Lockdown affected all of us in many different ways. In order to cope with lockdown and its effects, a lot of people turned to exercise, whether it be to keep in shape after overindulging, help with their physical and mental well being or just for something to do.

 

Since lockdown, we have lowered the levels of sedentary adults in the country with the figure dropping to 11% compared to 22% for the same time last year.

 

However, this new found enthusiasm for exercise has led to an increase in sport related and home exercise related injuries. It is estimated that only a quarter of those injured have not sought any professional help in relation to their injury, and a lot of these people have turned to Dr. Google for diagnosis and treatment.

 

So what is the best way to prevent injuries?

 

1. Warm up

While just going straight into you exercise routine might save you some time, a warm up is essential to gradually increase your heart rate and to warm up your body with some light stretches and movements

 

2. Be familiar with your body

Pain is a warning signal to your body, usually telling you to slow down to stop what you’re doing. Make sure you listen to your body and whatever it is telling you.

 

3. Slow down

Don’t expect to be able to run a marathon or do 100 push ups in one go if you’ve only been training for a couple of weeks. Give your body time. We increase our risk of injuries if we increase the load on our bodies too quickly.

 

4. Vary your exercises 

Make sure you’re not repeating the same exercises over and over again. If you do, you may find that you might plateau or even worse, pick up an overuse injury by doing this.

 

5. Have some fun!

Make sure you’re doing a form of exercise you enjoy. Having fun is the best motivator out there and you’re more likely to stick with it. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t stick with it.

 

If it is a case you have picked up an injury over the last few months that you haven’t dealt with, make sure you get it seen to. Make sure you get in touch with us to find the best course of action to get you back to normal!

 

Sources: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ie/impact-covid-19-restrictions-sport-and-recreational-walking

https://www.bupa.com/newsroom/news/lockdown-sport-injuries