5 ways to safely revive your fitness routine
By Barb Gormley

Exercise-Right Tips
Trying to do too much too fast can lead to injury, which can put a monkey-wrench in your fitness plan. Here are some tips to help steer clear of injury, so you can keep on moving:

• Start slowly if you've been sedentary or if you’re trying something new. Aim for a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity – gym workouts as well as walking the dog and playing catch with your kids all count – interspersed throughout the day.

• Choose an exercise activity that you enjoy rather than exercise that burns the most calories – you'll stick with the one you like doing best.

• Work towards a total fitness program as you get fitter, which should include aerobic conditioning, muscle strengthening, and flexibility training on most days of the week.

• Warm up before exercising and cool down afterward to prevent injury, especially as your exercise program becomes more vigorous.

• Listen to your body – it will tell you if you are working too hard. If you are fatigued, lower your intensity regardless of whether or not you are fit.

• Make your doc the first stop if you know or think you have a pre-existing medical condition – maybe you’re short of breath or have joint pain when you get physical – consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
   
Adapted from The Canadian Physiotherapy Association
If watching the Summer Olympics inspired anything of the dormant athlete in you, then you’re probably digging out sneakers from the closet and blowing the dust off that gym equipment in your basement right now. Well, hold onto your fitness enthusiasm for a minute and warm up with some expert advice before you get moving again.

“Unfortunately, many re-awakened fitness fans suffer injuries when they start exercising too hard, too fast and too often”, says Carl Peterson, a physiotherapist and director of high performance training at City Sports & Physiotherapy Clinics in Vancouver, BC. So before you dash out the door to play tennis, shoot hoops or hit the running track, use these tips to learn how to jump back into an active lifestyle without landing back on the couch.

1. Prep your muscles
”Warm up to play, don’t play to warm up,” advises Peterson. Ease yourself back into fitness classes by arriving early for extra limbering – and don’t try to keep up with others, he adds. Tennis players should do simple leg swings, crossovers runs and easy lunges before grabbing their racquets. If you’re a weight trainer, don’t pick up where you left off last year; choose lighter weights and increase them by no more than 10 percent per week.

2. Know your activity’s risks
Runners can avoid knee and hip pain by starting with two weeks of brisk walking, then progressing to a walk/run format on alternate days, says Peterson. And save time for a full-body stretch at the end of each run. Cyclists can counteract their sport’s hunched-over posture by stretching back and over a large exercise ball after every ride.

3. Go shoe shopping
Head to a specialty shoe shop for a run through of the latest shoes for your particular foot structure. If you’re a baby boomer and don’t wear prescription orthotics, pony up for a pair of over-the-counter cushioned insoles from companies like Superfeet (www.superfeet.ca) and Spenco (www.spenco.com), says Annette McClelland , a Toronto certified athletic therapist and pedorthist. As we age, the fat pads on the soles of our feet lose some of their ability to absorb shock.

4. Get expert input
“Most people who exercise on their own fall into bad habits, like doing the same old exercises all the time,” says Dr. Jean Marmoreo, a Toronto-based family physician and marathon runner. “Without solid advice and support from a professional you’re more likely to injure yourself.” Start fresh by joining an organized group or hiring a personal trainer – to learn about proper weight training techniques, exercises appropriate to your goals, and strategies for sticking with your program, for example – if even for just a few weeks. “Women with heart risk factors (i.e. diabetes, obesity, and hypertension) may benefit from specific cardiac rehab training programs that safely build their endurance and capacity to exercise,” explains Dr. Marmoreo. Likewise, organized walking/running groups may help to spot problems such as exercised-induced asthma and shin splints before you do.   

5. Put your feet up
To avoid overuse injuries, fatigue and the resulting cranky disposition, include some lower-intensity workouts and at least one rest day, says Peterson. Your easy workouts should be a different activity; for example, if you do challenging group cycling classes twice a week, try low-key hiking, yoga or swimming on other days. Re-charge your body on rest days with a sauna, whirlpool or hot bath.