Spring time activities can lead to lifelong injury

As the warm weather quickly approaches and the snow melts, you are getting excited about all those spring activities you love to do like golfing, biking, soccer, hiking, running and many more!

In your excitement to get outdoors you may forget to properly prepare for spring activities, which can lead to serious injury.

Here are a few tips that will get you back into a warm weather exercise routine.  This year make a healthy transition from winter to our great Okanagan summer!

Preparation reduces injuries and improves performance

 

Stretch your body in preparation to doing physical activities. Stretching increases flexibility and helps to avoid strains or sprain injuries.

 

Be aware of your balance as you venture out onto uneven terrain. Paths, fields and other uneven walkways activate different muscle fibers that have been dormant for the winter months. When you work on your balance along with your exercises, your walking, jogging and running performance will improve and your risk of falling or tripping will decrease.

 

Pace yourself with your activities. After a long, cold winter feeling cooped up, we often want to rush into our activities and we end up over exerting ourselves. Pace yourself the first few weeks with any activities that you have not done all winter. This will help keep you on track for injury free performance. Remember not to do too much initially. Allow your body to adjust in order to prevent injuries that force you to take time off.

 

Healthy eating habits are very helpful as you prepare your body for spring activities. During winter months we often turn to comfort foods. These foods can be rich in high fats and contain loads of carbs. Spring is a great time to rethink your diet and embrace the abundant seasonal produce of the Okanagan.  A healthier diet will help you feel lighter on your feet to enjoy spring activities.