COVID-19: Stay at home doesn’t mean stay on the couch!

COVID-19 “stay at home” order does not mean to quit moving and stay on the couch…. The TOPS Physical Therapy Team IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU through the good times and the COVID times 🙂 Our team strides to provide you with all the tools and resources to keep your health and wellbeing at the “TOPS”! One of the best tips we can give you is to stay moving! We understand that the coronavirus pandemic has likely caused massive changes to your life and routine; however, it’s crucial to remember that exercise and movement are necessary for our mental and physical health.

Don’t allow the quarantine to give you the “COVID-19”…. get up and move!

“Get up and move” is an essential during COVID-19. Think of movement and exercise as FREE MEDICINE! Movement through exercise gets your heart beating and your blood flowing. Increased blood flow allows new oxygen and nutrients to be carried throughout the body! This free medicine benefits your blood pressure, blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, helps with weight management/weight loss, relieves pain and more!

I know I need movement…. But, where do I start?

A good start is Moderate Exercise: Each day, it’s recommended to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise or 20 minutes of vigorous activity ON TOP of our daily activities. Since many people are affected by the “stay at home” orders, walking around work and climbing stairs are less common, thus we have to do even more! Here is a list of ideas for you to do:

    • Home workouts (some examples: pushups, lunges, air squats, jump rope, core work-crunches/planks/bicycles/mountain climbers/etc.)
    • Walks around the neighborhood
    • Swimming in your backyard pool now that it’s warming up
    • Biking
    • Hiking
    • Rollerblading
    • Stairs at home (going up and down your stairs a few times or for time)
    • etc! 

Does exercise affect mood, especially since we are all cooped up inside?

Have you noticed changes in your mood since the “stay at home” order? Are you feeling stressed and depressed? Exercise also helps with that! Why?!? Exercising releases those “feel-good” endorphins, reduces anxiety and boosts self-esteem while controlling and regulating stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. Exercise increases the delivery of vital nutrients and oxygen to the brain, improving concentration and clarity.

Wondering what you can do post exercise? Or what else you can do to feel better after you get moving?

Recovery is very important when increasing exercise! There are many things you can do to enhance your recovery and recharge:

  • SLEEP! Deep sleep is crucial for proper recovery and mental clarity. Physical activity helps increase time spent in slow wave sleep, or deep sleep. Most of our commute times have been drastically reduced, so use that time to get 30 extra minutes of sleep.
  • Refuel! Find yourself eating more snacks due to boredom? Exercise helps boost metabolism and burns calories while giving you something engaging and fun to do rather than binge on Tiger King/ Netflix. Getting the proper fuel from whole foods is a great way to recover from exercising. Your body needs the right nutrients to perform at a high level. To really enhance your workouts and get some results in both lean muscle/fat loss try to combine journaling with exercise for an added boost to mental health. Jot down what you eat and how you feel daily!
    • What is a whole food?
      • Fresh vegetables such as leafy greens, avocados, radishes, cucumbers, squash, and sweet potatoes
    • What isn’t a whole food?
      • Anything with too many ingredients, chemical ingredients, or ingredients that you can’t pronounce

Is pain hindering your ability to fulfill your exercise quota?? We are an essential business and are here to help you!

TOPS Physical Therapy is open and here to serve you! Our company has taken extraordinary measures to keep our patients and team safe! We understand that injuries happen (even in quarantine) and by choosing PT first you can help decrease the load in hospitals and urgent care facilities.
 
Our staff is thoroughly trained and has significant experience in various treatment options (including manual work, ASTYM, dry needling, spinal manipulations, and corrective exercises) with the overall goal of decreasing your pain and helping you to return to your active lifestyle and daily routines. Our team of experienced clinicians provide individualized, hands on, full body physical therapy techniques designed to maximize muscle and joint function, core stabilization, and sports rehabilitation!

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007165.htm