Staying Healthy and Injury Free Post Lockdown
Despite the delay, the lockdowns seem to be coming to an end and more and more people we see are getting out and doing more activity than they have done for a long time. Whether this is getting back into the old routine with gyms reopening or getting outdoors again with the weather improving. A lot of us have been taking up new hobbies like playing golf, going for a jog, or home improvements like getting out in the garden while we’ve been at home more.
First of all, this is all great! But we’ve heard a lot of people recently saying the same things:
“Everything has just re-opened! I don’t want to stop now because of pain!”
“I have been more active after the lockdown, but why would my pain get worse?”
This can be easily explained, and we’ll go through some top tips later to stay healthy and injury free post lockdown. When the lockdowns happened, our lives changed drastically, including how we moved and exercised. A lot of our normal options were taken away and the amount of exercise we were able to do became limited as well. Like with anything, the body takes time to adjust to these changes. We had a lot of clients who worked in offices that went from perfect office set ups to “do it yourself” home desks at a moment’s notice. Gym goers who started taking up running or home-based exercise. These are just a couple of examples of how lockdown had a huge effect on our daily routines.
Fast-forward to now, having spent the best part of 18 months getting used to ‘the new normal’, getting into new exercise, new hobbies and in general being allowed to do far more than we have been, takes time for the body to adapt to. We can’t expect to become Tiger Woods or Alan Titchmarsh over night!
So, what can be done? It’s important to emphasise that trying new exercise/hobbies and keeping active is never a bad thing. But when we overload the body, the muscles and joints can take too much strain, causing fatigue, muscle tension and stiffness, leading to injuries.
Here are Some Top Tips to Stay Healthy and Injury Free Post Lockdown:
Build Up to New Hobbies – when starting anything new, remember your body is not used to this. It is absolutely vital that we allow the body time to adapt to new movements. Muscles and joints then avoid these pressures which can cause the aches and pains which lead to injuries that hold us back from doing the things we love to do. Think of a cyclist that takes up boxing and starts going 5 days a week. Both sports use completely different muscles in different ways, and by not gradually building up the new boxing exercise, it could cause lots of aches and pains, or worse, serious injury. If you are taking up a new hobby or sport, or in general starting to be more active, start with limited days and hours and gradually ease into it. This could be for a couple hours 2-3 times a week to begin with, then building up by 1-2 hours after the first 3-4 weeks and adding an extra day from here as well. This gives the body the necessary time to adjust and any aches and pains you may get will be far easier come the end of the ‘settling in period’.
Warm Up, Cool Down – Regularly forgotten about but so important. Before and after any exercise its still so important to get the body ready for what you are about to do. Even if you’re only getting out in the garden or playing with the grandkids in the park, it’s still important to follow these simple tips to avoid aches pains and potential injuries. Some simple stretches can help loosen the muscles before you start. Holding these for 8-10 seconds, repeating 2-3 times, helps to loosen the joints and muscles around key joints like the ankles, knees, hips and the back. Even simply having a short 2-3-minute walk before starting any exercise can really help get the body warmed up and ready. Don’t forget, once you’ve finished your exercise make sure you follow these steps again for your cool down to avoid any stiffness later on or the following day.
Get Professional Advice – if you are suffering with pain, or just generally unsure about how to keep yourself in the best shape and injury free post lockdown, get some expert advice from a professional. Being able to talk more specifically about your own issues and analyse your own situation can give a lot more peace of mind that you are doing the right thing. Even if it’s over the phone, virtual or face to face, we are always here to help and give the best advice possible to keep you doing what you love without the fear of pain and injury holding you back.