The summer weather is here and with the official start of summer less than a week away, many of you will be getting outdoors, ramping up your physical activities. But as you engage in fun summer adventures, you’ll want to avoid injuries to your neck, back, and extremities, which can take you out of the game while you heal. As your Top Rated Local San Diego chiropractor, we have some tips for you to consider for keeping your health and wellness in mind as you embark on your summer activities. As always, should you feel a bit out of whack or suffer an injury, our chiropractic team at Blakely Chiropractic is just a call, click, or visit away!

Don’t Do Too Much, Too Fast
As soon as the summer weather hits, it’s easy to want to hit the ground running as you get back into your active lifestyle. But this can lead to pain and injury if your body is not quite ready for intense physical activity. Rather than participating in a 5k marathon right away, or jumping right into hiking one of the longer nature trails in San Diego, start small and gradually work your way into longer, more intense physical activities. Start by walking or biking regularly and increase your frequency, duration, and mileage over the course of a few weeks. This will help your muscles and bones re-adapt to physical activities while helping to prevent pain and injury from overdoing it.

Know Your Limits
Along with easing back into physical activities, it’s good to know your limits. Don’t push your body too hard right away as this can lead to back pain, sore muscles, and soft tissues injuries that may limit your mobility for a few days to a few weeks. Set small goals for yourself that you can achieve over time. And always be cautious when doing a new activity that your body isn’t used to. Try to avoid being a “Weekend Warrior” so that you don’t suffer an injury from pushing yourself too hard when water skiing at the lake.

Perform An Equipment Check
It’s good practice to check your equipment to ensure it is still in good working condition. For instance, that pair of walking or running shoes you got last spring that has been sitting in your closet since winter may be worn out. Try them on to see if they offer the support you need (and want). If not, it may be time to replace them. If you want to start riding bikes but haven’t ridden one in years, perform an inspection to ensure the tires are good, the brakes work, and that the seat and handlebars are raised to an appropriate height. You might take it to a pro for a summer tune-up to be safe.

Listen to Your Body
Be aware of your body, how it feels, and what your body is telling you. As you become more active, pay attention to any soreness, muscle strains, stiff joints, and other symptoms. Persistent ache and pain could be a sign of a deeper issue, which should be addressed before it gets worse. Plus, when your soft tissues are fatigued and strained, they are at a greater risk of being injured. The last thing you want is to ignore pain and end up suffering a worse injury that could lead to more issues. The worst thing you can do is ignore muscle strains, pain, and discomfort, so contact your local chiropractor if you’re experiencing pain.

Call Your San Diego Chiropractor
Maintaining regular chiropractic care can improve nerve function, posture, treat back pain, and prevent injuries. Getting regular chiropractic adjustments can help you stay stronger so that you can be active longer. Give your local chiropractor at Blakely Chiropractic a call or stop in for an adjustment.