Seems like a no brainer. Exercise, the instant magic lever for best health. Profoundly affects spiritual, mental, and physical health. One of the ways I discovered that I had multiple sclerosis was my inability to stay on a bicycle. I kept falling off when I stopped. Receiving the diagnosis was sobering at best! Sometimes very sad and depressing. Six months after my diagnosis I bought a Recumbent tricycle. I cried with relief that I could still get my favorite exercise. Can’t fall off a trike. Good for my soul, good for my heart, good for my quads. The direct connection between activity and recovery is so well documented.
How have we redesigned healthcare to include more activity? In that last 20 years patients walk right away after surgery and recover much more quickly. When I was an ICU manager we incorporated more activity into our standard operating procedure. We needed to use the families and caregivers to increase activity. We struggled with reluctant patients. But more activity for patients led to fewer complications, shorter stays, and better outcomes. Good for staff as well. Have we taken this far enough? Do we build our organizational systems to maximize activity for staff? I wonder if the magic levers of best health are obvious but fundamentally challenging-like the golden rule. Obvious and tough.
What have you done to include physical activity in the routine of care giving?
