As people age, staying active and being physically fit prevents injuries. Peter A. Matsuura, M.D. a leading doctor in Hilo, HI,  specializes in orthopedic surgery, and wants to help his patients maintain an active and safe lifestyle.

Peter A. Matsuura, M.D. shares some tips for staying active as you age:

• Stretching: Stretching improves your range of motion, circulation and balance, strengthening your muscles and when injured, accelerates the healing process.
• Core Strengthening:  Core training helps build muscles in your torso that supports your abdomen and spine.  These exercises include squats, lunges and deadlifts that help you eliminate inches off your waistline while helping you improve your balance and posture,  A strong core will enable you to carry your weight and reduce the load on your joints and extremities, improving your mobility and balance.    
• It’s Never Too Late To Start: If you haven’t exercised much throughout your life ease into activities.  The goal is to start and not stop.  Regular doses of exercise will keep your muscles soft and pliable, preventing tears and injuries and potentially help you avoid a trip to the orthopedic doctor’s office!
• See A Doctor When Needed:   If you are experiencing joint, extremity or back pain that won’t go away even through stretching and rest, schedule an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. Shoulder, elbow, knee pain, and other joint pain have the best chances of full recovery when addressed early on. You may not even require surgery, but if you put off visiting the doctor for too long, it will only complicate your condition.

If you need to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic doctor, call the office of Peter A. Matsuura, M.D. at (808) 969-3331 today. You can also visit his website to learn more.