If you’re looking for ways to stay active with a busy schedule, Scottsdale-based physical therapist Dr. Megan Daley has a few ways to help you do that without spending hours in the gym. After practicing in Phoenix for six years, Daley opened her own business, Move on the Daley, in 2020 to make personalized physical therapy more accessible. Daley offers one-on-one sessions, mobility assessments and performance memberships for patients of all ages to create a focused treatment for each person. Here are her top daily movement tips for busy individuals.
1. Utilize Every Break
“I have some people where they sit at a desk job for eight-plus hours a day. I tell them every time you get back from the bathroom, do 10 squats and 10 pushups before you sit back down to get some blood flow going.”
2. Incorporate Gentle Movement
“Take a walk outside during your lunch break or do some gentle movement with sunshine involved… Motion is lotion. Almost everyone’s heard that, but I don’t think they appreciate how literal it is. Anytime we get moving, our blood flow starts going, and anything that’s sitting stagnant gets diluted and flushed out.”
3. Set a Five-Minute Timer
“Set a timer and do five-minutes of burpees [or something else], as many as you can. I’m aware that most people hear the word burpee and they immediately shut off, so [the exercise] depends on the person.”
4. Target Your Pain
“Our bodies do not like static positions… If someone has back pain, I tell them to constantly be doing a pelvic tilt by rocking themselves back and forth in their chair. That just keeps us moving enough without it being so distracting. You can still get stuff done, but it helps gently keep blood flow going.”
5. Strength Train
“A lot of the time it’s just pushups, jumping jacks, squats and wall walks around the building… [Strength training] is a major part of staying out of pain. The stronger you are, the more your body can take on before it goes past its threshold.”
You can make an appointment with Dr. Daley at moveonthedaley.org or visit her on Instagram or Twitter @moveonthedaley.
