Playing sports is good for health, yet modern society makes it less and less. According to ISTAT data, in Italy 38% of people aged 3 and over stated that they do not practice sport or other forms of physical activity in everyday life.
On the one hand, as highlighted by the Ministry of Health, this is due to the development of automation, even in domestic work, and the social depreciation of manual labor, on the other the dominance of motorized transport, the reduction of space and safety for pedestrians and cyclists, aerial free play of children, parenting models and the weight attributed to motor activity in the school curriculum.
Yet the lack of physical activity has an exponential effect on people’s health.
The human body needs movement , regular physical activity helps to reduce the risk of diseases and has positive effects on the mental health of the person.
There are now several scientific studies that confirm the benefits of sport on health :
- improves glucose tolerance and reduces the risk of getting type 2 diabetes
- prevents hypercholesterolemia and hypertension and reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- decreases the risk of developing heart disease and various cancers, such as colon and breast cancer
- reduces the risk of premature death , especially that caused by heart attack and other heart disease
- prevents and reduces osteoporosis and the risk of fractures, but also musculoskeletal disorders (for example back pain)
- reduces the symptoms of anxiety , stress and depression
- prevents , especially among children and young people, risky behaviors such as the use of tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diets and violent behavior and promotes psychological well-being through the development of self-esteem, autonomy and ease of anxiety management and stressful situations
- it produces energy expenditure and decreases the risk of obesity
WHY AVOID THE SEDENTARIES
A sedentary lifestyle is the worst enemy for health, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. According to the World Health Organization, physical activity refers to ” any effort exerted by the musculoskeletal system which results in a consumption of energy higher than that in conditions of rest “.
A wide-ranging definition that includes, in addition to sports activities, even simple daily movement. You do not need to be an athlete .
Enough daily activity , even minimal, to break the sedentary lifestyle and have benefits.
To get to 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day is sufficient:
- move around by bike or on foot to go to work or shop, then avoiding the car for every move
- a walk in the park
- prefer stairs to the elevator
- devote himself to domestic work
- think of small but useful escamotage, how to get off at the bus stop first if you travel by bus
With the practice of regular physical activity the heart becomes more robust and resistant to fatigue. Aerobic activity increases the body’s oxygen demand and the workload of the heart and lungs, making circulation more efficient. A trained heart pumps more blood without additional energy expenditure: 10 heartbeats less per minute means 5,256,000 beats per year saved.
SPORT AND DISABILITY, BETWEEN THERAPY AND REHABILITATION
Physical activity is an important deterrent to avoid important diseases, to keep fit and in good health. Sport also gains importance even in cases of physical disability . The resumption of the movement and the post-traumatic rehabilitation activities are fundamental to recovering autonomy and returning to a quality of life that is compatible with one’s condition.
Sport as a rehabilitation activity. As a stimulus “to do”, “to socialize”, “to acquire security”.
There are many sports disciplines that can be practiced today even in situations of disability. From wheelchair basketball to sitting volley, from sailing to skiing up to the yybikebike. The aids, on the one hand, which help to adapt the equipment, the therapeutic pathways, on the other, which are proposed in rehabilitation centers as a structured activity.
The sport in the early rehabilitative phase plays a very important role on the one hand, it is one more motivation to return to everyday life, on the other hand, it helps to develop residual motor skills.
Measurable results , with positive feedback on the ability of the sport to stimulate movements and the right determination to make, in some cases difficult (or with longer times) obtainable with traditional exercises in the gym, have been recorded in various centers that experience sport in structured paths.
Sport in the rehabilitation phase is based on the playful method that is very motivating on some patients, to the point that there are cases of people who, just during a sport, managed to make movements that seemed impossible to them. Not all patients can be offered a sports discipline, each case is in itself, it must be evaluated according to the clinical conditions, the history of the patient, the needs and real possibilities of adaptation.
Today we talk a lot about sports therapy , but we must not fall into clichés. The activity is rehabilitative, motor and cognitive does not form the paralympic athlete, but helps the patient to manage his mobility in the best way. The patient tries in a protected environment, with facilities that gradually reduce, then moves outside, slowly head that you can play that discipline every day, even at home.
Socialization is another fundamental element of sport therapy. The group itself is motivating. Activating a path that includes sport therapy, in fact, is a complex program, which must involve more professionals: the physiotherapist; the occupational therapist; the doctor; the psychologist.