Recreation and exercise play an important role in our lives.
They add enjoyment and provide significant health benefits, including improved energy and stamina, improved mood and attention, and a decreased risk of a variety of illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Along with these positive aspects, there always is the chance that you could sustain an injury, and chronic pain can limit your enjoyment of these activities.
Whether your preferred recreation involves swinging a club or racket, walking, swimming or riding, mobility through a variety of body regions and joints is necessary to complete these activities. A lack of mobility in one area can have significant effects on pain symptoms in another area.
For example, if you have ever felt pain in your back after a round of golf, have you considered that your hips may be the cause? A lack of mobility in the hips will require you to use your back more for your swing, which can result in your back becoming overworked and sore.
The same can be said for many limitations. Pain in one area can lead to pain in other areas and can decrease your ability to participate or even stop you from the activities you enjoy.
Pain with recreation also can translate into discomfort when trying to do other daily activities, such as walking, driving, working or taking care of the house or yard.
In order to complete activities you enjoy and reduce the risk of injury, you can implement various practices, including completing an active warmup before starting your recreational activity, working with a sports trainer on proper technique, or seeing a physical therapist.
Physical therapists are movement specialists who work specifically on improving your mobility in order to reduce pain and get you back to the activities you love.
While it is important to maintain an active lifestyle, it also is important to ensure your activities are completed in a safe manner that limit painful symptoms and enhance your continued participation and enjoyment.
Spooner Physical Therapy, in North Mesa, is located at 6824 E. Brown Road. To learn more, call (480) 924-5514, or visit spoonerpt.com/locations/north-mesa.