Dr. Amanjot Kaur

23/11/2017

Introduction to Fitness
When you hear the word ‘fitness’, what comes to mind? Spending hours in the gym using the cardio machines or lifting weights? Or maybe you think about joining an aerobics class with 10-15 other people who are looking to improve their health? If your definition of fitness consists of only what I’ve already mentioned, it may be time to reconsider the full meaning of the word. Let’s take a closer look at fitness and get you rethinking your definition.

In ancient times, there were no motorized treadmills, elliptical machines, or exercise bikes. Nor were there any free weights or weight machines for that matter. But does that mean people were out of shape?

Of course not. Instead, fitness was a way of life - it was survival. Hunting prey, foraging, farming and maintaining a home meant that people were constantly moving throughout the day. Despite the fact that these individuals never had any structured workout routines, they rarely suffered from some of the health problems that we see in today’s world. They ate all-natural foods that came from the ground or wild and sustained a high total daily calorie burn. These two combined factors produced a fit and healthy body – one that was agile, strong, and lean.

Considering ‘Natural’ Fitness
Think about the natural fitness that occurs during our childhood years. A healthy, active child typically isn’t spending time on treadmills or in the gym lifting free weights. Instead, children are running and playing. They’re moving around but in manners that they enjoy. In fact, many young children will seek out physical activity if you let them. In some cases, it’s difficult to get them to stop moving around!

Then once they’re introduced to the sedentary ways of today’s world as they become teenagers with all the computer games and TV shows, they start adopting the habits that too often persist into adulthood. Their former play time is overtaken by time spent sitting on the couch; their only fitness-related activity might be when they attend school gym sessions.

Where We Are Today
This brings us to where we are today with our definition of ‘fitness’. For many people, going to the gym fully encompasses all the fitness we get in our life. We have desk jobs where we stay sedentary for 8 hours a day and have other demands of our time afterwards that don’t include getting out and getting active. Our evenings may also involve little activity, turning in for bed after sitting down to watch TV for a few hours while consuming high-calorie processed foods.

Is it any wonder that we’re experiencing the health problems we are today? The high-sugar foods we’re eating send a surge of insulin streaming through our veins, which then sucks all that excess sugar up and deposits it straight into our bodies’ fat stores. This will also cause an elevation in blood triglycerides to take place as well, setting us up for heart disease.

Some of us do go so far as to create structured workout programs in the gym, which is good, but this doesn’t get us mentally fit like non-gym activities do. Nor does it challenge our bodies in innovative ways. With gym activities, you’ll be performing the same repetitive motion time and time again, so there is little thought required to complete the activity. If you were to go out and play a game of soccer, for example, your mind must shift constantly and pay attention to what’s going on in the field. This added mental stimulation will not only improve your fitness while enhancing your mind-body coordination, but it will also keep you that much more interested in the workout as well. Think of our ancestors hunting for their meal, no two pursuits quite the same. While a few people do like to go into the gym and ‘zone out' as they find it relieves stress, most people need more than that.

Creating the Happy Medium
This brings us to our solution. To reap all the fitness benefits possible, you need to change your definition of fitness and think outside the box. Rather than strictly looking to the gym for workout sessions to perform, consider activities that you used to enjoy as a child or young teen but don’t make time for any longer. If you could perform any activity simply for enjoyment sake, what would it be? Once you have your answer to this question, this is what you want to start doing at least once per week.

You still should aim to have a structured workout program in place - especially one that includes some resistance training as this is imperative to preventing lean muscle mass loss and maintaining an elevated metabolic rate - but beyond that, don’t be scared to venture out of the gym into other activities. Team sports, solo activities, or even group-led activities can all help to bring about fitness gains and improve your health.

What are some of the health benefits of a regular fitness program, either in the gym or outside?

