Spring has officially sprung! In the PNW, this usually means hitting the trails, walking around our beautiful neighborhoods, biking around the city, and more! We are excited for the transition from winter from spring! However, with this seasonal transition, we need to make sure that we are actually READY for it!

Let’s talk about injury prevention when transitioning into the spring!

Let’s consider a few questions:

How active were you in the winter and how active do you want to be in the spring? Usually in the winter, physical activity levels decrease with the general population. We want to cuddle up inside away from the cold and rain! With COVID still present, this was especially true for the 2021-2022 winter. Think of the top activities you want to do in the spring and compare them to your winter. For example, do you want to get back to hiking in the gorge, but haven’t been since the fall? Maybe consider starting with a couple of hikes in Forest Park first! Did you drive your car more than ride your bike? Start with frequent, shorter bike rides around the city first. With walking, similarly, start short and frequent. If you haven’t walked much for recreation, try a block per day! How do you feel?
What are your goals for the spring and summer? Let’s get even more specific (of course!). Consider sitting down and writing out your goals. For example: “I want to hike up to 5 miles by May.”, “I want to run a half marathon in June.”, “I want to be able to walk to the grocery store once/week without stopping.” Writing down goals makes them more tangible! You are more likely to meet those goals if you can see them!
Where are you now? Similar to question one, sit down and consider your current physical activity levels. Consider breaking down your physical activity into categories (i.e. walking, running, biking, hiking). How many miles did you walk this past week? How did you feel? Tracking where you are now to compare your levels in one month can be extremely helpful.
When is the last time you talked to your doctor or physical therapist? This might be a good time to check in with your healthcare providers if you haven’t recently. Things can “slip” in the winter, and checking in with healthcare is one of them! Maybe a physical would be nice prior to increasing activity into the spring! Checking in with a physical therapist will give you a physical baseline of where you are at now.

Did this create a spark for you? Hopefully! The spring is an excellent time to consider increasing physical activity, but you want to make sure you do it in a smart way! If after reading this, you feel a little overwhelmed, no worries because as physical therapists, we are here for you! Consider booking an appointment with us to discuss your winter to spring physical activity concerns. We will listen, assess, and take it from there.