Active Exercises compared to passive exercises

Active exercises help strengthen the communication between the brain and body for increased movement.

If you want to get better, active training is the way to move… 

• Increased walking distance
• More strength
• More energy
• Stimulating connection between brain and muscles
• Better digestion
• Less dependent on other peoples assistance
• Increase range of motion.
• Improve joint and connective tissue mobility.
• Reduce the formation of contractures.
• Improve synovial movement.
• Improve mechanical elasticity of muscles.
• Promote circulation and vascular dynamics.

During stroke recovery, active rehab exercises help strengthen the neural pathways in your brain that enable you to perform the movement.

Passive exercises are largely preventive in nature and are used to:

• Maintain range of motion.
• Maintain joint and connective tissue mobility.
• Minimizes the effects of and the formation of contractures.
• Enhances synovial movement.
• Maintain mechanical elasticity of muscles.
• Assist circulation and vascular dynamics.

Inactivity is mortal !

Lack of physical activity has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other conditions:

• Less active and less fit people have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.
• Physical activity can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Studies show that physically active people are less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who are inactive. This is even after researchers accounted for smoking, alcohol use, and diet.
• Lack of physical activity can add to feelings of anxiety and depression.
• Physical inactivity may increase the risk of certain cancers.
• Physically active overweight or obese people significantly reduced their risk for disease with regular physical activity.
• Older adults who are physically active can reduce their risk for falls and improve their ability to do daily activities.

In 2011, a study estimated that 1 in 5 people are insufficiently physically active.

The sample recruited almost 300,000 individuals older than 15 years, from 76 different countries.24) Booth et al.8) suggested that the battle against chronic disease is inefficient due to an underestimation of the reality of the problem, and the emphasis is directed toward treatment strategies instead of preventative strategies.

In Canada, physical inactivity represents 3.7% of the overall health care costs.30) In China, more than 15% of both medical and non-medical costs are attributable to physical inactivity, per year.31)

The effects of small changes in physical inactivity habits are remarkable. In Australia, the benefits of reducing physical inactivity by 10% represent a cost saving of 0.19% of total annual health expenditure.32)In people aged ≥70 years, low-intensity physical activity at least once a week is associated with a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes, compared with those physically inactive.33)

Clearly physical inactivity is a determinant for health. However, recent evidence supports the fact that both physical inactivity and sedentary behavior contribute to the global burden of chronic disease, as discussed below.

Read the full study here: Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Behavior and Chronic Diseases