Warming Up This Winter

When most people think of staying warm during the winter, they think of putting on more layers of clothing, turning up the heater, starting a fire in the fireplace, or cuddling underneath blankets. We tend to forget that activity can also warm our bodies up.

When my twin girls were younger, they would put on sweaters and wrap up in blankets whenever they were cold while doing their homework. I suggested every time they felt a little cold to get up and do a set of squats. By the end of the day, they would work in quite a bit of exercise and help themselves stay warm through activity.

Try finding exercise that you enjoy. You can walk around the house for a few minutes, maybe even picking up some clutter as you go, or you can do your home exercises from your doctor or physical therapist. Even stretching can help you warm up. Just remember to have proper form with whatever exercise you choose to keep yourself from injury.

Lifting Properly

Whether you're lifting weights or just picking up around the house, it's important to have good posture when lifting heavy objects. To demonstrate, I've made a short video where I'm squatting to lift up a dumbbell.

Notice how in the video I squat down so that my legs make a 90 degree angle. If I was lifting weights, like I was in the video, I'd be sure to keep my elbows slightly bent to keep them from locking. I have an upcoming video and blog coming soon to demonstrate a modified dead lift.

If I was moving a box at home, I would squat, pick up the box and carry it close to my body, and then walk to where I want to place the box. I would be careful not to twist my back, as that can be strain on my low back.

For more pain prevention tips, check out our YouTube playlist.