Written by Isokinetic London for Doctify
Isokinetic is a leading medical group that specialises in sports injury treatment and orthopaedic rehabilitation. They are also the London organiser of Walk with a Doc, which is a weekly walking event, where a doctor will first give a brief presentation about a health topic, and then will lead a walk throughout the neighbourhood. In this article, Isokinetic gives us more information about the background of the event, and how it can benefit you, as well as more information on how to join the event.
What is the concept of Walk with a Doc?
It’s a well-known fact that most people do not get enough daily exercise. We sit at desks, on public transport, and sometimes take an elevator as opposed to the staircase. More than 20 million people in the UK are physically inactive, according to a 2017 report by the British Heart Foundation.
But that is just the United Kingdom – the situation varies around the world.
Walk with a Doc is a walk for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle.
What is the background, importance & benefits?
In 2005, Dr David Sabgir of Columbus, Ohio wanted to make a difference with his patients, and to encourage an increase in their daily exercise. He invited his patients to join him for a walk in the local park on a spring Saturday morning – and it was a great success with a large attendance. This inspired him to create ‘Walk with a Doc’, a worldwide movement inviting people of all ages, and backgrounds to join together for a walk, led by a local Doctor, making health and happiness accessible for all. As described on their website, walkwithadoc.org, ‘our doctor-led walking groups are a safe, fun, and FREE place to get some steps, learn about health, and meet new friends.’ What started as a very simple idea to encourage people to get moving more spread, and around the world groups join together to share in the spirit of this initiative.
Why is this cause important to you as a practitioner/your clinic?
I was first introduced to Walk With A Doc by a colleague’s son, who is a junior Doctor, and was incredibly impressed with the idea. From research, I could not see any Walk With A Doc group in London and decided I would establish one with help from my platform as a Sport and Exercise Medicine Specialist at Isokinetic London. I contacted the team to find out how to set a Walk up for our clinic. I’ve already had emails from other doctors nationwide to ask how they can do the same.
Isokinetic is a Sport Rehabilitation Centre in London, where we believe exercise is medicine. The benefits of regular exercise are vast; from building up strength, muscle and general fitness, to reducing the risk of diseases such as strokes, cancers and Alzheimer’s, and improving mental health, which we can all appreciate is necessary in today’s demanding world. At Isokinetic, we welcome anyone with a musculoskeletal injury or those wanting to improve health and wellbeing.
We are a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence so of course, we do have professional sports players who attend, but it is the range of our patients that truly makes us special. Our team of Sport and Exercise Medicine Specialists, Physiotherapists, and Patient Assistants all work together to treat the whole body and not just the injury. A factor in this method is to improve our patients’ general fitness, not only for the reasons I mentioned before, but to train them to exercise in a safe and effective way, and to reduce the risk of re-injury. Our goal is that every patient who completes their rehabilitation journey at our clinic feels stronger, fitter, happier and more confident in themselves than before. This is important to truly understand the rewards of regular exercise and how it can affect your body and well-being.
What does it do for the greater good?
This is a subject touched on our ‘Walk With A Doc’ walks. Dr Sabgir’s vision was to educate all who attended how they could make a small difference in their daily routine, which would make a huge difference to them in the long-term. Walking for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, five days a week can already reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by around 19 per cent. What seems like a small change can have such a huge effect.
How can I get involved in the run?
Isokinetic is located on the most prestigious medical street in the world, Harley Street in Central London. At the top of Harley Street is Regent’s Park, where I hold my ‘Walk With A Doc’ events weekly, from 11am-12pm on Saturdays. We assemble as a group at the St Andrew’s Gate entrance of Regent’s Park and spend an hour walking and enjoying the fresh air – and sometimes the pleasant London weather! Walking in a group of all ages and backgrounds is both refreshing and therapeutic. Inside the peaceful surroundings of Regent Park, the frenzied unstoppable London outside feels a million miles away and it’s a great chance to unwind. More information about Walk with a Doc is available here.
If you’d like to join, or have any questions, feel free to contact me at c.jones@isokinetic.com.
Walking is free, is easy to fit into your daily routine. I invite you to consider a small positive change you could make in your daily activities. That extra few minutes a day will do more good for you than you’d think!
