Injury Prevention: Top 5 Tips to Help You Avoid Getting Injured During Isolation

Injury Prevention: The Cause of Injuries

We have all been trying to adapt to many changes the COVID-19 pandemic has put in front of us. We are all living through a situation none of us have experienced before. COVID-19 has changed the way we live and our ‘normal’ daily routines for the foreseeable future. For many of us this is a completely new routine and way of life. But what does this mean when we return to our normal lives?

One of the biggest changes many of us have had to adapt to is the change in physical activity, with gyms closed, sporting competitions stopped, events cancelled, we are all forced to find other forms of exercise. Many of us are opting to do more running, walking or bike riding as an alternative.

In addition, to these challenges and changes we face regarding our physical activity is the increased time spent around the home, particularly if working from home. As we continue to spend more time around the home, there are a number of factors to consider with regard to our foot health.

Many of us have been working from home, spending a lot more time around the house, only going out for the occasional walk/run, then lazing around for the rest of the day. When you go back to work, to the gym and restrictions get lifted the likelihood of getting injured or reinjured is very high. From a foot health prospective it is important that we continue to maintain appropriate habits to keep up the health and wellbeing of our feet and lower limbs.

Injury Prevention: Top 5 Tips For Injury Prevention

Below we have put together a list of ways you can prevent any injuries now and when you return to your normal routine after isolation:

Tip 1:  Make a habit of sliding into your shoes at the start of each day

• Your feet have the important job of supporting your body weight and sustaining the impact from walking, running, standing and everything else we do throughout the day. With the feet containing 26 bones, 33 joints and over 120 muscles, ligaments and nerves, you’ll be surprised by the impact placed on your feet when you go from wearing supportive, cushioned shoes with orthotics to barefoot around the house everyday.
• By wearing shoes each day it also helps you keep some normality to your normal daily routine.

Tip 2:  Do not over train

• You may have more time at home, not doing as much other types of exercise and feel it is the perfect time to up your exercise goals. However, having more time can also lead to overtraining, which can result in overuse injuries such as heel pain, achilles pain and shin pain.
• If you’re wanting to get back into running or have a particular goal, it is best to stick to a training plan.
• A good rule to follow is the 10% rule, research suggests that we should not increase our weekly training by more than 10%, whether that be the distance, time or intensity.

Tip 3:  Stick To The Plan! 

• Changes in activities and routines can cause previous injuries to flare up or new ones to arise. As mentioned above, stick to a plan and adjust your training and activities accordingly, particularly once normal training resumes.  To learn more about why this happens, head over to this blog post – this article explains how common foot injuries occur and how a sudden increase in load when you don’t stick to the plan can suddenly flare up an injury rather easily.

Tip 4:  Keep up the strength training

• With gyms closed and all your events and sports put on hold, it doesn’t mean your strength training should be put on hold as well. Now more than ever is the perfect time to focus on specific lower limb injuries and improving your strength
• If you’re struggling to put together your own exercises at home, or confused as to what is the best exercises for you, it is best to contact a health professional who can guide you in the right direction and provide you with a tailored at home exercise program.

Tip 5:  Seek Professional Help 

• If you’ve had previous injuries or have any little niggles or pain that commonly keep popping up, now is the best time to get them looked at and resolved.  A small problem if ignored can become a chronic problem that could take a long time to treat and resolve.

The Footcare Clinic remains open and our team are standing by ready to help all our clients whilst maintaining high standards of infection control and hygiene, ensuring we provide a safe, clean environment.  You can book for an appointment online at any time!

We also have another option for those who would prefer to remain in the comfort of their home. Telehealth consultations are now available, which allows you to have access to Podiatry care via a video call. The telehealth service allows us to assess your problem, provide a diagnosis, learn about your condition, and provide you with a tailored management plan.

Remember to look after yourself and take care whilst in isolation, we are all going through a time of unknown, and are facing new challenges each day, so keep active and if you have any questions feel free to contact us at The Footcare Clinic, we are here to help!