ATHENS, Ohio – With trees leafing out, birds singing and flowers blooming, nature is waking up from a long winter’s nap.
Human beings also feel the pull of longer days and warmer weather.
“This is a time when people want to come out of hibernation and get the winter weight off,” Dr. Sergio Ulloa, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with OhioHealth Physician Group in Athens, said.
For many people, that’s easier said than done. Some are still shaking off winter doldrums, while others have been recovering from injury or illness, and dread the idea of getting back into regular physical activity after a long layoff. By starting slowly, setting achievable goals and celebrating the small wins, experts say people can enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle, no matter how long they’ve been idle.
When re-starting physical activities, try to avoid comparing yourself to where you were when you stopped exercising. Instead, establish a new baseline and use that as a benchmark, experts say.
Fear of re-injury prevents some people from jumping back in, Ulloa said.
“I’ve had patients who’ve injured themselves during a sport or activity who say, ‘I’m never doing that again.’ In that case, we can ask, what else can you do?,” he said.
If running or tennis is off the table, swimming or cycling might be good alternatives.
Walk, don’t run
No matter what activity you’re starting or resuming, “go slow,” Ulloa advised. “We’ve all gone too fast, and that can cause injury.”
For example, he may counsel runners to begin by walking five minutes for every minute they run and gradually increasing the running intervals.
Similarly, rather than trying to work out for an hour a day, start with smaller segments, such as walking 20 minutes a day the first week, then increasing it to 30 minutes the next. Another tool is to break exercise into shorter segments throughout the day. For example, someone could do 10 minutes of yoga in the morning, squats at noon, then take a 15-minute walk after dinner.
The aim is for consistency and continuity, Ulloa said, so that physical activity becomes a habit and not a chore.
Another essential ingredient in safely resuming physical activity is including warm-up periods to prepare the body for exercise and cool-down segments to recover from the work afterward. Especially for people resuming activity after injury or illness, rest and nutrition are critical, Ulloa said.
“Sleep is so vitally important; it’s the best medicine. It’s like re-booting the computer,” he said.
Lack of sleep also predisposes people to soft-tissue injuries, such as muscle and ligament tears. When it comes to nutrition, protein and hydration are your allies; empty calories are not, Ulloa said.
What motivates you?
Spending time in the great outdoors? Making and maintaining social connections? Preventing serious illness? All are good reasons to be physically fit, Ulloa said.
Particularly in Athens County, “we are so lucky to have wood and trails and lakes that provide opportunities for people to enjoy being outdoors. We want to help people manage and recover from injuries so we can enjoy what we have here.”
