Chijioke Iremeka
Physiotherapists have underscored the importance of daily physical exercises in the prevention and management of stroke, cardiovascular, and other non-communicable diseases.
The experts, who urged Nigerians to be physically active, harped on the importance of exercise, lamenting that many people take physical exercises for granted, thereby, raising the risk of coming down with preventable NCDs.
According to the Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory chapter of the Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy, Dr Nnamdi Eze, Nigerians need to engage in daily exercises because it is essential in the prevention and treatment of NCDs.
Speaking in Abuja during a medical outreach at Model Primary Health Centre, Naharat in the Abaji Area Council of the FCT, he said there are several health benefits derivable from physical exercises.
He said, “We are creating awareness about NCDs like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, and even musculoskeletal pain and issues that easily lead to disability.
“Within the mix, we have a lot of people who have some form of disability or the other, and it gives us a lot of joy that we are meeting the people that need our help in this community.
“Now, we have rehabilitation, which means people in communities can have direct access to professionals, and as members of NSP, we will start by creating that initial impact.
“We aim to continue to create awareness about what we do, and to be able to reach out to communities and people who have a physical disability, and see what we can do as physiotherapists to help.”
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the society, Dr Abioye Ayodele, said there is a minimum requirement of exercise for optimum performance for physically fit people.
“There is exercise prescription, which is the minimum exercise that helps someone to optimise fitness,” the physiotherapist added.
Referring to the World Health Organisation’s recommendation, he said a normal adult should have a minimum of one hour of exercise every week.
Ayodele said, “So, we encourage that as normal adults, whether sick or not, you should have a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise every day within the week and that will give you the recommended one hour of exercise needed to optimise fitness.
“Exercise is prescribed based on the threshold of patients. Some patients can’t even do one minute of exercise. So, it is prescribed based on requirements or the type of sickness that a patient is suffering from.
“For those suffering from osteoarthritis, it is difficult for them to carry out these exercises themselves, and in that case, they will require the services of physiotherapists.”
The expert added that those experiencing pains and could still exercise, can do something not too strenuous and might not need to use the gym.
Ayodele said that even those who are wheelchair-bound, unconscious, conscious, or obese, also have specific exercises they can engage in.
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