THE PHYSICAL DIMENSION IN THE CONTEXT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In the late 1950s
Dr. Halbert Dunn began writing about the upper limits of health – the ultimate in health. He was
the first to use the word wellness in his writings in reference to the pursuit of optimal well-being.
Dunn viewed “health” as a relatively passive and neutral state of existence – in contrast to
“wellness,” which he described as an ever-changing process of growth toward an elevated state of
superb well-being, and where one is actively working to reach it. Today, wellness is defined as an
integrated and dynamic level of functioning oriented toward maximizing potential, dependent on
self-responsibility. Wellness involves not only preventive health behaviors but also a shift in
thinking and attitude. Wellness is a mindset of lifelong growth and achievement in the emotional,
spiritual, physical, occupational, intellectual, environmental, and social dimensions. It means a
lifetime of striving toward ever higher levels of functioning where complacency and passivity are
not tolerated.

The wellness lifestyle is a coordinated and integrated living pattern that involves seven
dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental and occupational.
There is a strong interconnection among these dimensions. For example, joining an exercise class
in your community most notably enhances your physical well-being, but it can also be socially
enriching and intellectually stimulating as you learn more about the functional capacity of the
human body. It can also help relieve emotional stress. Attending the class with coworkers after
work may improve your occupational wellness. In each dimension there is opportunity for personal
growth, and due to the dimensions’ interrelationships, growth in one area often sparks interest in
another. Balancing these dimensions, however, is important in pursuing wellness.

Since the physical dimension is the embodied aspect of the self, it is important to give this
a significant attention. The physical dimension deals with the functional operation of the body. It
involves the health-related components of physical fitness – muscular strength, muscular
endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Dietary habits have a
significant effect on physical well-being. Your sexual, drinking and drug behaviors also play a role
in physical health. Do you smoke? Do you get enough sleep? Are you overweight? Do you catch
many colds? These questions deal with your physical dimension.

The physical dimension also includes medical self-care – regular self-tests, medical and
dental checkups, proper use of medications, taking necessary steps when you are ill, and
appropriate use of the medical system. Managing your environment also affects physical well-
being. For example, do you try to minimize your exposure to tobacco smoke and harmful
pollutants? Since your body is the vehicle in which you travel throughout life, treat it like the
precious entity it is.
Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is the ability of the body to function at optimal efficiency. The fit individual
is able to complete the normal routine for the day and still have ample reserve energy to meet the
other demands of daily life – recreational sports and other leisure activities – and to handle life’s
emergency situations. Physical fitness involves skill-related and health-related components. The
skill-related components of fitness are important to athletic success and are not crucial for health.
These components are speed, power, agility, balance, reaction time and coordination. The five
health-related components are important for health and performance of daily functional activities.
These components are cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance,
flexibility and body composition.

Health-Related Components of Physical Fitness

1. Cardiorespiratory Endurance. Probably the most important fitness component is

cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE), the ability of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to deliver
oxygen and essential nutrients to the working muscles and remove waste products during vigorous
physical activity. Your life depends on the efficient functioning of your cardiorespiratory system.
Research shows that vigorous exercise is needed to keep your heart healthy and prevent heart
disease. Good CRE is also needed if you want to enjoy running, swimming, cycling, and other
vigorous activities to live at the peak of health and enjoy a full life.

2. Muscular Strength. Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle to exert one maximal
force against resistance. Short-duration, high-intensity efforts such as moving furniture, lifting a
heavy suitcase, and lifting a 100-pound weight one time are examples. Strength is important in
sports whether you are hitting a tennis ball, running, jumping, or throwing. Weight training is the
best way to enhance strength and provides health benefits needed across the life span.

3. Muscular Endurance. Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to exert repeated

force against resistance or to sustain muscular contraction. It is characterized by activities of long
duration but low intensity, such as doing repetitions of push-ups or sit-ups. Muscular endurance is
essential in everyday activities such as housework, yard work, and recreational sports. Muscular
strength and endurance tend to decline with age along with activity levels, making it difficult to
perform daily activities such as getting in and out of a car and standing up from the floor. This loss
can be delayed and muscular fitness can be maintained by participating in a resistance training
program.

4. Flexibility. Flexibility is movement of a joint through a full range of motion. Flexibility

is essential to smooth, efficient movement and may help prevent muscle strains. It is specific to
each joint; you may have flexible shoulders but tight hip flexors or vice versa. Can you sit and
touch your toes without bending your knees? This requires hamstring flexibility. You need arm
and shoulder flexibility to scratch your back. Women usually have more joint flexibility than men
because men have bulkier skeletal muscles. Older adults may have trouble performing routine
tasks such as turning to watch traffic while driving and fastening clothes at the back when dressing
because flexibility diminishes with age. This loss can be countered if stretching is part of your
lifetime exercise program.
 5. Body Composition. Body composition is the amount of body fat in proportion to fat-
free weight. The ratio between body fat and fat-free weight is a better gauge of fatness than is body
weight alone. There are various ways to measure body composition, and all are superior to the
height/weight chart method. For instance, a height/weight chart may label a 6-foot, 210-pound
football player as overweight, when in reality he has only 10 percent body fat, as measured with
skinfold calipers. On the other hand, a sedentary person may look okay, but when body
composition is analyzed, it is calculated to be 30 percent body fat. Have your body composition
analyzed by a professional. Obesity is unhealthy, is uncomfortable, and is associated with
increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and joint and lower back
problem.

Becoming physically fit is a positive health habit that has a major impact on all dimensions
of wellness. It is one area where you can assume control of your lifestyle.

A SIMPLE ASSESSMENT/CHECKLIST OF PHYSICAL DIMENSION WELLNESS

Instruction: Read each statement carefully and respond honestly by using the following scoring:
Almost always – 2 points; Sometimes/Occasionally – 1 point; Very Seldom – 0 point. After
responding, add your total score.

____1. I engage in vigorous exercise (examples include jogging, brisk walking, swimming,
cycling) for 20 – 60 minutes at least four times per week.
____2. I eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
____3. I avoid tobacco products.
____4. I wear a seat belt while riding in and driving a car.
____5. I deliberately minimize my intake of cholesterol, dietary fats and trans fats.
____6. I avoid drinking alcoholic beverages or I consume no more than one (if woman) or two
(if man) drinks per day.
____7. I get 7 – 9 hours of sleep most nights.
____8. I have adequate coping mechanisms for dealing with stress.
____9. I maintain a regular schedule of immunizations, physical and dental check-ups (including
pap tests and blood pressure and cholesterol checks), and monthly self-exams of
breasts/testicles.
___10. I maintain a healthy weight, avoiding extremes of overweight and underweight.
Total Score _____

Scoring: 15 – 20 points means excellent strength in the physical dimension; 9 – 14 points means
there is room for improvement. Look again at the items in which you scored 1 or 0. What changes
can you make to improve your score?; 0 – 8 points means this needs a lot of work. Challenge
yourself to begin taking small steps toward growth.

Reference: Robbins, Gwen, Debbie Powers and Sharon Burges, A Fit and Well Way of Life, New
York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2008, pp. 7- 9, 25, 27, 63 – 64.