2020 has certainly thrown us all for a loop, am I right?
As the months under the COVID cloud linger on, we're all trying to find new habits and norms. Quarantine has rocked our world and called our normalcy into question.
Our old healthy routines don't always fit into the current situation we find ourselves in, whether that's because you're working from home, your old gym routine isn't feasible, or the goals you were training for have been put on hold.
As we've been caring for ourselves and other athletes around the city, we've learned a few lessons about how to approach this season:
1. Be Patient as You Start Something New
When the gyms closed, many active folks immediately took to running, biking, working out at home to keep their sanity.
On the optimistic side, maybe you’ve come out with a new passion! Maybe you tried something new that you would not have normally tried, and that's GREAT! There are so many ways to be active, and it's good for your body to experience different things.
These are all fantastic ways to be active, but be aware that as you make quick adjustments, many times the body can’t quite keep up with the demands.
As you work into a new exercise routine, don’t rush it. You’re working your body differently than you did before. Enjoy the change, but be careful not to ramp up too quickly, especially if it is totally new to you.
It's normal to experience some soreness as your body adjusts to something new, but if your aches and pains aren't resolving relatively quickly, you may be asking your body to do something that it lacks the underlying strength, mobility, or coordination to do right now. You may need a specialist to give you a more specific program to help you reach your new goals.
2. Use Your Newfound Flexibility
Over the past few months, many suddenly found ourselves trading an office desk for a dining room table. One positive about working from home is the freedom for more movement! It’s easy to move around and adjust more when you aren’t shackled to a desk.
Get up. Change positions. Get on your foam roller or do your stretches!
Here are a few of our favorite stretches:
Upper Back Tennis Ball Mobilization
Thoracic Spine Stretching
Z Sits
For many Memphis athletes, their training goals for 2020 were derailed as races and competitions across the country are being canceled. For many of our patients with lingering issues, this is actually a great time to take care of all the things you felt you didn't have time for before! The temptation of participation is certainly lower this year due to the circumstances.
Now is a great time to dial back to basics.
Work on form, get your problem areas treated, and make sure you’re even more resilient and prepared when the competition returns!
Your training doesn't have to stop, and you can emerge from 2020 stronger than before!
We're safely seeing Memphis athletes for Physical Therapy and Athletic Engineering in our clinic in the Broad Avenue Arts District. We're also offering Online Appointments for those who would rather receive treatment from their home.
If you're ready to strategically use this time to take a few steps forward in your training and deal with any lingering problems, we can guide you on the best ways to focus your time and attention.
CLICK HERE to tell us about yourself and your needs, and we can discuss your best next step!