Be Well: (Try Not to) Hit the Ground Running

When gyms closed this spring and we hunkered down at home, many of us let our exercise routines slide. Then the weather grew warmer and the Quarantine 15 got the better of us, rekindling our motivation. By mid-year, it was time to start revamping our fitness routines.

Soon there were new runners logging miles, cyclists getting back in the saddle, and golfers hitting practice ball after practice ball. Before long, some novice athletes and weekend warriors started experiencing common sports injuries like strained backs and sore knees.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, take a smart approach to starting or maintaining an exercise routine, says Dr. Brad Finer, DC, DACAN, GTS, a professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University and chiropractor at its Bloomington clinic.

His main advice: Don’t hit the ground running too fast. “I tell patients that you have the rest of your life to get back in shape,” Finer says. “You don’t have to do it all in a day.”

The key is to just get moving any way you enjoy. No matter what activity you’re doing, start at your baseline and then add 10 percent more in time, distance, or weight each week. Much more than that and you’re at risk for wear and tear injuries and other aches and pains, Finer says.

Read the full article from Mpls.St.Paul Magazine online here.