Fitness fallacies

The last few days have indeed been a harrowing experience for me! Call it gross negligence or carelessness, there I was sitting ramrod erect finding even a slight swivel of my neck an ordeal.

As a person accustomed to frequent cervical spondylosis flare-ups, I thoroughly understand the importance of long-time lifestyle adjustments.

But it is also quite embarrassing to admit that this ‘understanding’ lasts only as long as the excruciating pain plays out its numbing role, with posture and other physical demands of the treatment being relegated to the back of my mind no sooner I manage to come out of the throes of the agonizing dilemma.

A definite cure eludes lifestyle ailments which hence necessitate the conditions being managed through lifelong lifestyle changes and medical oversight.

Defining ‘lifestyle’ as ‘manner of living’ would hardly serve to be an apt description as it fails to capture the full complexity and meaning of the term. But then the manner in which medical science has ascribed just daily routines to mean one’s lifestyle has given the whole word a new perspective.

Hence we have poor lifestyle choices like unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, addictions and stress being ‘credited’ for many modern health problems.

Changing lifestyle is however difficult because it requires breaking ingrained habits and building new ones, which is a complex psychological and behavioural process that takes time, patience, and consistent effort.  

My recurring problem with cervical spondylosis has my physician prescribing a few sittings of physiotherapy, besides the regular dose of medications, and which of course should be followed by regular exercises.  

The sage advice that limiting and minimizing the ‘perceived’ essential luxuries of the modern era would be the perfect manna for a healthy living needs no philosophical understanding.

Immaterial as to whether one calls it a ‘luxury’ or a ‘necessity’, man is bearing the brunt of modern inventions which have gone to become nuisances rather than benefits.

Computer and mobile phones can contribute to cervical spondylosis by causing forward head posture, also known as ‘Tech Neck’, which places excessive strain on the cervical spine.

The head’s weight increases significantly when tilted forward, putting extra pressure on the neck muscles, discs, and joints.

But as many see it; all this is a poor price to pay for man’s advent into the information age.

As a phenomenon, the flow of unrestricted information brought about by the rise of the internet and digital technologies have had far-reaching and complex consequences leading to both significant opportunities and serious challenges.

The ‘information-at-the-tip-of-one’s-finger’ trend where people just scroll down on mobiles to collect information has given a new dimension to the whole business of seeking knowledge.

The internet has become a ready reckoner for a host of tasks and activities, which includes convenient access to various fitness regimens.

Online fitness content, including apps, videos, and social media trends, can be a powerful tool when used judiciously. But what a majority of us don’t understand is that it is not a substitute for qualified, personalized medical and fitness guidance.

One could get some clarity from the instance cited below!

Awaiting my turn at the physiotherapy centre the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to see a young lady walking in to meet the owner of the centre. After a lengthy discussion when she left, the physiotherapist explained her peculiar case to me.

A fitness enthusiast who combines strict dieting with regular online yoga sessions should have been in the pink of her health hardly exhibiting the type of symptoms that can only be associated with people who find budging from their seat a loathsome task.

The young lady had developed complications from practising some advanced and complex yoga postures without sufficient experience and proper guidance. The ‘sprains’ and ‘strains’ due to overindulging in online yoga had necessitated the need for emergency medical attention.

And this was the second time in a year she had landed up with such ‘injuries’!

The ‘all-knowing’ attitude that has manifested in the digital age has led to a phenomenon where people acquire a superficial understanding of a topic and then mistake this shallow grasp for genuine expertise.

Using internet tips for fitness regimen can offer convenience and affordability. However, it is a double-edged sword that poses significant risks without proper caution.

The quality of online fitness advice varies drastically, from professionally guided programmes to dangerous misinformation from unqualified sources.

Besides the high risk of injury following internet tips without a qualified professional physically present, it needs to be understood that generic online plans do not account for one’s specific needs, health history, or fitness level.

In layman’s terms, fitness is the state of being healthy, strong, and the ability to perform daily tasks without excessive fatigue, and with the energy for leisure.

Today, the ‘state of being healthy’ has been interpreted in different ways, evolving from a simple absence of illness to a complex, multidimensional concept influenced by personal, social, and environmental factors. Maintaining physical health is a cornerstone of healthy aging and helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases and disability.

But the pursuit of fitness and prioritization of health these days, which is all about a shift from a short-term fad into a long-term lifestyle, should have ideally acknowledged both the positive expansion and the negative downslides of modern fitness culture.

The ‘No Pain No Gain’ mentality in the fitness context needs to be shunned! The notion that suffering is a necessary prerequisite for success is a dangerous myth that prioritizes unnecessary hardship over smart, sustainable effort.

Pain is an innate survival mechanism which serves as an essential warning system and alerts one to the risk of injury. Just as exercise aversion, excessive physical activity too can be detrimental to health, underscoring the importance of a balanced approach.