Out of Shape? Get Off the Couch With These Tips

While you don’t need Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arms to stay fit and healthy, there is no question that becoming a couch potato victim will negatively impact your health. According to Celebrity Fitness Expert Dr. Raj, a nationally recognized Double Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon at the Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute, engaging in a few simple exercises can greatly prevent injury or the need for future surgery.

“It is a misnomer that joint replacement is primarily reserved for overworked athletes,” says Dr. Raj. “Many patients are in need of surgery down the road due to great lengths of inactivity, such as spending years behind a desk.”

Below are Dr. Raj’s simple exercise tips for staying fit:

- Don’t Forget to Stretch: Each morning when you rise and shine, there is a reason why your first inclination is to stretch before rolling out of bed. “Stretching not only lengthens muscles, it improves circulation which helps to release toxins,” says Dr. Raj. “To prevent injury, stretch both before and after physical activity.”

- Walk Whenever Possible: Believe it or not, walking each day will keep the doctor away. The 10,000 steps campaign suggests that a daily count of thousands of paces has various long-term health benefits. “While walking alone isn’t going to win any body building competitions, 20 minutes of daily walking is the single best thing you can do for your health,” adds Dr. Raj.

- Take the Stairs: Rather than riding the escalator or elevator, climb up the stairs. Walking up a flight of stairs strengthens the heart and lungs and burns calories as well. Even as little as one flight of stairs is better than no movement at all.

- Hit the Green: Weight bearing exercises (including golf) are the key to building bone mass which has been proved to postpone osteoporosis and arthritis. From swinging those clubs to walking between holes, a day out on the golf course is good for both body and mind.

- Workout, From the Couch: Those who have weak knees and are prone to injury can avoid putting excess pressure on the knees by exercising from their seat. “Alternating leg lifts from a seated position provide a continuous range of motion,” says Dr. Raj. “Seated jacks, which are literally jumping jacks while sitting down, are another great way to get the body moving.”


About Dr. Raj:  Dr. Raj is a Double Board Certified (American and Canadian) Orthopedic Surgeon based in Beverly Hills, California, specializing in hip, knee, and joint replacements, arthritis pain, sports injuries, fractures and alternative, conservative, and surgical options for any joint, bone or muscle pain. Dr. Raj has been featured on The Doctors, SPIKE TV, NBC, CBS, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Beverly Hills Times and has been named “Best of LA” by KCAL 9 as well we making America’s Top Orthopedics List in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011. He is best known as an ABC News Medical Consultant, a health expert for The Globe, and a health expert for The National Examiner, and has quickly become the go-to-doctor in the media for not only Orthopedic-based topics, but for general medical issues alike, including: injury prevention, US healthcare, weight gain and weight loss, drug abuse and more. With clients ranging from celebrities to renowned athletes, Dr. Raj has completed 4,000 Orthopedic Surgical Cases and works with over 500 patients a month with his team at the Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute. For more information, please visit http://www.drhipandknee.com/