Physical Education is Still Important Once You Leave Grade School

We need to bring physical education back. And no, you don't have to climb an unknotted rope in front of all your peers (unless you want to!), but you do have to find something that you enjoy. The people who are able to stay active do so because they enjoy it--not because they feel obligated. Obligation is not a good motivator, and being active shouldn't feel like a chore.

My main physical activity is dance. It combines music, movement, flexibility, and body awareness--all things that have major physical and mental health benefits that extend far beyond the dance studio or dance floor. During medical school, dance was the thing that I could look forward to that would rejuvenate me after busy clinic days, tiresome overnight shifts at the hospital, or difficult conversations with patients and family. We all have songs that immediately put a smile on our face and get us moving! Why not harness that joy and make it work for us?

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, we can't go out and dance in the studio or club, but I have found ways to continue. Dance has been a steady source of joy for me in these bleak times, and I want to share that with you all.

I have developed a #wellness program called Dancing with your Doctor that combines dance, stretching, aerobics, and mindfulness with my musculoskeletal and preventative healthcare knowledge. As people spend more and more time sitting down, not moving, working from home, the physical and mental health costs will start to become more and more apparent. Dancing with your Doctor combats that by getting people moving in a fun, structured, safe, low-pressure way: all guided by a UCSF MD. We target common sources of aches and pains while also giving you moves you can try out at the next wedding or birthday party once we're back to regularly scheduled programming!

Please visit our website: dancingwithyourdoctor.com for more information.

Ezekiel Adigun, MD

Founder & CEO: Dancing with your Doctor