ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) – Rowan County Public Health has announced that Healthy Rowan has launched their newest community-wide program called Rowan Moves. On January 1st, the online physical activity tracking platform went live for all community members to access free of cost.
When you think about how to protect yourself, your family, and your community during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, exercising is probably not at the top of our list. But maybe it should be. The Healthy Rowan Coalition believes in the power of physical activity. Which has led to the creation of Rowan Moves.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rowan County Public Health Department and various other clinic healthcare providers have seen a drastic increase in the number of county residents and children that have gained excess weight leading to obesity. This weight gain not only is concerning when thinking about chronic disease management, but there is also data to support that individuals who are overweight and obese are at higher risks of experiencing adverse complications from COVID-19, which could require hospitalization.
It’s no new discovery that physical activity is effective in preventing, treating, and potentially reversing many chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, all of which increase the risk of severe illness and death among those infected with coronavirus. There has been evidence, however, that being moderately active prior to being infected with COVID-19 could actually reduce the severity of the illness after infection.
In addition to increase in overweight and obesity, there has been significant increases in physical inactivity and mental health issues among Rowan County residents. Research has shown that being physically active can improve one’s mood and help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also assist in sleeping better and having more energy, both of which can help improve one’s overall mental health. In addition to that, research has also shown that physically active people have lower rates of anxiety than those who are inactive.
Rowan Moves offers a variety of features for participants to utilize, including:
Step Calculator: Physical activity looks different for everyone. Some like to participate in triathlons, some like to play a few games of pickle ball on the weekends, and some like to take a relaxing kayaking trip around High Rock Lake. Whatever you prefer to participate in for physical activity, you can most likely find it on the Rowan Moves Step Calculator. Participants can select their method of exercise, how long they participated, and the calculator will then generate the estimated number of steps that have been exercised.
Fitness Groups: Members have the ability to create or join a fitness group with other members. These groups can be created to be viewed and shared with the public or they can remain private for only group members to see. Private groups are also HIPPA compliant and can be utilized by primary care providers who wish to track their patient’s physical activity. The fitness group feature can also be incorporated by the Daily Mile participating schools and teachers. Teachers will have the ability to register their classroom as a private group and can record the number of steps their students move while participating in the Daily Mile.
Get Movin’ Maps: The Rowan Moves website has a page dedicated to helping residents find places to “get movin’.” Under the Get Movin’ tab, folks can find a wide variety of places to engage in physical activity based on their home and/or work locations, their interests, and their needs. Looking for a basketball court in Rockwell? The quick and easy filtering feature can help you find that!
FitBit Compatible: Want to count the steps you take while you’re out and about or while you are working? You got it! Just login to your Rowan Moves account and sync your FitBit to have your steps automatically logged for you.
Fitness Tracking Calendar: Members will be able to easily track their physical activity on the Fitness Calendar when they login to their account.
Leadership Boards: Participants and public groups that have logged the greatest number of steps will be added to the Leaderboards. The boards refresh each month to display whose been movin’ the most.
Spotify: Looking for a great playlist made up of some throwbacks and some recent tunes? By simply going to the Rowan Moves webpage everyone will have the ability to access our special playlist. If your favorite song to listen to during your afternoon stroll isn’t on the playlist, please feel free to email info@rowanmoves.com to have it added!
To explore and register for the Rowan Moves website please click here!