ptspin
cardio is great; don’t forget strength
At Backspin, and at Ponchatoula Therapy,
women are not only honored at Mother’s Day or
during October’s celebration of healthy habits
and women-specific illnesses. Women need to pay
attention to their health year round. Golf is a great
way to do that as it is low impact with low injury
risk; however, the right exercises can make golf even
more safe for women.
Strengthening, including weight bearing
exercises, is most important for women. While it is
important for women to include cardio, sometimes
women focus on one exercise – running or walking,
By Carrie Layrisson, OTR/L for example – and forget that their muscles and
Occupational Therapist bones need the strength training gained from closed
chain exercises (during which hands or feet are fixed
during exercise) or light weight bearing exercises.
Some of the best closed chain exercises include
squats, wall push-ups, planks and assisted pull-
ups. And those exercises, performed for just a few
minutes every day, will help women make gains in
their quest for a healthier lifestyle.
Women often think that they will add bulk to
their bodies if they exercise with weights. But if
done under the guidance of a personal trainer or
physical or occupational therapist, it can strengthen
and tone … and become an avenue for stress relief
or relaxation.
Women can develop or maintain healthy
muscles and bones through high repetition and low
intensity weight lifting. Like anything else, excess in
any exercise can cause injury. It is very important
that a woman work with trainers or other experts to
develop an exercise plan that takes into account all
aspects of her health.
Remember that golf is a wonderful form of
exercise. Women love it because they can play with
the men in their lives and their children. It’s the
sport to play across the lifetime, and it burns plenty
of calories, especially if you walk. Don’t forget to
stretch and warm-up because just like any other
exercises, ladies, golf can cause injuries if you don’t
prepare.
As physical and occupational therapists, we want
women walking, which they can do in a round of
golf, but we want them to combine it