As physiotherapists we often find ourselves reminding our clients the importance of regular physical activity. Many a time we are faced with puzzled looks and strained expressions when we quote the general exercise guidelines recommending at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity five days a week, or 25 minutes of vigorous physical activity three days a week or a combination of the two. People often quote that although they do appreciate the importance of exercise they can’t possibly find time to carry it out. The same reaction also presents itself when the physical activity guidelines for children – at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily, are presented with parents often stating that there is simply no time for exercise.

These statements might be easily dismissed as excuses and one can argue that we have our priorities mixed up. However these statements might also stem from the fact that there is a misconception of what exercise really is. One might imagine exercise as some chore that requires firm preparation, some fancy subscription or complex exercise equipment. However this is far from the truth.

We need to keep in mind that exercise especially in children, requires movement and it has to be FUN. It is especially important to ingrain from an early age that exercise should not be seen as a chore and that its aim is to lead to a healthy lifestyle. One should be careful in how to mention specific exercise aims such as losing weight as these might lead to body image problems or a distorted idea of what exercise really is.

Exercise can start early on in children with the simplest of tools, for example one can encourage their children to dance to music and encourage more active play. It is important to be knowledgeable in regards what activities are carried out at school or playschool in order to make sure that there is sufficient movement and play during the day. Going to the swings is also a great way for children to get to exercise, learning new motor skills as well as starting to interact in a playful manner with other children. One can also be creative and integrate some simple yet active household chores as exercise. During their early years it is important to join our children in their active time. This helps foster a sense of physical activity time for the whole family such as going out for countryside walks or to the beach when the weather is warmer – again the focus should be having fun whilst also staying healthy.

As our children grow older and start grasping more difficult motor skills we might consider more challenging activities. A sport can provide such a challenge. Sometimes parents are daunted and discouraged by the prospect of choosing a sport for their children. And the process may indeed be a hard one. One can keep in mind some simple advice to help them along in this process. We should not try to form the next Messi or Michael Jordan early in the child’s development. It is more important early on to provide a wide set of sport FUNdamental’s. These include coordination and movement abilities that can be used in a wide range of sports. This can be achieved by exposing the young child to a number of different sports. Varying between team and individual sports also helps the child develop valuable skills such as the ability to work in a team as well as work independently. Varying between sports also helps prevent certain overuse injuries with might occur at a young age. It is also very important to avoid falling into the pitfall of enrolling the child into the sport that we like or into our favourite sports team. We should provide sufficient independence and allow them to choose the sport of their liking. Whenever possible, attend their events to cheer them on. Perhaps most importantly, provide positive reinforcement by acknowledging their efforts, rather than focusing on what they do wrong.

As a final note it is a moot point that sport or physical activity should not be used as a bargaining chip or seen as a reward, but rather it should be an integral part of our lives. We might otherwise risk portraying the wrong message that physical activity is secondary to other ‘more important’ activities that we might have during the day. Yes we only have 24 hours in a day but we should not let that fact compromise our health.

 

Johann Zarb

Physiotherapist & Nutritionist

B.Sc.(Hons) Physiotherapy,Pg.Dip Nutrition & Dietetics., SRP