One of the things I think is extremely important for any medical professional is constantly updating their skill set.

My training in the RAF gave me a much wider and varied range of experience than many physios but that was, “ahem” a little while ago now and things have moved on a teeny bit!

Medical Fashion

Much of the way I was initially trained has come back into medical fashion (detailed diagnosis without relying on scans / lymphatic massage / hands on techniques / movement) because our understanding of WHY these things matter has got better.

International Opinion

Over the last year I have trained on 3 continents and in two languages. I have even added another specialism to my core practice.

But across all these countries, with all these highly trained experts at the cutting edge of medical treatment in their home nations one message has come out louder and clearer than anything else:

MOVE

It’s that simple.

Clinical research

Recent clinical research has shown that movement is:

A more effective painkiller than ibruprofen or paracetamol.

That 2 hours walking a week can reduce recovery time by 25%

That exercise can improve memory and cognitive ability.

That exercise can offset the harm from drinking (good to know in a country where beer is a soft drink!)

But I don’t want to join a gym

Me neither.

But do something.

Focus on the things you CAN do and go from there.

Maybe all you can do right now is walk to the front door. So do that. And tomorrow walk to the post box. Or not, just get to the front door again.

This isn’t about becoming some muscle bound superhero, it’s about playing golf once a week, taking a pre-dinner stroll along the paseo, parking at the other car park so you walk a little farther, getting out in the garden.

So I just move?

Pretty much! And it doesn’t matter what it is so long as it’s something.

Proper support for your feet can help relieve muscle strain to keep moving more comfortable for longer.

Some clinical support can help you focus on weak spots and go that much further.

But if you keep moving . . . . . you keep moving.