Take Charge of Your Health: Schedule a Checkup with Your Doctor during the New Year

In the midst of all the 2017 resolutions and plans, don’t forget to make time for your health! Although exercise and nutrition goals are among the most popular New Year’s resolutions, there is another area of health and wellbeing that is often overlooked in our busy lives: that of preventative and routine health care.

The Importance of Regular Checkups 

Before you make radical lifestyle changes for the New Year, it’s important to find out where your health stands. Although exercise and diet regimens may sound like a good idea, they may not always be right for everyone. It’s important to discuss major changes in your health routine with your doctor beforehand. 

Regular checkups can also catch health problems early on, before they develop into something more serious. Many, if not most, health conditions are easier to treat the earlier they are found.

It is also a good idea to have regular checks of your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, as well as stay current on vaccinations and routine screenings for common cancers, such as prostate, breast, cervical, and colorectal. 

Routine care is so important in preventing and catching disease that according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are even designated national health days in order to raise awareness about lifesaving exams and screenings. Consider scheduling appointments, and spreading the word, in honor of:

• National Women’s Checkup Day: the first Monday after Mother’s Day each year.
• National Men’s Health Week: the week before Father’s Day each year.

The Time is Now

The start of a new year is the perfect time to remind yourself to schedule a checkup for yourself, as well as the other members of the family. Doctors’ appointments can book up quickly, so be sure to plan in advance and schedule well ahead of time. 

We at Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center wish you a happy and healthy 2017!

Robinwood Orthopaedic Specialty Center has four convenient locations in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania in order to serve the whole family. We specialize in injuries and diseases of the joints, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, offering diagnostic and surgical services, fracture care, sports medicine, physical therapy and more for patients of all ages. For more information, please visit our site or call (301) 665-4950.