Pay now or Pay later!

We hear it all the time.    A sedentary life style is a problem, and everyone needs to get out and exercise.  Our friend Len Polumbo in Chicago read one of our blogs entitled “Is Pilates too expensive?“, and it spurred him to do some research, and we asked him if we could share it with all of you.   An internet search on physical activity and any of these conditions listed below will cite numerous sources on the benefits of exercise for reducing, controlling, or eliminating them.

Since it’s hard to measure costs that are avoided, because people who exercise generally feel better, Len looked at the cost of some very common chronic conditions in adults and compared them to how many Pilates classes you could have for that dollar amount.   We added some stats about the prevelance of those conditions in the United States.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):

About 1 in 3 adults in the US have hypertension and only about 1/2 have their blood pressure under control.  (From personal experience, I can share that my blood pressure goes down about 10 points when I am exercising more than 3 times per week.)   Annual expenditures* for those treated for hypertension averaged $781 per adult in 2012. At $15 per class that’s equivalent to 48 Pilates mat classes or about once per week.

42% of women over 45 suffer from osteoarthritis (just 37% of men).   Annual expenditures* for those treated for osteoarthritis and other non-traumatic joint disorders averaged $1,932 per adult in 2012. At $15 per class that’s equivalent to 128 Pilates mat classes or about two times per week.

It is estimated that 84% of adults have back pain at some time in their life.   Annual expenditures* for those treated for back problems averaged $2,019 per adult in 2012. At $15 per class that’s equivalent to 134 Pilates mat classes or almost three times per week.

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the US.  The same report notes that 9.3% of the American population had diabetes in 2012, and that number increases to over 25% for adults over 65.   Annual expenditures* for those treated for diabetes averaged $2,536 per adult in 2012. At $15 per class that’s equivalent to 169 Pilates mat classes or about three times per week.

Where would you rather spend your money?   On personalized fitness classes?   Or on copays for clinic visits, prescription costs, and hospital stays?    I’m staying with Pilates!  If you have a friend or relative that you’d like to bring to the studio, Carey is offering a complimentary first class for them!   Just call the studio first, to make sure there will be room in the class!

* Annual Expenditures Includes Hospital Outpatient or Office-Based Provider Visits, Hospital Inpatient Stays, Emergency Room Visits, Prescribed Medicines, Home Health Services