As you may have seen in the quarantine community physical distancing workout like this one in Spain, people are eager to feel connected with each other and are missing their workout time. Diving into May, 2020 gyms in our area remain closed due to the Stay at Home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic. However, limiting our social contact shouldn’t also include limiting our activity. With many of the local trails also off limits, we’ve dug up some ways you can access exercise classes online and from your TV so you can stay strong and healthy while in isolation.

On Demand 

If you are an Xfinity customer, check out the free videos available On Demand. To use the speak feature on your remote you can simply say, “Fitness”. Otherwise press On Demand and scroll down for the exercise selections. Often they offer samples of premium channels so you can try out a few options for free. In addition, there are a myriad of free workouts that change frequently, ranging from 10 minute focused bursts of intense exercise, to dance, strength training, yoga, cardio, pilates, barre, and more.

Apps

For a variety of yoga sessions, download Down Dog. There is a selection of free options as well as an annual membership if you’re interested. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Band 7 Minute Workout are completely free for new users until June 1st (no credit card required). ClassPass is another app that offers versatility and convenience. The idea is that you can join any local, or not so local, class even when you can’t be there. There is a free database of digital classes you can join anytime. If instructors offer it, you can pay as you go for livestream classes in real time. During COVID-19, ClassPass is giving 100% of livestream proceeds directly to instructors to help support their work.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other apps that are specific or general in terms of exercise options. Head to your Apple or Google Store to search for offerings that appeal to your interests and abilities. Most offer at least a 7-day free trial. Just be sure to set up a reminder to cancel if you want to avoid being charged.

Stream it

Your Smart TV and computer are valid sources for a great workout. There is a seemingly endless list of streaming options for every type of exercise. Daily Burn is one popular option with a one month free trial so you can get a new 30-minute routine each day of the week, as well as access to over 1,000 cardio, yoga, dance, pilates, and other workouts.                                                                                                                                                        Hint: If you have a smart TV you can stream many exercises directly (meaning you can watch them anytime). However, if you can only get them on your computer, use a universal HDMI cord to connect the stream from your computer and transfer it onto your TV for more convenient viewing during your workout.

DVDs and VHSs

If you don’t have access to the newest gadgets, apps, and streaming devices, a reliable old-school option of DVDs and even VHS tapes works great. If you don’t have any, ask around and borrow from a friend or neighbor.

Get Outside 

Of course, a good old-fashioned walk or run, bike ride, skateboard adventure, or roller blade excursion are also fabulous ways to take in the fresh air while working your body. Get outside as often as you can. Take the dogs with you or chase the kids on their scooters. Pump up the basketball for a family game of bump, put up the volleyball net, or dust off the ping pong table. Remember that movement is the key, so mix it up, keep it interesting, and have fun!

While many people hunker down inside the warmth of home during the winter months, others revel in the crisp air and anticipate long days on snowy slopes. If winter drives you outdoors, be aware that there are inherent risks to common winter activities. But you can avoid the common sprains, tears, and breaks of winter with these activity-specific pointers.

Skiing and Snowboarding: From the first snow of the season well into spring, skiers and snowboarders are ready to hit the slopes. It might seem rather benign to float across the snow during cross country or anticipate the inevitable downhill falls into powdery drift, but ski-related injuries are common and can be severe. 

During preparation for ski and snowboarding season, vary your pre-season exercise training. Lift weights, do yoga, and continue cardio with a variety of sports such as racquetball, basketball, or dance. Work to improve flexibility, core strength, mobility, agility, and balance so when you hit the slopes your body is primed for the impact and twisting motions required. Also do a warm up and some stretching before getting on the chair lift. Cold muscles are susceptible to damage, even those used in working out at the gym. And as always, make sure your bindings are set to your appropriate weight and skill level. 

Hiking and Snowshoeing: Hiking is both energizing and calming any time of year. During the winter months, you might take on snowshoeing as another option for hitting the trails. Either way, keep injuries at bay with basic safety precautions like wearing the right footgear, using a walking stick, and being mindful while you traverse the trail.

Mountain Biking: Hitting the trails is a great way to spike the adrenaline and get the heart pumping year round. Winter brings its own challenges with rain, sleet, ice, and snow so choose your route and gear carefully. Broken collar bones and AC joint sprains are common injuries caused by mountain biking so maintaining a strong core and balance are critical to safety. Also essential is a proper setup of your bike. Choose the right frame size and seat height for your body type. Make sure the petal depth doesn’t allow your knee to overextend at the bottom of the rotation. Also adjust your handle bars to you’re not hunching over too far (strains the back) or pushing down on the bars (hard on wrists, hands, and forearms). 

