What Type of Exercise is Best?

We all hear that exercise is good for us. But what kind of exercise is best – for me? Well, that depends. At Root Cause Medical Clinic, we find that it depends on your current level of physical fitness, on your age, on your general health, and specifically on your joint health. It also depends on your structural balance or imbalance. An evaluation by a physical therapist at Root Cause Medical can be very helpful to guide you in your exercise routine.

When is Exercise a Negative?

Jogging is a popular exercise that has benefited many. It benefited Jim Fixx, the author of the Complete Book of Running, by reducing his overweight condition and it got him off a heavy cigarette habit. But some say it also killed him as he died of a heart attack after a run at age 52 in 1984. According to physical therapists, the wrong type of exercise is stressful, and too much exercise can negatively affect your general health and/or structural condition. At Root Cause Medical we definitely find that to be the case.

Different People Have Different Requirements

Most adults have developed imbalances in their structure due to their own unique history of sports injuries, accidents, and postural habits. Some folks are loosely bound together (hypermobile) and others are tightly bound up (tense, tight, rigid).

A hypermobile person may be unstable and prone to sprains and strains or dislocations with forceful exercise. The tightly bound together individual can suffer from arthritis and muscle soreness from overly tense muscles. These are generalizations, but good examples of where different kinds of exercise are indicated or contraindicated for different body types.

Are You Loose and Overly Flexible or Stiff and Tight?

The hypermobile person needs to strengthen and do balanced weight training, whereas, the overly tense person needs to do more yoga-type stretches to loosen up. When there are structural imbalances, these need to be carefully considered and corrected before embarking on an exercise protocol. Even if full correction is not possible, all degrees of improvement will be of benefit to reduce joint stress and support a more successful exercise program.

Common Exercise “Mistakes”

• Some people don’t think they need help with their exercise, but their ‘go-to’ favorite doesn’t suit their body type or address the imbalances they have. Due to that, they don’t receive the full benefit from their efforts.

• Individuals go out for a long walk with the wrong shoes (poor foot support) creating unwitting damage.

• Others may try a headstand or shoulder stand before working up to the level of flexibility needed to perform such postures safely.

• Some may try jogging or running before checking their cardiovascular health, with the result being an undue or dangerous strain on their system.

• Similarly, jogging or running with a low back or pelvic imbalance can lead to unwanted back pain.

What Should You Do?

It’s hard enough to get started and maintain an exercise regimen without then finding out that what you’ve been doing doesn’t suit your body. That’s a frustration that no one needs!

At Root Cause Medical Clinic, we watch how a patient walks and runs. We evaluate their muscle and joint imbalances and work to improve and correct them. We design exercise programs specific to the patients’ body type and goals.

Physical therapy, in conjunction with chiropractic, can assist patients to improve their structural balance and strength while making exercise safer and more effective in achieving the desired health results. We are here to help and would be happy to evaluate your fitness level and exercise program.