Physical activity

Physical activity is defined, purely physiologically, as any body movement that increases energy consumption in addition to the energy consumption we have at rest. It can be anything from gardening to organized physical exercise. Physical activity can be done with low to high effort.

Benefits of physical activity

  Any form of movement can positively affect your health. Adequate exercise can provide great health benefits, both physically and mentally. It's never too late to start moving.

 Some examples of the benefits of physical activity:

  •  Reduces the risk of e.g. cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and mental illness. 
  •  Reduces the risk of falls and broken bones 
  •  Reduces stress 
  •  Reduces anxiety 
  •  Improves sleep 
  •  Improves concentration 

Recommendations

You who are 18 years or older are recommended to be physically active for a total of at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity. By moderate intensity is meant that you move in a way that makes you warm and increases your heart rate and breathing. What counts as moderate intensity is individual and changes depending on how active you are. For someone who has been physically inactive for a long period of time, a slow walk may be enough. While for a fit person it may require you to jog. For a person with functional variation and, for example, sitting in a wheelchair, it is important to know that all movement counts!

You who move with high intensity need to move 75 minutes a week. High intensity means an even more obvious increase in heart rate and breathing. 

Tips on physical activity:

  • Go for a brisk walk for 30 minutes five days a week. 
  • Run 20 to 30 minutes three days a week. 
  • Combine the first two points.
  • Do muscle-strengthening activity twice a week: climb stairs, do sit-ups, do push-ups. 
  • Balance training for those over 65: dancing, gymnastics, walking in the forest on uneven ground, standing on one leg for a while every day. 

Remember: All kinds of exercise count, even the one you get through everyday activities such as cycling, climbing stairs, picking mushrooms and cleaning!

Source: 1177 and Fyss.se


How remote patient monitoring works for physical activity


 If you are monitored for physical activity, you will register your physical activity in a mobile app. In the mobile app, you can choose the type of activity you performed: Daily activity, Cardio, Muscle strength or Balance. You also choose whether the activity was of moderate or high intensity and how many minutes you exercised. Your values you register in the app are also sent to your caregiver. You and your caregiver can both see how the values have changed over time through graphs and tables.