Hospital Physiotherapists Encourage the Public to “Move for Health!”

Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) will join countries around the world marking Physiotherapy Week with a Move for Health campaign driven by physiotherapists at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

Initiated by the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, this year’s campaign encourages people to participate in regular exercise and increase levels of physical activity. Physiotherapists are trained to help people think about ways to make the most of their health and wellbeing. Exercise and purposeful physical activity is an integral part of both staying healthy and rehabilitating movement impairments.

KEMH physiotherapists will be available next week in the lobby between 10:00am and noon on Tuesday and Wednesday (September 8 and 9) and between noon and 2:00pm on Thursday and Friday (September 10 and 11) to provide information about physical activity and demonstrate ergonomically correct work stations.

“We recommend adults exercise at moderate intensity for 30 minutes, five times a week and that children are physically active for an hour every day,” said Antoinette Haynes, KEMH Physiotherapist. “However, if people don´t have time for a 30-minute session of exercise each day, they can break it up into three or four smaller chunks. Just being a little more active throughout the day benefits your health and can prevent or help manage medical conditions such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, and depression. When these conditions escalate into problems such as stroke, joint dysfunction or lymphaedema, physiotherapists assist by evaluating movement disorders and providing purposeful exercise and manual therapy to aide in the rehabilitation process.”

Formal exercise is not the only way to be active. The Move for Health campaign urges people to find creative ways to get their body moving.

“Because so many of us have busy lives, we encourage people to find simple ways to incorporate physical activity into their day,” said Judy Fletcher, KEMH Physiotherapist. “Join your children when they are playing games or do simple exercises during commercial breaks while watching television. Gardening is also a great alternative exercise and will improve both physical and mental health. It’s easy to be active if you think about ways to have fun instead of viewing it as a chore. With a bit of resourcefulness, people can increase their level of physical activity. Our bodies were made to move!”

Angela Hayward, Clinical Supervisor for the Physiotherapy Department said: “We are pleased to participate in the Move for Health campaign. The KEMH Physiotherapy team includes thirteen therapists, one intern and four aides who provide services for a wide range of areas including orthopaedics, neurology, cardio-respiratory and lymphaedema. Last year, our staff provided over 10,020 inpatient treatments and 9,607 outpatient treatments. Promoting good health and wellbeing through safe physical activity is a priority for our department. We hope this campaign will inspire the community to get moving.”

Easy ways to incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine:
• Walk at a brisker pace
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Clean the house (use your whole body when vacuuming)
• Choose active computer games like Wii fit
• Dance with family members at home
• Exercise during commercials with light weights
• Leave the car or bike behind if you are only going a short distance

Follow these tips for safer physical activity:
• Wear shoes and clothing appropriate to your activity.
• Spread repetitive or strenuous activities through the day.
• Pace yourself- when doing unaccustomed activities, take regular breaks and stretch.
• Warm up before you start and gradually increase the time and effort spent.
• Do not ignore minor injuries – Remember PRICE
 Protect
 Rest
 Ice
 Compress
 Elevate

Notes:
The BHB Physiotherapy Department provides evaluation and individualised treatment to in- and outpatients. Staffed by an experienced team of professionals, physiotherapists work closely with other healthcare staff and family members. Treatment programmes are based on thorough evaluations to determine muscle strength, joint motion, balance, coordination and ability to perform typical activities of daily living, such as walking, standing, rolling and are always individualised to meet the needs of each patient.
They also provide:
• Crutches and canes
• Gait training and safety advice
• Pulmonary (lung) function tests and pulmonary exercise advice
• Treatment of neurological conditions as a result of stroke, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis etc.
• Prosthetic advice and supplies
• Falls assessment and intervention
• Cardiac rehabilitation
• Decongestive therapy and massage for lymphaedema

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm
Referral from a physician is necessary. Contact 239-2034 for an appointment

Archives