Regular exercise is a great way to gear the body up for the rigors of the holiday season. Many people don’t realize the toll that long hours shopping, cooking, decorating, and wrapping presents put on the body. If your body isn’t conditioned for this ‘holiday workout’ you are putting your body at risk for injury and back and body pain. No one wants their holiday season ruined by injury or pain!
To get the body ready for the holidays, it is a good idea to include exercise in your daily routine. Before starting any exercise program, be sure to consult with your doctor. For most people, it is important to include 3 types of exercise in your weekly routine: aerobic, strength, and stretching. You do not need to do all 3 on a daily basis and generally should not do strength training 2 days in a row. Examples of aerobic exercise are: walking, running, swimming, biking, and anything that increases the heart rate. Strength training can even be doing exercises like squats, lunges, and arm circles with just body weight. Stretching should be done at the end of a workout once the muscles are warmed up. Click here for some good stretching exercises.
During the holiday season, it is important to treat activities like shopping, cooking, decorating, and wrapping presents like an athletic event or workout. Be sure to warm up the body before and stretch during and after holiday activities.
Following these simple tips will decrease your likelihood of suffering from common back and body aches and pains during the holiday season.
Drs. Quintin and Katie Sleigh can help alleviate the stress, tension, and aches that often times come along with the holiday season. To schedule a FREE consultation with Dr. Quintin or Dr. Katie, call 847-788-0880.
Source: The American Chiropractic Association www.acatoday.org/HealthTips
Image credit to: dirjournal.com
