“Movement is an integral part of everyday life,” popular Port Alfred physiotherapist, Roshan Parbhoo, told Probus members at a talk he delivered at Port Alfred River & Ski Boat Club.
Parbhoo who specialises in sports injuries, pain management and post-op rehabilitation, has seen a wide variety of clients from all walks of life since after branching out in to private practice with co-owner, Michelle Parbhoo.
His focus fell on the elderly cohort saying that with older folk movement was key – as it came naturally to them.
“You guys have the power to inspire the next generation, just by leading by example and imparting knowledge of how you lived your life back in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, when you were in your prime.
“Because you have a wealth of wisdom and institutional memory”.
He said elderly folk should think about when telling children stories that they are “investing in their family line. All these things are going to be passed down to them. And the talk should be about activity-based fun”.
To make his point, Pharboo makes an example of John “who lived in the 1950s” and grandson Michael “who is living through the 2020s”.
“Every day movement is key to John; it’s normal for him to be walking every day, to do chores and some physical activities. These are menial tasks that however ingrain us with certain values.
“For John there is no binge watching TV … no scrolling through Whats App messages. And in the 50s and 60s maybe if you went off to visit a friend and he is not at home and you’ve walked a mile, you have to turn back and walk another.
“This physical activity is so good for the developing spirit.”
Pharboo said “Michael” was typical of the 2020s mindset that exists among the youth.
“The moment Michael gets out of bed he grabs his phone and starts scrolling; he is up sometimes until 1am in the morning having fun … and, maybe, he even gets his coffee in bed, thanks to his beautiful wife. He gets in to his car starts driving to work – and if it’s in Joh’burg, it’s a two- hours commute and eight hours at a desk.
“ Back home just to do more sitting. Shopping and everything can be done from Michael’s phone. Now he sits on his couch and his feet start to swell – and he is only 30 years old.”
Pharboo said it was today a common occurence to find young people “ suffering from diseases of lifestyle and complications of immobility; ailments that you would never have found in the 1950s and 60s.”
“My child is five years old now but it would be probably quite jarring to see that both of us when he is in his 30s, going through the same health problems together at the same time.”
“Michael the grandson, will have to deal with back pain, poor posture, low energy etc, and just because of a lack of activity,” added Pharboo.
Pharboo revealed in his presentation bone-jarring statistics of a 2020 survey done across the world of lower back pain experienced among the population – said to be one of the largest studies done in public. It showed that 619 million people suffered from lower back pain.
“That’s a very big number of people … consider how many among the billions of people in the world are under the age of 30; and there’s this thing with back pain. And by 2050 it’s scheduled to go up to 849 million people,” said Pharboo.
So among those in their 30s predominantly, it is predicted that by 2050 we’ll see 230 million more people suffering from lower back pain.
“These people are not even born yet but they are already scheduled to experience this – how do we intervene with our grandkids and our children to stop this from happening?”
Pharboo reminded his audience that the implications of “living a life with pain” are quite immense.
“Lowerback pain significantly reduces your quality of life. Through the years what you want to be doing is living. You don’t want to be living life for two days and the next few days going to the hospital to see to the problem and wait another six weeks to address it again. You want to be playing bowls or hiking – or something like that.”
“So John the granddad through his actions, is demonstrating to Michael how important exercise is … he shows him how to stretch; when he takes the dog for a walk he drags Michael with him and when he works in the garden and he shows him his schedule for bowls which is three times a week.
“Michael will understand hopefully that movement is a way of life and to his grandfather it comes naturally,” added Parbhoo.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, March 27, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
