Farming was once considered a back breaking job but according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics half of the people living in regional areas of Australia are not getting enough physical activity.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Limestone Coast based Good Country Physiotherapy has partnered with the University of SA to work on addressing this issue.
Two final year physiotherapy students Cody Griffiths and Evan Gregoric, who are spending their health promotion placement in Naracoorte under the supervision of Good Country Physiotherapy director Angela Willsmore, have released a survey they hope Limestone Coast farmers will fill out highlighting the barriers and enablers to physical activity.
The recommended amount for adults according to the World Health Organisation is two and a half to five hours each week of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 1,25 to 2,5 hours of vigorous intensity exercise.
Ms Willsmore says country people often use the excuses they don't have time or live too far from facilities but she says they are seeing the consequences of farmers not being physically fit presenting with injuries.
"Traditionally farmers have always thought that they are quite active people in their work but even in my 20 years or so working in this space farming practices have changed and farmers are sitting more than ever, but they still have this idea in their head that they are very active," she said.
"With the seasonal nature of their work duties, the consequence is they may go and do something like work in the shearing shed all day that is different to their normal activities.
"The physical demands of working in the shed are quite different to sitting in the ute shifting stock or checking waters.
"They sometimes end up with an injury because they have not been doing physical type work like that for the rest of the year."
Ms Willsmore says there are long-term benefits to the whole community of farmers getting more active from lessening the risk of chronic disease and injury and "keeping them farming longer."
"With the average age of farmers in SA at 56 years, the state cannot afford inactive farmers," she said.
In the past six months Fat Farmers has expressed an interest in expanding its network into the Limestone Coast. Ms Willsmore says Good Country Physiotherapy- which has clinics at Keith, Bordertown, Naracoorte, Kingston SE and Millicent - is keen to support this.
"We would really like to see this get off the ground both from the mental health as well as physical health benefits, particularly given the dry start to the season," she said.
Mr Gregoric says they are hoping the survey results will highlight the best day and time that small groups of Limestone Coast farmers could come together and the types of activities they may be interested in.
Fat Farmers, which was first started on the Yorke Peninsula in 2012, encourages those living in rural communities to get active and connect with others through walking or gym sessions.
The survey closes on May 31.
