Social Distancing and Injury Prevention
- Lindsay Brandt, DPT, OMPT
- Mar 27, 2020
- 6 min read
If you’ve ever had an injury then you know- there is no convenient time to sustain one. The very nature of an injury almost always disturbs our plans and day-to-day activities. However; facing a new injury or trying to manage a painful orthopedic condition amidst a global health crisis comes with some unique challenges.
Until a vaccine and treatment become available, social distancing is our only weapon to reduce the spread of this highly contagious virus. And we’re watching from home as our healthcare system is stressed to an unprecedented level.
So, if you’ve begun to notice knee pain on your daily walks maybe you’re asking yourself, is this worth a trip to my doctor’s office? Is it worth increasing my risk of exposure to COVID-19? Is it really “bad enough” to use the healthcare resources that are in such high demand right now? This is nothing compared to the people who are fighting for their lives, right? While that may be true, it is more important than ever for us to listen to our bodies and address any issues that arise, no matter how minor they may seem relative to the rest of the world’s events.
Whatever the changes have looked like in each of our lives, we’re all using our joints and muscles in a much different way than we were just a couple of weeks ago, and we may begin to feel this difference in the form of pain or stiffness.
Our daily routines are altered. We stay inside our homes more. We don’t have access to our usual ergonomic desks, chairs and workstations. We don’t have access to our usual fitness classes or our favorite equipment at the gym.
And so, we improvise and carry on, as resilient humans do. The dining room table as a makeshift desk. An office in your camper in the driveway while your wife, a teacher, uses the house to teach your children and the neighbor kids whose parents are still at work. More time on the couch binge-streaming, or outside walking, biking or running; because suddenly your busy life is not so busy. Or maybe you’re in an industry that’s in high demand right now, grateful to remain employed, but seeing your work hours doubled and your exercise time fade…and bravo to those in this group who are still taking the time to read this! Your body will thank you.
We cannot control the need for social distancing, home schooling, home workouts, or makeshift offices, but we can control how we move and position our bodies, so that we’re ready to get back to living life full force on the other side of this public health crisis.
And in this time of such uncertainty, it feels refreshing to have some control. If we follow some simple guidelines in the way we move, we’ll be less likely to need care from our front-line medical community. With this in mind, I hope the suggestions that follow are helpful for keeping your joints and muscles happy during this time of social distancing.
The key is to try to keep your movements similar to what your body is used to doing, and this applies to a number of things.
Are you trying to adapt your usual exercise routine?
If you’re a home exerciser already, try to stick with your usual weekly plan, even if days and times need to change. For others who are used to a gym or studio, there is a growing array of online content available from fitness centers and exercise studios, which is so wonderful! Here I’ll offer a word of caution, though; don’t go wild trying everything you see streaming.
While our bodies (and minds) welcome variety, and trying something new is tempting to help bust the stress of being stuck at home, drastic changes to the way we exercise can increase our injury risk.
In the spirit of giving your body what it is accustomed to, begin first with online content from your usual gym if it’s available (and for the exercise professionals reading this, for the sake of your clients’ bodies, I suggest you keep your formats as close to normal as you can).
From there, consider choosing one day each week to try something new you find online, but be smart about those choices. If you’re not already a runner or a jumper, steer clear of the burpees and jump squats and instead look for low impact options, meaning at least one foot stays on the ground at all times. I’m hoping to get some low impact full body workouts posted here soon-- subscribe below to get an email when they’re available!
Are you suddenly finding it hard to fit in exercise?
Working more than ever right now? Juggling your job AND the job of teaching your kids? While you may be used to dedicating 30-90 minutes at a time to fitness, remember you can break your daily exercise into as little as 10 minutes at a time and still reap the health benefits. Maybe you can go on a walk while you’re on a conference call if you don’t need access to anything else during the call. Find a 30-minute workout video from your favorite gym and do 10 minutes when you wake up, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes before bed. Set an alarm when it’s time to exercise if needed, add to your calendar as an event just the way you would a live class, or find a partner in your own home or on your phone.
Are you new to exercise, just building your routine?
Good for you! I offer you the same advice as the regular exercisers about online content- don’t go crazy trying every video you see. Your joints and muscles will respond best, with the lowest risk of injury, if you begin with simple movements your body already knows like a walk that gets a little longer each day. Check out my Exercise 101 post here if you haven’t already, for some basic exercise guidelines.
There are a few factors to consider when setting up your workspace to make it as friendly to your body as possible.
By supporting your spine in its neutral position, you can reduce stress on the discs and help prevent tension in the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders while you work. This can decrease the chance of low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome to name just a few.
Click the image below for my free step-by-step guide to setting up a workspace. Whether you have a fancy desk and chair or just a corner of your dining room, you’ll find helpful tips to keep your body happy during the workday.
And remember to STAND UP often! You may not have a standing desk at home (have you tried the bar in the basement?), but do stand for phone calls when possible, and set an alarm to stand up and move for at least 2-5 minutes every hour. This is one of the most important ways to combat stiffness.
If you are already in pain and are unsure how to best manage it, please reach out to a physical therapist you trust for advice! Many of us across the country offer live video visits online (myself included), and others are preparing to do so as I type this, so that we can all continue to serve our communities from the safety of their homes.
Not sure what a physical therapist can do for you by video? First, we’ll gather information about your pain and whether it’s affecting your movement, and then help you make a decision about whether you need to visit your doctor. In most cases you won’t need to, and we can get started right away to help you feel better! We'll teach you exercises and give you tips to manage pain and promote healing, and we'll watch you do the exercises and help you perfect your form so you get the best possible benefit.
While it may seem strange to see a physical therapist by video, one of our primary jobs each day is to provide strategies for each patient to use at home to help reduce pain and speed healing. I often tell my patients, “What you do with your body when you are NOT with me is just as important as the treatment you receive from me when you are.” Now is the time to test that, and as a profession, I believe we'll meet the challenge of helping people feel better even without the benefit of hands-on contact. Maybe it will begin with you!
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