senior’s exercise class

Whether you are looking at preventing injuries or recovering from one, exercise should be an important component to consider. With the help of a health care professional, an exercise plan can be developed based on your current needs. Setting long term goals and working towards them is a great way to start exercising, and making exercise fun and simple is a great way to ensure compliance.

Do you have any exercise goals or injuries you want to prevent, based on your occupation?

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Jason Bellefleur

Jason Bellefleur is a multi-award-winning physiotherapist. Most recently, he was recognized as a 2016 Ottawa Forty Under 40 recipient and received numerous awards from the Orléans Chamber of Commerce (the 2011 Young Business Person of the Year, the 2012 Healthcare Professional of the Year and the 2014 Business Person of the Year awards). Jason is proud to be an Orléans resident and to raise his family in a bilingual community. He enthusiastically promotes local business within the Orléans area and frequently supports and participates in local events. Jason was recognized for his community involvement by receiving the Orleans 150 Community Builder award in 2017 by Ottawa-Orléans MPP Marie-France Lalonde. Jason firmly believes in high-quality one-on-one physiotherapy interventions. His treatment approach emphasizes hands-on intervention, continued client education, and active involvement by the individual to help them reach their full potential. By opening a clinic that offers 'Higher Standards of Care,' Jason wants his patients to feel confident that they receive the highest level of patient care available. As a result, he is also preventing injury and helping to improve their health and well-being.