If you are starting a new hobby or sport, be sure to get a physical first. Depending on where you are, this may be easy to set up or require a little more effort, but it is worth it. It will ensure that your hobby is safe for you and provide a good benchmark. An annual physical allows you to detect any potential health problems in their early stages, when they are more likely to be treatable. It also allows you to monitor existing health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Men are especially bad about going to see the doctor.
A physical allows your healthcare provider to update your medical history and make sure that it is accurate and complete. As you get older and engage in your physical hobby you will discover new aches and pains you didn’t know you had. It might be an old injury coming back to haunt you. An annual physical is a good chance to determine if they are important or not, or if you just overdid it playing soccer.
When I was turning 40, I treated myself to an executive physical. Executives at big corporations are significant investments, and their benefit packages often include an annual physical. This is a thorough checkup like you see in the movies. The kind where you run on a treadmill while they test your VO2 max. Where they draw blood and test you for everything under the sun. It was expensive but worth it. In my case it led me on a 3-year journey with prostate cancer. Early detection allowed me the opportunity to determine if it needed to be treated or not. It also provided a good baseline for me to work against.
I used these numbers in a variety of ways. At one point in my life, I weighted 250 pounds. Which was heaviest I’d ever been. As a result, I started a notebook to track what I was eating and I was shocked at the number of snacks and things I didn’t count. I could remember breakfast and lunch and dinner, but not the muffin at 10:00 when I went to get a latte, or the bag of chips around 2pm or the cheese and crackers while watching television. Just the act of writing it down forced it into my consciousness and allowed me to cut out the snacking. Which reminds me of the old adage, “That which can be measured, can be managed.” The baseline from your annual physical are those numbers.
Regular physicals can also help you establish a relationship with a healthcare provider. This is beneficial because it will make it easier to discuss embarrassing topics later on. It is also a good opportunity to discuss any concerns or questions you may have. Last year I brought up an issue with my GP. He sent me for an ultrasound. The resulting images showed tumors in my abdomen. Obviously a very frightening experience. Turns out, I had lymphoma. Because I like my doctor, and trust him, it was easy to discuss the original issue. I feel like that probably saved my life.
While the diagnosis put a kink in my cycling and physical activity, it means that I know what to watch for in the future. And because we caught it early, it can be treated.
So if you are not already getting an annual physical, schedule one today. If you do not have a family doctor, you can check online. If you live in Ontario you can register here. Don’t wait until you are injured or sick. Do it now.