Health care - The importance of body movement

            Body movement is a basic prerequisite for health

It is well known how important body movement is to health, but in the 21st century, hypokinesia has spread worldwide, a term that describes the too little body movement and is a precondition for the development of most diseases.

The education system has almost neglected the fact that body movement is one of the basic human needs. The human body is made for movement, and we should allow it for the organism to function normally. Man breathes, eats and sleeps, and all these functions can be replaced artificially, but there is no substitute for the body movement.

We only have one body in which we live and we should take care of ourselves and do our best to keep it healthy and functional.

In addition to its many health benefits, regular physical activity has great social and psychological benefits. Unlike medicine that responds when a disease has already occurred, kinesiology is focused on preventing them as part of its capabilities - therefore, body movement.

Hypokinesia - a 21st Century Disease

Formerly moving all day was an integral part of life. The days were spent hunting and gathering food in the forests. An illness that would prevent people from moving would directly threaten their existence. When humans started domesticating and breeding animals, the amount of movement significantly decreased. However, people remained active because all agricultural work continued without machinery - the only machine was the human body.

After the industrial revolution, the opening of factories and the invention of the automobile further reduced physical activity. However, people still spend their free time in various activities and hobbies that involve body moving. Kids are on the streets and playgrounds, adults hiking, biking or socializing on the playground. Body movement is still important, but with the advent of modern technology, the concept of hypokinesia, too little movement, is considered to be a disease of the 21st century.

It might be more accurate to say, it is a sure prerequisite for the development of most diseases. This primarily refers to the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, painful conditions of the locomotor system and malignant diseases. Obesity is the disease most commonly treated by kinesiologists. It affects as many as 65% of men and 45% of women.

Technological advances have also influenced body movement

The century we live in has changed our lifestyles drastically. Technology is advancing every day, and people are moving less than ever before. There are more and more jobs that require sitting all day with computers. Even during their free time, people are no longer physically active. They have fun on social networks, playing computer games or other hobbies that exclude physical activity.

Perhaps the biggest change has been in children. It is well known that regular body movement enhances children's development, including cognitive functions. Due to the excessive parental need for protection, children play less outdoors. Playing with body movement until a few years ago was a symbol of a healthy and beautiful childhood, and now it is almost completely gone.

Organized, professional-led exercise is popular, and such initiatives are always welcome. But be aware that such an organized and guided activity for one hour cannot replace all-day outdoor play. Every parent knows that children have unlimited amounts of energy. How else could they spend it better than play games that involve body movement?

Given these facts about a sudden and drastic change in lifestyle, we should not be surprised at the appearance of a variety of diseases, often even in childhood.

How much movement is enough?

The fitness industry is expanding at this very time when more and more people are aware that they are not moving enough. This industry is trying to convince us that two hours of training a week is enough to maintain physical fitness. Given the time spent sitting in offices, cars, and cafes, it is difficult to say that this is enough exercise to counteract any negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Organized training with expert guidance has many benefits. However, it is questionable whether this amount of body movement is sufficient. One of the biggest advantages is that such training can be targeted at preventing diseases that arise from the specificity of a particular workplace. Another advantage is that the entire exercise program is conducted under the expert guidance of kinesiologists. Thus, it is tailored to the needs and capabilities of the individual.

But with organized exercise, we would recommend an active lifestyle outside of the fitness studio. This includes, if possible, cycling to work, active weekends, daily walks after work, even when tired, jogging with a friend instead of sitting in a cafe.

Lessons from an early age

We mentioned earlier that in our society there is still a low level of awareness for the importance of regular body movement. But as children are taught the rules of personal hygiene from an early age, so should the body movement be introduced into their daily routine from childhood. At the moment, it may be too early to talk about it because neither parents attach much importance to the body movement.

In some kindergartens, there are small sports schools whose primary goal should be for children to seduce games involving body movements. In them, children adopt the habit of exercising regularly but also learn the importance of body movement and proper nutrition at a level appropriate to their age. Although modern children are fascinated with information technology, we could say that small kindergarten sports schools are a good start to learning about the importance of moving regularly.

Let's be honest, some older generations did not have this opportunity, and it is not surprising that the average citizen does not exercise regularly and does not understand why exercise is so effective in maintaining health. New generations are learning from an early age that it is necessary to exercise, so I believe we are well on the way to educating young people who are aware of all the benefits of physical movement.