The rise in temperature reminds us how close we are from going on vacation, that is, if we are not already enjoying them. Vacation, that wonderful time in which we disconnect and we are… more relaxed?
Far from relaxing during this time off, many of us size this as the opportunity to travel, walk, start practicing new sports, etc. After endless hours in front of the computer with little time and a lack of desire to do anything else, we see this as an occasion where we want to make the most of that precious free time
Exercise, but be careful and do it in moderation.
After so many months of being inactive, our body may not be prepared for a sudden increase in activity, that may lead to the appearances of subluxations and injuries.
Check your spine with your doctor of chiropractic before you travel
Just as you take your car to the garage before going on a trip, you should remember to go to a chiropractic center so that your spine moves properly and your nervous system works at its full potential.
If you have exercised throughout the year, you should still be careful. You may have been preparing all year and think you are ready for all kinds of new activities.
Nevertheless, you should be cautious about the type of activity you do, as we often focus on increasing muscle strength but without thinking about body balance, which is even more important.
If you are planning to practice sports that require a lot of effort, pay attention and increase body balance, endurance and muscle strength.
A good way to achieve this is to combine activities such as walking, cycling, running or swimming with strength exercises such as sit-ups or push-ups.
Stretch in the morning and in the evening. After months of sitting still, the body is not ready for excessive exercise, you should stretch all your joints gently to prepare for the day and again in the evening to relax the muscles after the activity.
Warm up and stretch more deeply if you are going to perform a particular activity. If you are going to do a specific sport such as surfing, golfing or swimming, etc. you should first warm up for 5-10 minutes (it can be walking, easy, light running, jumping…) and after, do a stretch where you dedicate more time on the parts of the body that are going to be involved in the exercises, before you start the activity.
After your sports session, you should stretch again to help your muscles to recover.
Beware of activities that we consider harmless. Such as gardening for example. It is normal to take the opportunity and work in the garden, thinking that you are hardly making any effort.
However, it requires you to bend, rotate, use your arms, etc. It is important to to do a gentle warm-up before (walk 5-10 minutes), stretch all joints and always finish by doing a full extension and flexion of the spine.
Use the appropriate material for each exercise. Each activity has specific material that seeks to respect as much as possible the natural posture and balance of the body. Saving on ergonomics is costly in the long run.
Manage the activities. Do not try to do them all at once because you may hurt yourself, especially if your body is not correctly prepared for the level of activity.
Remember the postural tips and be careful with your positioning. Take advantage of and enjoy your well-deserved vacation.
Source: Centro Quiropráctico Retiro