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Transitioning from Indoor to Outdoor Exercises & Activities

Being active can improve your quality of life, health, comfort and mobility. As the nicer weather approaches you may want to shift your focus from indoor to outdoor exercises and activities. Exercising outdoors lets you appreciate the warm weather and scenery. “Studies have shown that physical activity outdoors lowers a person's blood pressure and heart rate. As a result, exercise outdoors feels less strenuous than similar exercise indoors, which, in turn, pushes you closer to your maximum performance.”

There are some tips to keep in mind while making the transition, and avoiding injuries.

Warm up exercises increase your heart rate and circulation which improves your blood flow to your muscles. Warming up helps to prevent injuries in case you overextend or twist a joint. It is important to ease your way into working out. Start off by walking for a few days before jogging and running. Gradually increase your speed and intensity over the course of a few days or weeks.

Running outdoors requires more effort than running on a treadmill due to weather, personal safety, unexpected terrains, and levels of difficulty. Before you start running outdoors make sure you are familiar with the neighborhoods and know what streets are hilly. Help prepare yourself by incorporating inclines on the treadmill to avoid injuries.

Riding a bike is a great outdoor activity during the springtime. Cycling in your home or studio is very different from cycling outside. Outdoor bicycle riding gives you more of a full body workout. Starting off with a shorter bike ride can help avoid injuries and your muscles becoming too sore. It is a smart idea to ride indoors during the colder weather to get your body and muscles ready for outdoor biking.

It is important to keep an eye out for unexpected obstacles like potholes, branches, cracked sidewalks and other debris. These unexpected obstacles may cause an injury while you are riding a bike, running, exercising or doing leisure activities outside. To get your body prepared for outdoor activities you can use a BOSU ball or a balance disc to help with stability and balance. The bumpiness of the streets can cause muscles to work harder, possibly causing discomfort.

To avoid injuries make sure to do your exercises and activities during daylight hours, pay attention to your surroundings and wear the proper equipment. Outdoor exercise and activities may bring on a few concerns but with a little planning, you can prevent injuries and stay safe during your transition from indoor to outdoor exercise.

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Written by:

Dr. Vinod Somareddy, PT, DPT

President

Reddy Care Physical Therapy

Reddy Care Occupational Therapy

Reddy Care Aquatic Therapy

Author

Reddy Care Physical and Occupational Therapy

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.

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