Spring into an Active Summer
After a long winter with shorter days and less exercise isn’t it great to get outside and be active again? With the enjoyment of a more active lifestyle some are suddenly hampered by aches and pains. Frustrating - just when you ramp up the fun your body tells you to stop!
It may seem obvious to most from simple observation but it is statistically true that people ramp up their activity from Spring into Summer with the Fall being the least active time of year. The cyclical nature of seasonal activity levels plots out on a chart like an annual rolling wave.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/151424/health-habits-continue-steep-winter-decline.aspx
My observation from years in clinic however was that injury rates relating to physical activity were higher in the Spring compared to the Summer. At first this seems at odds with the activity chart above. Shouldn’t activity levels and injury levels peak at the same time? What I witnessed however was that people adapted to their new activity level and became stronger and more flexible as the weeks went by in the Spring. So come summer our bodies were performing well and injury levels reduced.
This highlights the importance of pacing yourself in the Spring to give your body a change to adapt well. I like to use the analogy of a runner training for a marathon. You wouldn’t expect to train vigorously for a couple of weeks and then run 26 miles! The best advice was always to increase the distance you ran by no more than 10% per week.
Our bodies still often need help along the way despite taking an optimal approach to Spring activity. Afterall pain and injury can still derail the best intentions. When this happens, frustration can set in with our inability to get out there and enjoy our favourite activity.
I know from my experience in clinic that helping someone recover in a situation like this isn’t just about managing injury and pain. It’s really about helping you get back to the lifestyle you love. It doesn’t matter whether that’s enjoying a light stroll through the neighborhood, having a productive day of gardening or engaging in a full-on intense session of your favourite sport. Everyone has something they love doing. Being able to enjoy that activity is a big contributor to quality of life.
Don’t let your body slow you down this Spring. The best way to keep yourself active is to pace yourself, practice prevention and deal with issues quickly when they come up. I love when people take a natural approach to their physical health:
Engage in a regular stretching routine or yoga
Vary your activity type, duration and intensity
Seek professional help when you need
Our line of natural CBD products are truly an extension of my work in clinic. I love that they harness the power of plant based cannabinoids to deliver fast acting effects. If you haven’t tried them yet we have a Spring promotion running this month. If you already love our products, take advantage of this promo and top up for your activity ramp-up. And of course, please tell others! It’s great to share so everyone benefits.
Enjoy your Spring! Be active and reap all the benefits.
Dr. K
It may seem obvious to most from simple observation but it is statistically true that people ramp up their activity from Spring into Summer with the Fall being the least active time of year. The cyclical nature of seasonal activity levels plots out on a chart like an annual rolling wave.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/151424/health-habits-continue-steep-winter-decline.aspx
My observation from years in clinic however was that injury rates relating to physical activity were higher in the Spring compared to the Summer. At first this seems at odds with the activity chart above. Shouldn’t activity levels and injury levels peak at the same time? What I witnessed however was that people adapted to their new activity level and became stronger and more flexible as the weeks went by in the Spring. So come summer our bodies were performing well and injury levels reduced.
This highlights the importance of pacing yourself in the Spring to give your body a change to adapt well. I like to use the analogy of a runner training for a marathon. You wouldn’t expect to train vigorously for a couple of weeks and then run 26 miles! The best advice was always to increase the distance you ran by no more than 10% per week.
Our bodies still often need help along the way despite taking an optimal approach to Spring activity. Afterall pain and injury can still derail the best intentions. When this happens, frustration can set in with our inability to get out there and enjoy our favourite activity.
I know from my experience in clinic that helping someone recover in a situation like this isn’t just about managing injury and pain. It’s really about helping you get back to the lifestyle you love. It doesn’t matter whether that’s enjoying a light stroll through the neighborhood, having a productive day of gardening or engaging in a full-on intense session of your favourite sport. Everyone has something they love doing. Being able to enjoy that activity is a big contributor to quality of life.
Don’t let your body slow you down this Spring. The best way to keep yourself active is to pace yourself, practice prevention and deal with issues quickly when they come up. I love when people take a natural approach to their physical health:
Engage in a regular stretching routine or yoga
Vary your activity type, duration and intensity
Seek professional help when you need
Our line of natural CBD products are truly an extension of my work in clinic. I love that they harness the power of plant based cannabinoids to deliver fast acting effects. If you haven’t tried them yet we have a Spring promotion running this month. If you already love our products, take advantage of this promo and top up for your activity ramp-up. And of course, please tell others! It’s great to share so everyone benefits.
Enjoy your Spring! Be active and reap all the benefits.
Dr. K