As we head into the busy Christmas period our days are consumed with trying to find the perfect Christmas present, planning our 5 course Christmas lunch, and attending Christmas parties. The great plans you have put in place over the year to focus on your health and well-being can be put on the back burner.
So how can we stay active over the festive season?
With family coming from inter-state or having some well-deserved time off work can make it hard to stay active. But the best exercise is the exercise that gets done. Enjoy the Summer weather and head out for a walk along the beach or join the kids for a bike ride.
Importance of continuing your treatment plan even if you're busy.
Maybe you haven’t managed to get in both sets of exercises, but one is better than nothing! It's important to keep up with your physio treatment and recommendations. Just remember pain won’t go on holiday just because you are!
Stay active but don’t overdo it.
WHOO! You have some time off! Time to get into the swing of things and really commit to your treatment plan. But wait. Be careful. We have set specific exercises and their parameters cautiously so as to progressively improve muscle control/strength or improve cardiovascular fitness. It is important to adhere to these parameters as to not injure yourself. Only progress your exercises if your physiotherapist has shown you the safe way to do so.
Avoid sitting for long periods.
After a big Christmas lunch, we understand you may just want to sit around the table with your family, but this can actually cause you more pain. The body is made to move. If you stay in a prolonged position it can lead to an increase in your symptoms or even new symptoms. We recommend getting up and moving every 30 minutes to help keep thing pain free. Don't forget your good posture, pelvic tilts movements, and physio aids such as a lumbar cushion or a spiky ball.
Buy gifts that encourage physical activity.
Unsure of what to buy? Encourage fitness and activity! Seek activity and adventure-based presents instead of things that can cause health issues and injuries. This not only keeps people active but often is more enjoyable and creates long-lasting memories.
Increased injury risk.
Any new activity can increase the risk of injury. It doesn’t matter if it's an ‘easy’ activity, it can still be enough to cause you pain. When we are thrown out of our daily structure our body doesn’t know what to do with itself. Most injuries are caused by prolonged positions, poor posture, overload, repetitive movements, or unusual activities. We can reduce the risk of injuries by paying attention to what we are doing and being more body aware.
Don’t ignore the pain but have fun.
The quicker you seek treatment for pain or any other type of symptom the better and quicker results you’ll have. Luckily for you, we are only closed on public holidays, so we are always here to help. If you can’t get to us quickly then I recommend ICING 15 minutes every 2-3 hours and avoid any activity that makes it worse.
Written by Shayne Richter, Physiotherapist.
Shayne moved from Kangaroo Island to study physiotherapy at the University of South Australia. Through her university studies, she has developed an enthusiasm for helping people achieve their goals and live their best life. Shayne is dedicated to empowering people to take charge of their own health outcomes and challenging their perceptions of lifelong health. She is passionate about educating clients on how best to help themselves through exercise-based rehabilitation and independence and is our GLA:D trained physiotherapist, helping those with hip or knee pain.