Winter is on its way out. Spring is on its way in. Know what that means? Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.
Once the temperature gets above 50 degrees, West Virginians are ready to return to their regularly scheduled activities like spring cleaning, walking, golfing, gardening, and mowing. At Country Roads Physical Therapy, we want to prepare you to enjoy the warmth instead of suffering from pain inside.
Read on to discover our best tips for maintaining your health in the coming months.
Start Slow
We get it. It’s warm––you want to get out there! The most common mistake people make during this time of the year is to jump back into hobbies and household chores before reacclimating to the outside world.
Without regard for stretching, warmups, or failure to prepare your body before jogging or cleaning out the garage could lead to a pesky injury. A physical therapist can help you to:
- Improve balance
- Increase endurance
- Build strength
- Prevent falls
- Improve flexibility
- Improve performance
Like any active person, it starts with those slow and initial movements that enable them to develop strength and endurance. Weight training may lead someone to lift an impressive amount of weight, but if they injure themselves, their skills are moot.
Take your time to reacclimate for the springtime––it’ll pay off in the end.
Seek Out Physical Therapy
People tend to lounge more during the hibernating months. Physical therapy provides a needed check, after all those days of sitting, eating, and watching television. Getting things like your neck and spine are aligned ultimately reduces the risk of incurring an injury or the pressure one might feel on their neurological system.
Physical therapy exists, in part, to help you get back to your normal routine and daily activities.
Stretch, Stretch, Stretch
Returning to the ballfield or court can cause someone to increase their lifting, bending, twisting, and turning. This can lead to unnecessary strains on certain muscles and tendons. Jogging and walking are also prime targets for injury.
Your physical therapist can show you new ways to perform tasks, stretches, and muscle training to avoid the risk of an injury and to help you enjoy the sunrays.
Sitting to Sprinting
The winter months make us sedentary. We sit, sleep, eat, and watch. Physical therapy encourages a change in your cardio habits (30 minutes/day). Elevating your heart rate doubles as mitigation for contracting illnesses.
In no time, you’ll move from sitting and basic cardio exercises to running, hiking, and biking.
Call Country Roads Physical Therapy Today!
Are you ready to enjoy the sunshine? We are, and we can help you prepare.
With our state-of-the-art equipment, aquatic facility, and ASTYM/Functional Dry Needling treatment options, our hands-on techniques are perfect for treating aches, winter injuries, age-related pain, and other muscle and body pains.
Make an appointment or find additional information at www.countryroadspt.com. We have locations in West Fairmont, East Fairmont, Buckhannon, Wheeling, Morgantown, and Whitehall, West Virginia.