Summer can make it easy for regular exercise routines to fall by the wayside.
Vacations, busy schedules, hot weather, time with family, and changes in routine can all mean less time in the gym, fewer runs, or a break from organized sports.
Then September arrives and many people jump straight back into their old routine.
The problem is that your body may not be ready to immediately return to the same intensity, weight, distance, or frequency you were doing before your break.
At Durham Orthopedic & Sports Injury Clinic, our Ajax physiotherapy team often works with people dealing with aches, strains, joint pain, and other problems that develop after a sudden increase in activity.
Taking a gradual approach can help make your return to exercise more comfortable and sustainable.
Why Returning Too Quickly Can Lead to Pain or Injury
Your muscles, tendons, joints, and cardiovascular system adapt to the demands you regularly place on them.
When you take several weeks away from exercise, some of that conditioning can decrease.
That does not mean you are starting from zero, but it may mean your body is not prepared for the exact same workload you were handling earlier in the year.
Common mistakes include:
- Returning to your previous running distance immediately
- Lifting the same weights you used before your break
- Exercising every day after being inactive for several weeks
- Increasing intensity and frequency at the same time
- Ignoring pain because you expect to be sore
- Returning to sports without rebuilding strength or endurance
A sudden jump in activity can place more stress on your muscles, joints, and tendons than they are currently prepared to tolerate.
Start With Less Than You Think You Can Do
One of the simplest ways to reduce your risk of overdoing it is to start below your previous level.
If you normally run 5 kilometres before taking the summer off, your first run back does not necessarily need to be 5 kilometres.
If you were lifting heavy weights in June, you may benefit from reducing the load during your first few sessions.
The goal is to give your body time to adjust.
You can gradually increase:
- Distance
- Weight
- Repetitions
- Workout duration
- Training frequency
- Sport-specific intensity
Progress does not need to happen all at once.
Expect Some Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness after returning to exercise is common, especially if you are doing movements your body has not performed regularly for a while.
Delayed onset muscle soreness can appear several hours after exercise and may feel strongest one or two days later.
Typical muscle soreness usually improves gradually.
Pain that is sharp, persistent, worsening, associated with swelling, or significantly limits your movement may be different from normal post-exercise soreness.
If you are unsure what you are feeling, a physiotherapy assessment can help determine whether your symptoms are consistent with normal muscle soreness or whether an injury may be present.
Warm Up Before You Exercise
A warm-up helps prepare your body for activity.
Your warm-up does not need to be complicated.
It may include:
- Light walking or jogging
- Dynamic movements
- Gentle mobility exercises
- Lower-intensity versions of the activity you are about to perform
- Gradually increasing the load or speed
For example, someone returning to strength training may perform lighter sets before moving to heavier weights.
A runner may begin with walking and an easy jog before increasing speed.
Avoid Doing Too Much Too Soon
It can be tempting to make up for lost time once your regular schedule returns.
However, increasing several training variables at once can make it harder for your body to adjust.
For example, increasing your running distance, speed, and number of weekly runs at the same time may be more demanding than gradually increasing one variable at a time.
Pay attention to how your body feels during exercise and in the hours and days afterward.
If symptoms continue to increase after each session, your current workload may need to be adjusted.
Give Your Body Time to Recover
Recovery is part of training.
Your muscles and other tissues need time to adapt between workouts.
Sleep, hydration, nutrition, and rest days can all play a role in how well you recover.
This is particularly important when returning to exercise after a break because your tolerance for training may initially be lower than it was before.
You do not necessarily need to avoid activity altogether on recovery days.
Walking, gentle mobility exercises, or lower-intensity activities may be appropriate depending on how you feel.
Pay Attention to Recurring Pain
Sometimes returning to exercise causes an old injury to become noticeable again.
You may experience discomfort in the same knee, shoulder, ankle, or lower back that bothered you in the past.
This does not automatically mean you have reinjured the area.
However, recurring pain may be a sign that your current activity level is exceeding what the area can comfortably tolerate.
Our physiotherapists in Ajax can assess your movement, strength, mobility, and symptoms to help determine what factors may be contributing.
Contact us today to book your physiotherapy or massage therapy appointment.
