By Mian A. Majeed, MD
Physical mobility is the ability to move one’s entire body normally, without pain or assistance. This involves moving arms and legs, changing positions, sitting, standing, walking, bending, squatting, etc. You will need strength, coordination, balance, and stamina to do all this.
TLC work involves driving for long hours daily. Although this may be stressful, it is essentially a sedentary job. Prolonged sitting can lead to muscle weakness and deconditioning, especially of the legs and lower back. This may lead to lower back pain, hip and knee pain, trouble bending and walking. To stay healthy, NYC drivers should actively exercise and increase their physical activity to avoid muscle weakness and joint pain.
TLC drivers should start by planning to exercise in four-week time blocks. They should begin at a comfortable level and gradually increase it. Setting unrealistic goals and not achieving them may make you depressed.
Initially, start with low-impact activities like walking, cycling, stretching, sitting on the floor with toes touching, squatting & standing up, moving arms in full circles, keeping both feet one foot apart, and doing a body rotation (left to right and then right to left). Many videos are available on YouTube. Pick the easy ones that you can do comfortably.
Stop exercising if you experience shortness of breath, palpitations, unusually-excessive perspiration, chest pain, or other unusual symptoms. You may need to see your doctor if you experience these symptoms.
Initially, you may be discouraged from seeing your limitations. Do not feel bad if you cannot do the same activities as you used to. It might take a few weeks to see noticeable improvement. You must increase activity gradually to avoid injuries. After all, it took you some years to get into your present shape.
These exercises will improve your coordination, flexibility, and, to some extent, strength. You may consider strength training and cardio exercise once you have done this for 3-4 weeks without any issues and feel comfortable going forward.
Once you feel more flexible and stable, you can participate in other activities, such as basketball, swimming, running, cycling, and dancing. Being active or exercising has many benefits, including improved circulation, decreased shortness of breath, and better sleep. It also makes you feel good.
It would be best if you also exercised during working hours by taking a 10-minute break for stretching and walking every 4-5 hours. Most business and medical meetings have 10 to 15-minute breaks every 3 hours.
Keep yourself hydrated and avoid excessive caffeine (less than three cups of coffee or tea in 24 hours), soda, and sugary drinks (diet or regular). You do not need energy drinks or protein shakes. Eat balanced meals and get adequate sleep, usually 6-8 hours daily.
By rearranging and improving your lifestyle, you will feel significantly better within a few weeks. Next month, we will discuss anxiety and stress.
