Do you know how much we spend on healthcare in the United States?
Per the CDC 90% of our $3.8 trillian health care expenditure is related to chronic and mental health conditions. You can read more about this at
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm
The most commonly listed chronic conditions and their yearly costs include
| Heart Disease and Stroke | $325 billion |
| Cancer | $174 billion |
| Diabetes | $327 billion |
| Obesity | $147 billion |
| Arthritis | $304 billion |
| Alzheimer’s Disease | $159-$215 billion in 2010 $379-$500 billion by 2040 |
| Epilepsy | $8.6 billion |
| Tooth Decay | $45 billion |
Our medical model is slowly shifting to placing greater emphasis on prevention and being proactive about treating these issues rather than reactive.
Why is that?
$3.8 trillion is an astronomical number. However, in a recently published study ( https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7883301_A_Cost-Benefit_Analysis_of_Physical_Activity_Using_BikePedestrian_Trails) for every $1 that was invested into a bike trail almost $3 was saved on medical expenses and that the cost savings varied from $1.65 to as high as $13.40!
That’s an incredible return on an investment that got folks moving a little more!
At this point most of us have heard that reducing our risk for these conditions is tied to regular exercise and a healthy diet.
But where do you start?
As Physical Therapists we can guide you into a total program that covers the domains of general fitness/wellness:
- Cardiovascular Endurance
- This is your overall heart health
- Muscular Strength
Can you lift one big basket of laundry?
- Muscular Endurance
Can you fold all the laundry without getting tired?
- Flexibility
How much motion does each part of your body have?
- Body Composition
How much fat your body has versus everything else (muscle, bone, organs)
- Men: 18-24% is normal
- Women: 25-31% is normal
The best part is we can start with you during your rehab!
We also offer a wellness program where we can sit down and figure out what works best for you to improve your general wellness after you have recovered.
Even though it is cold outside and we are still staying safe at home there are things we can do to help you get on track today for a better tomorrow.
We also understand that not everyone wants to go to the gym for a variety of Non-COVID reasons and that sometimes we need someone to nag us to exercise.
We can help you with your nutrition questions as well!
We can go over the basics with you and help you review some of the choices you made but we can’t provide you with the best nutrition plan for you but we can help you find an expert who can work with your individual needs
What do you think would help you reach your goals the most?
Workout videos put together by our Therapists that you can follow along at any time?
Live group exercise classes over video chat?
Video seminars discussing various nutrition and exercise topics?
A weekly group e-meeting to discuss your successes and challenges to improve your overall fitness and wellness?
We’re open to other suggestions!
If this is of interest to you then let us know! Comment, Like, and Share so we can know how to best serve you beyond your rehab needs