Physical Health Benefits

Reduced risk of disease
Lower blood pressure
Lower resting heart rate
Increased muscle strength
Increased bone density
Lower body weight and body fat level
Improved glucose tolerance
Enhanced insulin sensitivity
Improved cardiovascular function
Lower risk of injury
Decreased risk of lean muscle mass loss with age
Mental Benefits

Reduced stress level
Lower risk of developing depression
Reduced anxiety
Enhanced sleep quality
Improved self-confidence and body image
Appearance-Based Benefits

Firmer muscles with enhanced definition
Improved posture
Reduced appearance of body fat
There you have a brief introduction to fitness in a broader sense. Our conception of ‘fitness’ has definitely changed over time, and with the right mindset and attitude, you can bring a healthy form of fitness into your life.

Remember that fitness encompasses three main elements:

Strength training
Cardiovascular training
Flexibility training
Getting each of these into your routine is important for balance. Strength can be achieved through traditional weight lifting programs or other bodyweight activities, while you can add cardiovascular fitness through any form of activity that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there. Whenever you move a certain muscle through a longer range of motion than it’s used to, lengthening the muscle cells, you’re doing flexibility training.

Now that you have a basic foundational knowledge of what ‘fitness’ means, it’s time to put this information to use to come up with your own fitness plan!

17/11/2017

15/11/2017

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1972139159741117&id=100008351554359

15/11/2017

https://www.facebook.com/amanjot.kaur.731/posts/1722557564453162

02/02/2017

Doing squats has considerable full-body benefits that most people are not aware of. The majority think that squats are just leg exercises and it doesn’t do anything for the rest of the body.
Let’s take a closer look at what you can get with squats.
1. Squats Enhance Circulation
2. Squats Improve Digestion
3. Squats Burn Loads of Fat and Contribute to Weight Loss
4. Squats Strengthen The Knees
5. Your Back Is Injury Free
6. Squats Are Very Cost Efficient
7. Squats Improve The Overall Posture of The Body
8. Squats Will Significantly Improve Your Day to Day Live
Dr Aman

20/01/2017

There is quite a lot of pessimism and negativity among healthcare professionals at the moment. Reduced funding, job cuts, professional encroachment and general uncertainties about the future are having a bad effect on people’s health and wellbeing. So I thought it might be a good idea to take a moment to remember what makes physiotherapy so great. Not all of these things will be relevant to every physiotherapist, but most will.

Physiotherapists:

Touch people. Very few people can do this, and almost no others get to touch people for therapeutic reasons. Some touch to perform a procedure, others to care, but few touch to reduce pain, help move or build strength, flexibility and power;
Transform people’s lives. Perhaps the most powerful effect of really great physiotherapy is its ability to help people feel different: to give them confidence to try something that’s been too painful or frightening to do for a long time; to take control of their lives; to breathe more easily; to stand on their own again; to move more freely; to be happier…Physiotherapists do this every day, and rarely give themselves the credit they deserve for their transformative power;
Are first contact professionals. Few others, outside medicine, have this privilege. Awarded after many years of struggle and tests of our autonomy, first-contact status isn’t available throughout the world for physiotherapists, but it’s available in many countries. It’s a mark of our social capital and the high regard physiotherapists are held in by society at large;
Are diagnosticians. Because many physios can see people without a medical referral, they need to be able to differentially diagnose. That skill comes with a lot of expectations about physiotherapists’ safety, and ability to show consistently that they can handle the responsibility;
Are safe and trusted. People trust physiotherapists. We deal with some of the most intimate, personal aspects of people’s lives – from death and dying, to personal bodily dysfunction and the heartache of suffering, and act as a constant companion in times of strife;
Are powerful advocates. Because physiotherapists have earned a high degree of social support, they can speak up for those less fortunate, and advocate for people whose voices are not being heard. Marginalised communities, children, the elderly, disabled people…whomever they serve, countless people benefit from physiotherapists’ voice and support;
Are experienced. One of the greatest assets physiotherapists have is their access to the public health system. Working with people who have had strokes, or live with COPD, chronic low back pain or depression helps when it comes to treating the elite athlete, the child with cerebral palsy or the post-op patient. Experiencing the rich tapestry of life gives physiotherapists enormous advantages over many other healthcare professions;
Work with people, not just bodies. All good physiotherapists know that it’s not enough to treat the body-as-machine, or to look no further than anatomy, physiology and pathology when treating people. To know people as social beings and the ways that our feelings, thoughts and emotions affect how we feel makes the difference between being technicians and practitioners. And physiotherapists are fabulous practitioners;
Are inclusive. Physiotherapists have worked in teams and been dependent on the help of others from the outset. They are good at knowing their limits and not stepping on others’ toes. They’re often seen as pragmatic, enthusiastic and motivated people who like to get things done. As they have shown for many years that we make great allies;
Are adaptable. No matter how difficult things seem right now, people will always want someone to use their hands in skillful, caring ways to heal them of their suffering; they will always want people who can see them move and work out what is going wrong; and they will always call for professionals they can trust, who care for them, not just their illness.
Physiotherapists are all these things and more, and we should try to remember this when the day-to-day pressures of work make it hard to see the wood for the trees.

