The days are getting longer and that winter chill is about to fade... believe it or not, the first day of spring is TODAY. Before long flowers will bloom, grass will turn green and everyone will come out of hibernation and get back to being active again! Everyone can benefit from the surge of motivation that comes with beautiful weather, but with ramping up physical activity there are some tricks to keeping yourself injury free.
START SLOW
Less is more when it comes to those first few steps in getting back to shape. To reduce risk of injury or prevent excessive soreness use the 70% rule - Whatever the activity, only push yourself to a maximum of 70% of what you think you are capable of doing - then build slowly from there. There are many baby steps to take before reaching your final goal.
Beginner Tip: Start with getting out for a brisk walk after dinner. This healthy habit gets the heart rate up, provide a great stress relief, aids digestion and can be the perfect, simple starting point if you’ve been mostly sedentary over the winter months.
STRETCH
It’s important to “shake the rust off your joints” before starting back to physical activity. Spend a little extra time before and after exercise to stretch and mobilize stiff muscles and joints. This will best prepare yourself for activity and reduce soreness after your workout. Also listen to your body. Tune into the specific areas of your body that tend to accumulate tension - Is it your low back? neck/shoulders? Hip flexors? Calfs? We all have areas where we need to give special attention.
Need help with stretches or would like to know more about your body? - Now would be a great time to come in for an initial assessment or try our JustStretch service.
HYDRATE AND NOURISH YOUR BODY
To best transition back to physical activity, be sure you are drinking LOTS of water and giving your body the nutrients it needs to perform. Healthy protein and fat sources are necessary for energy, tissue repair and hormone production. If you notice that you feel “brain fog” or excessive fatigue during the day following exercise, this can be a sign that you need to address your fuel intake. Come in to see Dr. Sandy if you’d like to learn more about nutrition and performance.
IF YOU HAPPEN TO INJURE YOURSELF OR FEEL PAIN/DISCOMFORT - DON’T WAIT!
Letting an injury or dysfunction linger will only make matters worse and potentially become chronic. Come into our clinic right away - One of our experienced clinicians will diagnose your specific issue, get you back to performing pain-free and create a plan for preventing future issues.