5 Tips to Avoid Injury This Spring
Yesterday my husband and I worked many hours in our garden. We tore down fencing, lots of mulch shoveling and many trips pulling the cart of mulch to and from the mulch pile to the garden. This morning, well, we’re both a little sore.
This is the time of year where we all break out of our winter hibernation and start to clean up our yards, flower beds and garden. Some start increasing their training regimen for the coveted Lincoln Half and Full Marathon.
Whatever it may be, here’s 5 tips to {hopefully} avoid injury this spring:
#1: Start moving consistently
Consistent, daily movement will prepare the body for more rigorous activity. Aim for 30-60 minutes of dedicated exercise. Start at your current fitness level. Whether that’s simply walking with a few resistance band exercises or a dedicated weight and running program, start moving.
My schedule: 3 days of HIIT cardio, 4-5 days of lifting, 3-4 days of cycling. Yoga daily to use as a stretching program (sorry, yogi’s).
#2: Stretch
Stretching allows the muscles to recover. If you’re doing static stretching, like the stretching we all did in grade school where we counted to 10 and moved on…hold the stretch until you feel that muscle release. It may be a 20-45 sec hold. Foam rolling is another great option. Using a tennis ball to get into tender spots can be beneficial. I personally use yoga as a means for stretching due to the isometric contraction yoga movements places on the muscles. Please note, I dislike stretching as much as many of you do.
#3: Ice or Heat
Ice and/or heat can be your best friend as you’re increasing the demand on your body. For any acute, just happened sort of ache and pain I prefer to use ice for 10-15 minutes on the part that need some lovin’. Please don’t apply ice directly to your skin. Have a barrier, like a hand towel between the ice pack and your skin. If the pain is more chronic in nature, like you’ve had it before the protocol is ice for 5 min, heat for 10 and ice for a remaining 5. Take the time and do this for your body. Ice assists with combating joint and muscle inflammation and heat brings blood flow into the muscle. You can also read more about when to use ice vs. heat on our blog post here.
#4: Hydrate
Water is necessary for your body and the processes it goes through to keep you alive and well. Water also helps flush out toxins and inflammation that accumulate in the body. Your hydration goal should be half of your body weight, and consume that many ounces of water. For example, if you weight 100 pounds, your water target is 50 ounces of water per day. This principle can trickle down to your kids as well. Tired of straight water? Add citrus to your water like lemon or grapefruit. Citrus fruits are great for detox as well as helping your system maintain a balanced pH level.
#5: Consistent Chiropractic Care
Consistent chiropractic care will increase range of motion in your joints, decrease muscular tension and help your body adapt to stress, easier. If injury does occur, those under consistent chiropractic care tend to have faster healing as your body is already in tune for healing.
We have highlighted some of the benefits of chiropractic, especially in the golden years on the blog. You can click here to read that information.
