People who exercise regularly, even at something as simple as walking or bicycling, are more flexible. They experience less stress on the muscles and joints when they do bend down the wrong way. Conditioned muscles recover faster, too. It's the couch potato who hauls himself erect one Saturday afternoon to rake the leaves or shovel snow who has trouble. The big problem we all face these days is living a stressful life.
All families seem to be too busy to sit down together and share the joys and pleasures of life.
The little things that once mattered are no longer important and now there is a race for more money, more time and more material possessions. One of the body's automatic reactions to stress is rapid, shallow breathing. When you clear your mind, you try to concentrate on one pleasant thought, work, or image and let the rest of your worries slip away. A short and quiet walk can do wonders and just a walk around the block will clear your head and often give you a new spurt of energy. Muscle and joint aches and pains are a common complaint for many of us, living as we do in a sedentary, high-stress society.