Improving your movement reaction time may not be something you think to work on when you’re exercising. Few people realise how important it is to incorporate this type of training into their exercise routine, especially when it comes to:
The ‘Clock Yourself’ app is a fun, easy to use training method which has been developed by Australian Physiotherapists for this purpose.
This app is based on best clinical evidence and provides guidance and instruction on how you can train movement reaction time at home, and also gives you another way the brain and body.
Increasing age, low levels of physical activity and presence of multiple medical conditions all influence a person’s movement reaction time, mobility and balance. These factors can increase the risk of falling over.
However, with appropriate training, the influence of these risk factors can be reduced due to our body and brain’s incredible capacity to continue and learn new skills, and sharpen our ability to adapt in different environments.
Clock Yourself was inspired by a familiar mental model – ‘a clockface’ – which serves as a foundation of 12 intuitive coordinates to begin our training, with no equipment required!
The complexity of training activities are continually progressed across five levels by modifying exercise intensity, and thought processing demands.
Training activities are designed to work on stepping speed, physical and cognitive agility, and ability to adapt to varying situations in a fun and engaging environment for all age groups.
Clock Yourself can be used as a form of rehabilitation following injury, prehabilitation to prevent an injury or fall, or a warm up for athletic training. The possibilities are open to the creative mind!
For more information on this exciting training method feel free to talk to one of our friendly Physiotherapists at Move for Better Health, or you can visit the Clock Yourself website here.
Sam Campagnale is a Move Physiotherapist, and is familiar with Clock Yourself. He can help you to incorporate it into your exercise routine (at home or in our supervised Pilates or Gym classes), to ensure you’re safe and comfortable with setting up and using the app.
If you’d like to see Sam to set up the Clock Yourself app, or to refine your exercise routine, you can:
References
Nitz, J, Stock, L & Khan, A 2013, ‘Health-related predictors of falls and fractures in women over 40’, Osteoporosis International, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 613-621.
Nolan, M, Nitz, J, Choy, N & Illing, S 2010, ‘Age-related changes in musculoskeletal function, balance and mobility measures in men aged 30-80 years’, The Aging Male, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 194-201.
Okubo, Y, Schoene, D, Lord, S 2017, ‘Step training improve reaction time, gait and balance and reduces falls in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis’, British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 1-9.
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