How do we bridge the gap from being inactive to being active?
In other words, how do we go from being deconditioned to being stronger and more capable?
Many would say it’s a mindset thing. Many professionals share opinions about motivation, exclusivity to facilities and lack of knowledge.
The thing is, its really many of these, however one main issue stands out for many - Fear of failure
…What if it does not work, and I have tried so hard?
Fear of failure extends from two broader issues:
A failure is not a failure if some basic very realistic goals have been established and achieved. A person’s situation may entail a complexity, that if discussed appropriately, will help clarify what is reasonable and how to move forward, even in the smallest way.
Let’s look at becoming more active for a moment…
For any person, the idea of ‘doing work’ to achieve something requires some motivation. The motivation comes from saying ‘I would like to feel better or be more capable than I am currently’.
If we begin with a simple step – have a discussion. When we talk about our situation it helps to share what we are concerned about, how we feel about the future and what is possible now. A professional (with experience) on the other end should be able to assist and advise. Note, we cannot help without this step. Sometimes in this step we may discover another option for initial care.
Second – have a consult and assessment. It very important to know where you are at. Both physical capability and mental wellness factor into getting help to move forward. Most reasonable professionals should be capable of providing clarity or referring to someone else who can.
Third – enroll or sign up for a specified program or service. All too often, health facilities are focused on athletics or advanced exercise. This leaves persons who are challenged with daily activities (ADL’s) or suffering a condition that is complex and inconsistent, with no opportunity for success. Start with a program that is geared toward your needs, mental wellness requirements and with gentle goals.
With the above in mind, now what are some of the limiting factors for continuing in a program/service?
1. Time. We can go forward which is great, but how long will it take to reach a goal. If the goals are set right, they can be reached very quickly if. Keep in mind we are speaking about goals such as enjoyment in session, getting to have more body awareness, starting a movement that is challenging at first and trying something you had never tried before. Beyond that we look at pain reduction, joint range increases, dysregulation improvements, strength increases, joint proprioception improvements, being able to follow instructions, posture changes and balance control improvements etc.
2. Ability. The human body has an amazing capacity to adapt at any age. The older you are, the differences are in the prescription. In some programs that take into account mental wellness and physiology, there is a compensation included no matter what a person presents with. Either rare neurological disorders, autism, dementia, arthritis, autoimmune issues or multiple orthopaedic challenges can be helped with prescriptive, caring guidance. Whether a person has special needs or chronic conditions, the possibility for improvement is there.
3. Pain. Starting anything physical while having pain seems counterintuitive. Many are limited by feelings of pain and also believe it will always cause harm if worked with. Understandably pain can take away mental and physical energy. What if it remained or became less because of movement and then got better? What if the pain is worsened because of the lack of circulation, joint mobility, muscle loss and sedentary lifestyle? Most is!
The BODiWORKS Institute specializes in helping older adults, chronic or complex challenges of any age and special needs care.