Quick Tips For You and Your Family to Avoid Injury After a Year of Inactivity!

This month is family awareness month! We have been seeing a lot of young kids and adults come into the clinic as the weather is getting nicer, restrictions are changing, sports are getting started, and as we start getting active again. We have all had a tough year, spending more time stationary and sitting – maybe more than we even realized! 

 

This past year children have been doing their school work in a completely different structure. Between working in their beds, on the floor, on the couch, or at the kitchen table, combined with the lack of sports and inactivity. The lack of activity and appropriate work space for eLearning plus extra time sitting has added to injuries as we now try to get active! 

 

Here are some tips to start working into getting more active again, become more agile, and avoid injury! 

 

1. Posture!

Parents and kids can always work on improving their posture. We see a lot of posture with heads down and shoulders rounded forward. To help avoid this, imagine a string is coming from the top of your head and pulling you up. This will lift your head and straighten your spine. 

 

2. Breaks! 

Take as many breaks as possible (this is especially important for children)! We should be getting up to stand or walk a couple of times each hour. For children, they should go outside and play at least 20 minutes every day! 

 

3. Stretching!

We want to stretch and open up our chest and hips. Work on reaching and opening up to stay as limber as possible Stretching will help our body and muscles get used to moving in different ways. 

 

The big thing is to always keep moving! We never want to live stationary. Make sure that you are working on changing the postures that cause us pain, taking breaks when we have tasks that keep us stationary, and stretching frequently will all help alleviate pain and get us ready to be active! 

 

If you and or members of your household have tried the tips above and you are still experiencing pains, ask us about our Family Packs! DPT offers Family Packs! Family Packs are a pack of sessions that can be shared between you and your spouse, or your children too! They do not need to be used right away and can be held onto until you or someone in your household needs to use them! DPT is looking forward to helping you AND your family get active and avoid injury!