Finally – winter is behind us and spring is here! At last, the Long Island weather is nice and warm, and it’ll only get better in the months ahead. However, the whole world has been contending with the colossal challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year. Generally, this meant a full year being mostly indoors. Therefore, it also meant gaining excess quarantine weight. Of course, it’s a lot easier to abandon our diet and exercise plans in a pandemic than it is to commit to them. But now, the release of the COVID-19 vaccine means a potential return to normalcy in the near future. Also, along with the end of winter, this suggests that now’s the time to dive into a springtime exercise regimen and stay healthy for the rest of 2021.
With the arrival of spring comes warm temperatures and an end to winter slip and fall risks. Additionally, spring brings the wider availability of outdoor spaces. As a result, your options for potential exercises increases by a substantial margin. At Central Orthopedic Group, we want each of our patients to maintain healthy lifestyles – whether that involves nutrition, fitness or injury prevention. As Long Island’s leading orthopedists, our usual focus is on diagnosing and treating sports injuries. However, we also want you to maintain optimal health and fitness. This way, you can stay active and, ideally, avoid injuries altogether. In this post, we’ll explore a few fantastic springtime exercises that can help you do just that.
1. Hiking
Many fitness enthusiasts recommend hiking each spring because of its full-body engagement. More often than not, it involves carrying some considerable weight, usually in the form of backpacks. Therefore, it’s effective at reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, building muscle and enhancing bone density.
Like any form of exercise, hiking is one you must do safely. For example: correct footwear is very important if you’re planning a hike. Obviously, something flimsy and unsupportive like flip-flops aren’t acceptable. A sturdy pair of hiking boots will keep your feet protected from the many injuries that unstable terrain and long exertion can induce.
2. Running
It’s no longer bitterly cold! For many, that means it’s time to lace up their finest running sneakers and prepare to hit the pavement. Of course, running is perhaps the purest form of cardio exercise, which makes it effective physically. However, running is also beneficial for mental health, as well.
Consistent runs can alleviate depression, reduce stress/anxiety, eliminate fat, improve heart health and reinforce our joints, to name a few. But, like hiking, it can lead to a summertime orthopedic injury if you don’t proceed cautiously. “Runner’s knee” is a condition which ranks among the most common injuries affecting runners. Basically, “runner’s knee” describes any pain around the kneecap that you can work to reduce with low-impact exercises. Also, you can reduce the risk of injury with simple stretches, proper footwear and the gradual increase in distance and terrain intensity.
3. Swimming
What’s one thing most of us can’t wait for every year? Swimming, of course! Once the summer’s in full swing, diving in the ocean or a pool is one of the most rewarding rites of passage of the season. Also, many consider swimming to be among the finest forms of exercise anyone can do. In addition to being an enjoyable and relaxing past time, it’s also fantastic for your health.
Like running, many find swimming to reinforce their mental health as much as their physical health. A swim routine provides an effective, low-impact therapy for some injuries, like hip pain, while strengthening the body’s ability to resist future ones. Also, regular swimming can greatly improve flexibility, range of motion, coordination, balance and posture. Of course, many find it to be the best method of toning and refining their physique, as well. Our minds can flourish in the process, too – as swimming can alleviate stress, tension and anxiety, while easing depression and even potentially improving sleep cycles.
Conclusion – Central Orthopedic Group
There’s no finer place to be during the spring and summer than on Long Island! And as Long Island’s premium orthopedic specialists, we want our patients and community to navigate the season as actively, safely and healthily as possible. Each of these three exercises present numerous opportunities to enhance your fitness, maintain (or restore) an active lifestyle, and give your body a greater resistance to sports injuries.