As many of you know, I am always looking to learn more about the conditions that Nordic walking can help with. Recently I completed a course run by the physiotherapy department from the University of Toronto in Canada. As part of that course osteoporosis was featured. Osteoporosis occurs when we lose bone in the trabecular region, resulting in diminished bone density and increase in the risk of fragility fractures. Fragility fractures are those fractures that occur from a standing height often from a trip or fall. Many of these fractures actually occur in the spine that we do not know about at the time of the occurrence. It is therefore very important to protect our spine from further damage in applying safe movement as we get older. The following Canadian website, suggested by the course, gives many short videos to show better ways of doing everyday movements that will help protect stresses to the spine
https://osteoporosis.ca/bone-health-osteoporosis/living-with-the-disease/after-the-fracture/videos-on-how-to-safely-do-everyday-activities/ Exercise is also a great way to help stabilize the spine but sudden or uncontrolled movements should be limited. Posture should be worked on (Nordic walking is an ideal exercise) as should strength and balance exercises throughout the day. If you have any experiences of living with this condition and/or have further recommendations please feel free to leave a comment below.
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We are looking forward to doing a lot more different walks in different places and maybe with different people this coming year.We welcome suggestions and ideas so please feel free to leave a comment below or alternatively contact me directly.
Ministry of Nordic Walks likes to pride itself on having a welcoming manner and trying to be inclusive to as many people as possible but that doesn't mean we can't keep learning and improve this further. A great new video just came out that aims to do just this - so why not take a look? If you have any thoughts and suggestions on how we can become better for people with disabilities, please feel free to leave a comment below.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp-CF8IhqUU#action=share Have you heard about Hygge (pronounced Hoo-guh) a Danish concept of cosiness that spans the Nordic countries? Here at Ministry of Nordic Walks it seems to be fitting perfectly with what we do in our group walks particularly at this time of year.
1: Happiness and Mindfulness Denmark (where Hugge originates) regularly tops The World Happiness Report (commissioned by the United Nations since 2012). Meik Wiking, Charlotte Abrahams and Louisa Thomsen Brits (authors of books on Hygge – see below) link Hugge to mindfulness techniques and happiness science where people should be experiencing and concentrating on the pleasures and sensations they can appreciate in the present moment leading to increased well-being and feelings of happiness and contentment. Nordic Walking in the autumn and winter months brings lots of these types of pleasurable moments. The warm snuggly feeling of woollen socks, gloves and hats, the heating up of the body through the physical exercise, the beauty and aesthetics that surround us in nature as we walk along and the lovely feeling of having been out and exercised – all giving us a little bit of Hygge which we can appreciate. 2: Get Back to Nature Signe Johansen in her new book “How to Hygge” sites the Nordic love of being at one with nature and enjoying the great outdoors as central to the concept of hygge. This is backed up by several studies that show that those who exercise outdoors are more likely to keep up a constant routine as well as walking outdoors burning more calories than using a treadmill due to factors such as wind resistance, inclines and downhill slopes. Nordic Walking is ALL about getting outside and getting off the beaten track and into nature. The Nordic poles help with stability and power on inclines as well as reduce downhill stress and we all agree walking with others keeps us coming back for more! 3: Clear Your Head Hygge is all about having that feeling of being content. Research has shown that being outdoors in a park or forest environment lowers stress levels, increases feelings of energy, is associated with greater feelings of revitalisation and positive engagement, boosts your self-esteem whilst decreasing tension, confusion, anger and depression. Our group Nordic walkers often talk about how Nordic walking really helps them to attain a feeling of happiness and contentment as we walk along various pathways along canals and through tree lined areas. The constant rhythm of “planting” the poles firmly, helps decrease tension or any anger issues and many have commented upon the positive mental health well-being they feel Nordic walking in such natural surroundings gives them. 4: The Joy of Exercise Hygge views being physical (taking exercise) as being enjoyable and not to be seen as a chore or something laborious. Signe Johansen points out that hygge is about the joy of exercise as a group activity and collaborating to achieve a sense of community. Studies show that sedentary lifestyles are as dangerous to our health as smoking and dramatically increase our risk of contracting serious health problems such as cardio-vascular disease, diabetes and cancer. So health and happiness are linked in hygge. Nordic walking in groups achieves this sense of community and joy of exercise as we decide on which routes to take and new places to explore. The use of the poles aids to the pace and length of walking routes we cover so decreasing any feelings of walking becoming laborious. 5: De-Stress with something warm to drink Hygge also encompasses another Nordic tradition of Fika – which is a daily break to sit down and enjoy a hot drink allowing oneself to de-stress. Our Nordic walking groups often begin and end at cafes and many of our walkers make use of these facilities either before or after a walk – the social aspect makes it a welcome break from the hurley-burley of life. Books Charlotte Adams – Hygge: A Celebration of Simple Pleasures - Living the Danish Way Signe Johansen - How to Hygge Louisa Thomsen Brits - The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well Meik Wiking - The Little Book of Hygge Research Journals J. Thompson Coon, K. Boddy, K. Stein, R. Whear, J. Barton, M. H. Depledge. "Does Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments Have a Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors? A Systematic Review." Environmental Science & Technology, 2011; : 110203115102046. Miyazaki Y, Lee J, Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Matsunaga K. "Preventive medical effects of nature therapy" Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi. 2011 Sep;66(4):651-6. Another wonderful day to be outdoors Nordic walking and we're now in November. The arboretum and park at Evington are spectacular at this time of year and crunching through those leaves brings back all those childhood memories!
Last week saw the World Nordic Walking Day take place. Ministry of Nordic Walks celebrated with a special certificate issued to each member of the Wigston Gardens group on completing their walk.
This is my blog so you can get up-to-date news about events, walks, teaching tips, diary dates etc as I begin my life as a Nordic walking instructor for my local community in Leicester. I'm always happy to hear from people willing to share their experience or suggestions on how to make things better so please join in and leave a comment. Let the journey of 1000 miles start with this single post (step)! |
AuthorMinistry of Nordic Walks is a new venture to get more people exercising in a social way through Nordic walking. Archives
January 2017
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