Physiotherapists stress the significance of regular physical activity in preventing and controlling stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and other non-communicable diseases.

Encouraging Nigerians to stay active, experts emphasize the importance of exercising regularly and express concern that many people underestimate the value of physical activity, increasing their risk of preventable NCDs.

Dr Nnamdi Eze, the Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy in the Federal Capital Territory, emphasizes the need for daily exercise as a crucial aspect of preventing and managing NCDs.

During a medical outreach in Abuja at Model Primary Health Centre, Naharat in the Abaji Area Council of the FCT, Dr Eze highlights the numerous health benefits that can be obtained through physical exercise.

He stated ,“We are creating awareness about NCDs like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, and even musculoskeletal pain and issues that easily lead to disability.

“Within the mix, we have a lot of people who have some form of disability or the other, and it gives us a lot of joy that we are meeting the people that need our help in this community.

“Now, we have rehabilitation, which means people in communities can have direct access to professionals, and as members of NSP, we will start by creating that initial impact.

“We aim to continue to create awareness about what we do, and to be able to reach out to communities and people who have a physical disability, and see what we can do as physiotherapists to help.”

Additionally, Dr. Abioye Ayodele, the Vice Chairman of the organization, emphasized the importance of meeting a minimum exercise requirement for physically fit individuals to achieve optimal performance.

“There is exercise prescription, which is the minimum exercise that helps someone to optimise fitness,” the physiotherapist added.

He stated that according to the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, a typical adult should engage in at least one hour of exercise per week.

Ayodele stated, “So, we encourage that as normal adults, whether sick or not, you should have a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise every day within the week and that will give you the recommended one hour of exercise needed to optimise fitness.

“Exercise is prescribed based on the threshold of patients. Some patients can’t even do one minute of exercise. So, it is prescribed based on requirements or the type of sickness that a patient is suffering from.

“For those suffering from osteoarthritis, it is difficult for them to carry out these exercises themselves, and in that case, they will require the services of physiotherapists.”

The specialist advised that individuals in pain who are still able to exercise could participate in moderate activities and may not necessarily have to go to the gym.

Ayodele pointed out that people who are wheelchair-bound, unconscious, conscious, or obese all have options for specific exercises they can participate in.