How Occupational Therapy Will Change The Way You Think About Physical Activity

By Katie Swinson, MS, OTR/L

Regional Quality Assurance Liaison

“I’ll start tomorrow…

…or the day after that.”

How many of us tell ourselves this mantra when we’re trying to be healthier?

The benefits of exercise have been shouted from the rooftops: reduction in stress, boost in mood, improvement in memory and energy. And we have these dreams of the perfect beach bod, being able to play with our kids or grandkids without becoming short of breath, or the ability to do our self-care activities without assistance.

So why is it so hard to get ourselves motivated to enjoy all of these life-changing benefits and goals?

Occupational therapists may have the answer.

OTs understand that it is part of human nature to not perform activities we feel are boring. However, if that activity involves something motivating to us, there’s no problem in getting us started. It can take an OT’s professional eye to assess, adapt, and modify activities and daily routines in order to increase someone’s physical activity to reap the benefits.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines current exercise recommendations. Based on this HHS research, it is recommended that adults and older adults complete at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. This translates to about 30-60 minutes of aerobic activity five days per week, in addition to strength and balance exercises that should be performed at least twice per week. Moderate intensity exercise refers to activities that increase our heart rate– examples include a brisk walk, heavy cleaning, mowing the lawn, and light effort biking among many other exercises.

A typical American spends 7.7 hours being sedentary

An increase in sedentary activities correlates strongly to an increase in all-cause mortality. Evidence is mounting to support that exercise is an excellent prescription not only healthy adults but adults of all fitness levels. Physical activity is especially beneficial in helping to manage a variety of health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, hypertension, and strokes.

So, what’s the good news? Taking the stairs versus the escalator, parking farther away, or doing five squats prior to bed all count as increasing our physical activity, which contributes to those health benefits. It has been found that exercising just one time can reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, and reduce anxiety, among other health benefits.

So how do we get started?

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Let’s use our hobbies to our advantage.

Not sure what that motivation is? An OT can help determine the activities, hobbies, chores that can give a patient that drive. OTs’ bread and butter is to work with patients to get us back to doing the things we love to do. OTs assess ability, the task, and the environment to create just the right challenge to increase physical activity to achieve the 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.

Then, with a trained eye, OTs determine what areas need to improve– whether that’s strength, balance, endurance, or modification of the task or environment–  the safety and participation in the task. The OT will follow the HHS guidelines to improve these areas by incorporating a favorite activity. Working with the OT, patients will be able to determine the best way to incorporate this activity into daily routines so that it’s impossible to avoid. This may include creating a new daily schedule, writing reminders within the home, or modifying the task or environment to make it easier to get started.

SQUEEZE EXERCISE IN WHEN POSSIBLE

There have been many recommendations from health magazines, Oprah, and the CDC on the little things we can incorporate into our day to increase physical activity–from avoiding the escalator and taking the stairs or parking farther away. Working with an OT to create a plan to increase movement in daily activities is highly recommended if we’re recovering or struggling with an illness or injury.

Sometimes we have an all-or-nothing mentality. Either we plan to do that Richard Simmons workout video to sweat it all out or we eat snacks on the couch and binge-watch TV for hours.

A skilled OT works to understand daily routines and the current amount of daily activity we do. OTs can determine which movements and exercises are safe to perform but still challenge muscles, balance system, or endurance. This provides that just-right challenge throughout the day.

OTs can sneak squats into chores, arm curls into dressing, and calf raises when putting away clothes.

Every.

Movement.

Counts.

And, all of these movements help lift us closer to meeting those physical activity guidelines.

MODIFY AND PROGRESS

But what happens when things get too easy or too hard?

OTs can train on how to safely and effectively modify and progress an activity regimen to continue to reach those health goals. Based on assessing vitals, reported exertion level, and technique during exercises, OTs can create a progressive physical activity program to reach those HHS guidelines.

OTs know that if it is not fun or motivating, people will not do it. If it isn’t something easily accessible or easy to complete, we won’t do it.

An OT may be needed to individualize a physical activity regimen based on current fitness level and living situation to make this regimen functional and those health goals achievable. OTs will help put life back in living by making exercise something enjoyable and unavoidable. This exercise regime will provide just the right amount of challenge even as strength grows and health improves.

The knowledge and experience of an OT can help any of us struggling to meet personal wellness goals by empowering them to believe in themselves and to never stop pushing.