We may all be at different levels, but the bottom line is that we are all athletes! We were made to move, and some of us may do it faster than others, or longer than others, but if you get out and move, and push yourself more than you would need to do, or are required to do just to do your activities of daily living, than you are an athlete. We don’t have to be professional. We just have to move. Besides Family Medicine, I am also involved in Sports Medicine, and came across a definition here recently that I think sums this up the best.
For all of us who stay active, there are bound to be times when we get hurt, or develop pain. The majority of these are still temporary. The problems were are helping to push back, or avoid altogether (high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity) can last a lifetime. We all need to get out of our “comfort zone”. We all can achieve benefit from this. For my part, there is always things to learn about Sports Medicine. I was just at a 2 day conference in SF to learn more about this.
There are always new treatment plans, ideas, research, and literature to review. They had new updates on concussion protocols, surgery updates, therapy updates, challenges of getting people to get out and move, as well as challenges that we as health care providers face when dealing with people who get injured, and how to get them back to what they want to do. It is always a challenge, but one thing that helps me in my plans of how to take care of someone, is being a runner myself, I understand the mindset involved with this, and how much somebody wants to get back to their same level of activity. Very few of us our professional athletes, but we should all be recreational athletes. We all need to move. “Use it or lose it!” The best part of all of this is there is so much variety of different activities out there to do that we can ALL find something to get involved with.
Here are a bunch of our run club members out in my garage, the Reiflex Center, doing weight/resistance activities. It is so much more enjoyable doing this as a group. We all need to do something. That hidden athlete is in all of us, just waiting to come out. Specific weight goals, times challenges in walks or runs are not the ultimate goal. These goals may help though to keep us motivated to keep working on things, and to stay active and healthy. But, the ultimate goal is to live life to the fullest, to be able to spend time with our family and friends, and to continue to have good times, and make lasting memories. That is what it is about. Keep pushing that inner athlete in you. It is there! Some days may be harder to find than others, but the rewards that can come about are more important that any time or medal that you may get. It is impossible for each of us to know everything, and to do everything. Making an effort is a start, and something is better than nothing. Keep learning! Keep trying! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3847
