The first week of March 2012 my travels took me to the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was there to give a talk at the annual meeting of the Association of Academic Physiatrists. Physiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in musculoskeletal problems and are also known as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors. I was in Las Vegas to talk to them about the importance of exercise to health and the fact that walking every day is a powerful medication, that can be used to treat and prevent a variety of conditions. It is my hope that these physicians will return to their office and begin to prescribe walking to their patients.

Like always, I let them know about the Every Body Walk! initiative and encouraged them to use this web site as a resource for their patients. I also suggested they download the Every Body Walk app for their smart phones and use it to track their own walking and recommend it to their patients. About 500 doctors attended my talk and they were very interested and supportive of the concept that Exercise Is Medicine.

While I was there of course I got my walking in. Given that the Red Rock Resort is off the strip and the weather was a bit on the cool side, I decided to do my walking indoors on a treadmill. The gym at the resort is very nice and it was a comfortable place to do my walking. One of the great things about walking is that it can be done anywhere. A couple weeks ago, I walked in the mall and on this trip I again walked indoors, but this time on a treadmill. It is important to realize that the benefits of walking are the same, no matter where you do it. Walking on a treadmill every day will give you the same benefit as walking outside. While I do enjoy walking outside a bit more, it is nice to know I can always get my walking done inside on a treadmill if I do not feel like braving the elements that day.

I hope you are well and that you are walking!

Bob