Wisdom and knowledge only work when they are shared. At Smart Physiotherapy, we have no qualms in sharing physiotherapy tips that will give your body a new lease of life.

We’ve put together a short list of ways you can instantly change your routine, mindset and body, so strap in and ready away👇.

Tip #1: It’s important to listen

We know this might sound vague, idealistic and possibly like something that your school teacher said, but this is actually one of the most important skills you need to develop. Listening, in general, is indeed a skill and listening to your body also falls under that banner.

Our body is always talking to us. Think about it for a second: hungry, thirsty, tired. These are all ways in which our body is letting us know that it’s in need of something. The reason we listen to our body in these scenarios, is because we actually can’t afford to turn the other way. Food, sleep and water are kind of important when you want to stay alive. The thing is those are not the only cases that our body is talking to us.

Here are some instances our body is reaching out to us, but we don’t necessarily do something about it:

• Sore neck
• Stiff lower back
• Lack of mobility in arms/legs
• Pain from bad posture
• Minor discomfort in the way you sit
• Exhaustion at work/gym

We’re pretty sure you can identify yourself in some of the examples listed above and we’re even more confident that you skip past these warnings, these messages your body is trying to tell you. There’s no need to feel bad about it. We all do it.

We live in a world where we have to get so many things done on a daily basis. We have to be professionals, friends, brothers, sisters, spouses, athletes and if there’s time left, ourselves, that we’ve learned to push through.

Minor discomforts, soreness and tiredness seem like the natural price to pay in order to get things done. Whilst we fully understand and admire the mindset, we do feel there needs to be a better balance between mental resilience and the damage we exert on our body.

Listening is a preservation mechanism. Addressing these messages from your body will not only fix the problems in the short-term but it will allow you to have full control and use of your body into your later years.

So, here’s a thought; when you wake up tomorrow morning, sit on the bed for a minute and listen to your body. What’s bothering you? Do your joints, muscles, neck and back feel ok? Do the same thing at night. Listen. What is your body trying to tell you?

Tip #2: Implement A Workout Routine

Don’t let the word workout spook you. When we say workout, we don’t necessarily mean lifting 500kg weights (actually, please don’t ever try that.), running a marathon or doing 40,000 sit-ups.

At Smart Physiotherapy, we think of a workout as the time you need to set aside in order to connect with your body.

A workout routine could be any of the following:

• Breathing exercises
• Exercises to improve your posture
• Or even visit your physiotherapist for a sports massage or treatment

What we are looking to establish is consistency. Workouts come in all ways, shapes, forms and intensities and it’s up to you and your physiotherapist to decide on what’s best for you.

What’s important is to understand, is the importance of giving your body the time it deserves on a daily basis.

Tip #3: Give it some water

If you only drink water when you are thirsty, you are doing it wrong. Drinking water at the right intervals and right quantities could do wonders for your health.

Here are a few of the main hydration benefits:

• Assists cardiovascular health
• Allows muscles and joints to function better
• Keeps your skin healthy
• It helps internal organs maintain their capabilities

We do understand that running to the kitchen to get a glass of water can be difficult to maintain or keep up. Thankfully for you, there are a multitude of hydration apps to choose from in order to keep your hydration levels high. Carry a bottle with you and don’t you skip any reminders. Thank us later.

Tip #4: Age is just a number

Age has nothing to do with trying to better your life.

It’s never too late to start, it’s never too late to improve. Whether it’s changes in your nutrition, your workout, stretching, breathing or sleep, change is always welcome and will always yield results.

Optimising your body’s output is not a young person’s game. Life gets busy and there are periods we can’t do as much for our bodies as we would like to. That’s absolutely fine as long as we pick ourselves up and get back on the horse.

Exercise, sleep, stretching, massage, nutrition and hydration are all cogs of a large wheel we call healthy life. One pushes or pulls the other.

It’s important to understand that whilst you might naturally have more power to exercise when you are younger, that doesn’t mean you need to stop when you are older. What you need to do is adjust, not stop. Switch up the type of exercise, get more rest and be more selective with the quality of food you choose to fuel your body with. Age should bring adjustments. It’s not a stop sign, but merely a hurdle and what do we do with hurdles? We jump over them.

Tip #5: We are here to help

Physiotherapy is not just for athletes and is not only related to injuries. You would be amazed at the range of things we are here to assist with.

At Smart Physiotherapy, we are knowledgeable about the body in general. Not just joints and muscle groups. Instead of relating physiotherapy exclusively to a massage table and manual work, you should think of it as a library of information that you can learn from.

Stop considering your physiotherapist as the person you reach out to when things become unbearably sore and start thinking about us as someone who can contribute more often and in ways you didn’t think it was possible.

To schedule a consultation with our team, explore our availability below😃👇.