The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) has announced an innovative project with Sport England and the Centre for Ageing Better to find the best ways to promote the benefits of maintaining and improving muscle strength for people visiting their physiotherapist.
The 15-month initiative will explore people’s understanding and perceptions of the importance of regular strength and balance activities and create messaging and approaches that will help more people meet official activity guidelines. These guidelines recommend all adults do activities that challenge the muscles at least twice a week.
Despite the importance of strengthening activities, research has revealed very low levels of awareness that strengthening activity is even needed on a weekly basis. Indeed, only 9% of adults surveyed were aware of the requirement, with 34% of the respondents doing fewer than two days per week of muscle strengthening exercises.
Crucially, the initiative will look at the role physiotherapy staff can play in encouraging more uptake of strengthening activities, both directly with patients and in developing and promoting public facing materials, such as strength-based apps or training programmes. This initiative is made possible through National Lottery funding via a £150,000 grant from Sport England.