They Are Back!

NHL, NBA and MLB are on TV.   I am inspired by the new NIKE “Can’t stop us ad.”  (If you haven’t seen it, follow this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA4dDs0T7sM).  Gyms across the province have opened.  And my family is returning to the ice and warming up for fall field lacrosse.   Sports are back.  They are different, but they are back.
There are few things to keep in mind as we return to the playing fields, courts, and workout centers.

1. The Canadian Academy of Sports and Exercise Medicine does not recommend exercising with a mask on.   Please wear it when you can, including walking around the space, changing and between bouts, but current recommendations are that it should be removed while exercising.
2. Your concussion base test may no longer be valid.   We have been off for longer than most of us realize and although feels like you may have just been baseline tested for your spring sports, sports stopped approximately 5 months ago.   For children less than 18 years of age, baseline testing should be performed every 6 months.
3. Watch your intensity.   For some us, time off has inspired us to create a home gym, start running and cycling and use the extra time to become stronger.  For others, we baked and caught up on all of our Netflix.   If you are the later, make sure to start slowly with workouts.  Although muscle lost will reappear quickly, a slow steady approach is important to prevent injury.   Even if you have been using a home gym, body weight exercises are less demanding, and you should be cautious before lifting heavy weights.
4. Warm up with some sport specific drills.  In the sports medicine world, knowing where your feet are in space and being to coordinate their movement is called proprioception.   This skill is critical for making quick cuts and sudden stops.   And this is a skill most of have not used at all for a few months.  Take time to run some sport specific drills on the ice or court to warm these reflexes to prevent ankle and knee sprains.
5. Have fun, but be careful.   We are all happy to have our recreational activities back.  Remember to approach with a guarded caution and to comply with all of the regulation so they remain open and available for us to enjoy.