As Chicagoans continue to remain largely indoors due to our shelter-in-place through at least the end of May, they are finding new ways to stay active amid the pandemic. Chicagoans are now turning to sports and activities that they may not have considered previously or done such as running, Yoga, and other workouts. As the pandemic continues to change how we live our lives, it is important to stay active and healthy. Sitting for long periods working from home now, it is critical to stay active or your spine and other areas of your body will weaken, causing atrophy of your muscles and thus, more prone to injury.

Athletes who are considering changing up their sports/activities now that they are forced to during the pandemic should prepare and spend a few minutes researching their new sport prior to beginning that new activity. Often, discussing your new sport/activity with a sports chiropractor or a sports doctor allows one to discuss your concerns, and to formulate a plan to minimize injury. This will create a better regimen to maximize efficiency and productivity with your new sport.

In addition to creating a game plan to prevent injury during your new sport/activity, cross-training should remain part of your exercise regimen. Challenging your muscles, joints, and ligaments creates increased strength, enhanced physiological function, and greater elasticity in these tissues minimizing the risk of injury. Whether you consider Yoga, Pilates, or weight training (to name a few), mixing up different workouts outside of your new sport will create muscle confusion preventing overuse to your muscles, joints, and/or ligaments causing injury.

As we continue to trudge through this pandemic, finding something new to enjoy from a sports perspective can hopefully take your mind off what is going on for just a short time. Taking the necessary precautions and consulting with the correct health professional(s) will ensure a proper transition to enjoying your new sport/activity.

Brian Marion, DC, CCSP, ART, CKTP

Lincoln Park Chiropractic 2202 N. Lincoln Ave Suite 1 Chicago 60614

https://lincolnparkchiropractic.com (773) 248-2790