15/01/2017

23/11/2016

Do exercise , stay away from diseases
By Dr. Amanjot kaur (PT)

14/10/2016

12 ways to improve back pain

Limit Bed Rest
Studies show that people with short-term low-back pain who rest feel more pain and have a harder time with daily tasks than those who stay active.

Keep Exercising
Activity is often the best medicine for back pain. “Simple exercises like walking can be very helpful,” “It gets people out of a sitting posture and puts the body in a neutral, upright position.”
But remember to move in moderation,
“Stay away from strenuous activities like gardening and avoid whatever motion caused the pain in the first place.”
Maintain Good Posture
The pain may have started after a long workout at the gym, but the strain that caused it has probably been building for years.
most people have poor posture when going about their daily activities, putting unnecessary strain on their backs.
“Little things add up,” “You can increase the pressure on your back by 50% simply by leaning over the sink incorrectly to brush your teeth. Keeping the right amount of curvature in the back takes pressure off the nerves and will reduce back pain.”
See a Specialist
Developing an individualized exercise plan is essential to managing chronic back pain, says D. Scott Davis, PT, MS, EdD, OCS, an orthopaedic physical therapist and associate professor at West Virginia University. “Some patients need more core strengthening while others benefit mainly from stretching and improving flexibility. Find a physical therapist, exercisephysiologist, or chiropractor who specializes in back care. They will match you with the right exercise plan.”
Strengthen Your Core
Most people with chronic back pain would benefit from stronger abdominal muscles.
Improve Flexibility
Too much tension and tightness can cause back pain. "Our goal in increasing flexibility is to put an equal load throughout the body from the feet all the way up to the head,”
One good exercise is to sit on the edge of the bed with one leg extended and the other one on the floor. Give your hamstrings a stretch by leaning forward while keeping your back in a neutral position.”

Ditch the Brace
It’s tempting to baby your back muscles, but braces should be used sparingly. “Braces are helpful for strenuous activities, like heavy lifting, but only keep them on for 15 minutes at a time,” he says. If you wear a brace all day, the muscles — which should be providing stability — weaken and you will have less core strength.

Apply Ice and Heat
Heating pads and cold packs can comfort tender trunks. Most doctors recommend using ice for the first 48 hours after an injury -- particularly if there is swelling — and then switching to heat.
But "it is difficult to say if ice or heat is more beneficial,” Flippin says. “I recommend that patients use whichever they find comforting as long as their skin is protected.”
Sleep the Right Way
The amount of rest you get is important, and so is the position you get it in. “Sleeping in a bad position or on a mattress without support can cause back pain,”

Quit Smoking
Lighting up doesn’t just damage your lungs; it can also hurt your back.
A study recently published in the American Journal of Medicine found that current and former smokers are more likely to have back pain when compared with people who have never smoked.
“Nicotine causes the small blood vessels to constrict and decreases the delivery of blood to the soft tissue,” Flippin says. “I tell all my patients that quitting smoking could help alleviate their back pain.”
Try Talk Therapy
Back pain is often seen with issues such as depression and anxiety, says Alex Moroz, MD, associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
“Your emotional state colors the perception of pain,” Moroz says. “Therapy can be a helpful part of rehabilitation.”
Use Relaxation Techniques
Research shows that practices such as meditation, deep breathing, tai chi, and yoga, which help put the mind at rest, can do wonders for the back.
“If you can induce a relaxation response, it will help reduce the perceived pain level,"

Dr Amanjot kaur (PT)