“Now more than ever, it’s important we look after ourselves.” This is the message we’re being given and great advice. Alongside following social distancing and isolation guidelines, looking after ourselves is absolutely key.

One of the main ways in which we can do this is by taking part in regular exercise and activity.

But, for many, this is such a big change in routine and habits, we may be finding ourselves doing something totally new. And this can take it’s toll on the human body.

Whether you’re doing Joe Wicks’ daily PE, running lot’s more to make the most of your ‘daily exercise’ or trying a new dance class online, you need to be just as careful!

So, what steps can you take to make sure you stay injury free?

1. Start anything new gradually. You may be buzzing to do Joe Wicks 9am PE session every day, but if you’re not used to doing a 30 minute exercise session daily, you need to give your body some time to adapt.
2. Pace yourself. Try and start with a spaced out schedule and build it up gradually. Your body really needs to be able to adapt gradually to the demands placed upon it
3. Vary your activities. By all means, try a few online video home workouts, but mix it up by going for a walk or cycle (following latest social distancing rules), a bit or gardening, kick around with the kids or some spring cleaning!
4. Listen to your body! The same principles to preventing injuries still apply! Lot’s of the exercise videos online are very heavy on the knees and hips, with lot’s of body weight exercises such as squats. lunges, high impact activities. These can really cause issues if you aren’t used to doing this type of exercise or do too many or too often.
5. Don’t binge! Overall, as we’re not out and about so much, we are naturally moving less throughout the day. So, don’t be tempted to sit all day for hours on end and then suddenly jump up and do a 30 minute workout! It’s a good habit to move regularly throughout the day, so you’re keeping lightly active on a regular basis.

If you do find yourself with a new injury, a persistent ache or pain, then we’re still here for you. We can offer online video physio consultations – read more about these here.

If you’ve always thought about trying Pilates but never had the chance or are finding yourself with a bit more time, we also have a new Pilates Online service, with 4 new classes published every week and access to a whole library of Pilates classes. You can sign up here.

#StayHomeWorkOut