How to get sedentary patients to exercise

Getting sedentary patients moving can be a challenge, writes Joseph K. Weidner, MD, FAAFP, of Rising Sun, Md. “I often encourage them to reinitiate an activity they enjoyed when they were younger because I believe they are more likely to stick with it. But it can be difficult if the patient only liked team sports, so instead I will advise him or her to start walking more. I’ve found that giving the patient detailed instructions in either paper or electronic form, including walk duration and number of days, can help. To make it easier and address common barriers to exercise, our practice developed a guide that details places patients can walk in our area, which we offer on our practice website. Our office staff has visited most of the sites, and our guide includes the ease of terrain, quality of trail surfaces, hours of operation, type and location of parking, and availability of restrooms.”

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