Preventative healthcare and reactive healthcare represent two fundamentally different approaches to health. While we do have subsidized health care in Canada, what we really fund is “sick care” which mostly addresses issues as they arise, waiting to treat symptoms of disease after onset. What many countries, like Finland, Japan and Singapore, have begun to focus on is preventative healthcare, which focuses on averting disease and injury before they occur.
The dichotomy between sick care and health care is critical to understanding a broader healthcare landscape and its impact on individual well-being, especially in the context of manual therapies like Fascia Stretch Therapy (FST).
Sick Care vs. Health Care
Sick care addresses existing health problems with interventions that diagnose and treat illnesses, injuries and conditions after they manifest. For example, someone with chronic back pain might seek medical attention for relief through medications, surgery, or physical therapy.
In contrast, preventative healthcare emphasizes maintaining health and preventing disease. This approach includes lifestyle modifications and health screening & monitoring in an effort optimize the person. Routine exercise, global stretching, a balanced diet, meditation, and proper sleep are integral.
Normal vs. Optimal
Achieving normal health means being mostly free from disease or significant injury. Normal does not always mean healthy; it is simply an average range based on the general population’s health. Optimal health involves striving for quality physical, mental, emotional, and digestive well-being, thus enhancing performance and quality of life.
FST can play a significant role in moving from normal to optimal health. By addressing the fasciae, and the nervous system, FST helps calm the mind, improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance performance. Regular sessions can aid in preventing injuries and maintaining prime physical condition, embodying the essence of preventative healthcare.
Prehab vs. Rehab
Prehabilitation (prehab) involves proactive measures to prevent injuries and prepare the body for strenuous activities. Prehab aims to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, balance, cognitive function and management of stress to enhance overall fitness, thus ensuring optimal performance, preventing injuries, and even to delaying surgical interventions. FST, as a prehab method does this by keeping the fascial system pliable and resilient, and the hips and other joints in optimal alignment.
Rehabilitation (rehab), on the other hand, is the process of recovering from an injury or surgery. It involves therapeutic interventions to restore function and alleviate pain. Rehab while reactive is also essential, focusing instead on recovery. FST™, in this context, can reduce scar tissue, muscle soreness and improve mobility post-injury.
How Do We Shift?
So how do we shift our focus to preventative healthcare without abandoning those who are already sick? It doesn’t happen overnight, yet that must not be a deterrent and cannot be met with apathy.
It begins with a fundamental shift in perspectives, in valuing true health. Public demand for longevity and optimal health is what will ultimately drive government policy to address prevention. It begins with small changes: for example, personal tax subsidies for participation in programs like physical fitness, personal training, and manual therapies. Outcomes for optimal health need to be monitored as sick care requirements diminish over time. Ultimately, this type of initiative could reduce the demand on our health care system as it exists and save the taxpayer millions in caring for illness.
What are your thoughts?
Until next time… ~ breathe ~ move ~ unwind ~
