Good habits today lead to better quality of life later

Brought to you by MERCY HEALTH

Building good habits now can lay the foundation for enjoying a better quality of life later, says an athletic trainer with Mercy Health.

Brian Patterson spends part of his week working with student athletes at Niles McKinley High School on injury treatment and rehabilitation, and the other part at a Mercy Health outpatient physical therapy office.

Athletic training is another component of the universe of health care afforded by Mercy Health in the local community. While Patterson supports Niles, his colleagues perform similar duties at Ursuline, Girard, Champion, Warren JFK, LaBrae and Poland Seminary.

Athletic trainers help prepare student athletes for practice and rehab, treat injured players, monitor practices for hydration and injury evaluations and serve as an initial resource on-site for health-related issues that arise.

Patterson stresses the importance of – whether it’s a high school student-athlete or an adult coming off of an orthopedic injury – staying active and performing movements properly.

“As we age, the healthier and more active we are, the better it will be for our muscles, joints and cardiovascular system long-term,” he said. “Being physically active can help lower our health risks for concerns like heart attacks, strokes and obesity-related issues, and it can ensure a better quality of life down the road.”

Patterson points to three areas, in particular, where we can all improve our physical activity:

1. Find creative ways to keep moving. From choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator, to turning housework, chores or a round of golf into an exercise or fitness opportunity, make it a point to stay active. Find an exercise class – seek out free ones in your community – and go once or twice a week on a schedule.

“Sometimes having something scheduled makes a person more apt to do it routinely,” he said.

1. It’s not a stretch to say a proper warmup is important. Employ an active, dynamic warmup before starting a vigorous activity as opposed to only a static stretching routine. An active warmup can be something like a light jog or a series of 10-yard shuffles or leg kicks. This gets blood flowing into the muscles and helps loosen your joints.

“The cooldown can be as important as the warmup,” he added. Sometimes it’s better to do the static stretching after a workout, which can lessen the chance for muscle tightness and soreness.

1. Sit up straight. Poor body mechanics and bad posture are among the common issues Patterson sees with patients. These issues over time, he says, can lead to injuries and back and shoulder issues down the road.

“Don’t walk with your head down staring at your phone, and don’t sit in a slumped position at your desk or in your vehicle,” Patterson said. “Be aware of proper body mechanics, and focus on engaging your legs and core muscles when lifting, bending, twisting and generally moving about.”

Whether it’s as a teenager or as an older adult coming off an injury or surgery, Patterson stresses the importance of forming good habits and making them part of your muscle memory at the first opportunity.

“Create those good habits right away because it’s so difficult to correct it 20, 30, 40 years down the road,” he said.

For information on Mercy Health, visit www.mercy.com.