Ice Skating: Especially in areas of the country that don’t have regular access to skatable ponds, ice skating is a novelty shared by many during the winter months. Avoiding injury is a challenge since falls are almost inevitable. Protect yourself with the proper gear and thick clothing that will help pad a fall. Stay close to the edge if you’re in a rink so you can grab on to soften the impact. When selecting skates, choose figure skates over hockey skates as they are a more stable option. When it comes to the slow-motion fall, keep your arms tucked in as much as possible. Bend your elbows to protect your more vulnerable wrists and if you fall backwards, try to land on the side of your buttocks where there is more cushion and fewer bones. 

Sledding: Snow and sledding are ubiquitous signs of the season. Don’t let injuries damper the squeals of delight. Instead, insist on a safety protocol. Look for any obstacles in the path–and well beyond the distance you think it’s possible to travel on a sled. Avoid any slope with trees, stumps, or large rocks. Also be wary of ditches. Walk the area before sledding to check out the landscaping. Place a pad under your buttock to help with the impact from bumps. It’s best to select sleds with handles to keep you in place, but make sure to avoid entangling wrists in ropes.

Of course if you’re not looking for high-octane activities, opt for less physically demanding options like building a snowman, constructing an igloo, or making snow angels. If you have any questions about how to manage your physical therapy requirements with the activities you love in winter, just ask the team at Encore Physical Therapy. We’re happy to help.

Pain centered around the elbow that may or may not radiate down or up the arm could be a condition commonly known as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. Ironically, while it is a common ailment of athletes, it can also be caused by any repetitive motion so it is often seen in professional painters, those who work at a computer, construction workers, cooks, etc. Typically pain is felt or is increased up to several hours following the offending activity.

The condition is more technically known as epicondylitis and although it does involve the inflammation identified by the “itis” in its name, there is more to it. Your doctor may also refer to it as tendonitis, which is an inflammation of the tendon. That is often the case, however, a more accurate diagnosis identifies the overuse of the tendon. This overuse and repetitive motion results in microtears of the tendon, a condition called tendonosis. 

While we’re busy defining terms, there is a difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow even though they both cause pain of the elbow region. Tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis, meaning it affects the outside of the elbow. This pain is felt throughout the elbow, forearm, wrist, and sometimes even parts of the hand. Golfer’s elbow, on the other hand, is medically referred to as medial epicondylitis and affects the inside of the elbow, also radiating down the forearm and wrist or up to the upper arm.

Epicondylitis is most common in people ages 35-50. Those under age 35 showing symptoms may be evaluated for growth plate issues or other causes. Those over 50 could have other causes as well, such as misalignment. For this reason, it’s important to be diagnosed by a medical professional. 

Epicondylitis can often be treated with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes these efforts alone will reverse the problem within a few days, or it could take up to one year. 

Adding physical therapy to your toolbox of remedies can reduce healing times and make your recovery more comprehensive. Physical therapy can help increase strength, improve flexibility, and rejuvenate healing blood flow. The first step of treatment is evaluation. This involves a discussion of your work and leisure activities and a physical evaluation of your movement and use of muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the elbow area. Your therapist may also identify seemingly unrelated problems such as misalignment in the shoulder, upper back, or neck regions.

If your therapist thinks it is too soon to initiate strengthening, he or she might start with techniques to reduce inflammation and pain. These may include E-stim, massage, ice, tape, straps, braces, relaxation, or shockwave and laser therapy.

Once your therapist decides you’ve reached the right level of healing, it’s time to introduce new exercises to improve flexibility and strengthen muscles from the tips of your fingers up your arm. These will likely include stretching of the hands, wrists, and forearms. Your therapy will also include customized exercises to strengthen muscles that work in conjunction with your tendons. Since epicondylitis is caused by repetitive motion, your physical therapist can help you retrain your body towards different movements to resist future occurrences. 

With the proper evaluation, therapy, and training, epicondylitis can completely heal, leaving you to crush that golf drive or smash the squash shot. If you think epicondylitis is holding you back, call Encore Physical Therapy to set up an appointment today.