Is the warmer weather motivating you to get moving and up your fitness game? That’s a great place to start, and Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine expert Jason Koh, MD, MBA, is here to offer a few tips to help you train safely and effectively.
“I’m thrilled to hear when people want to be more active. Of course, increasing activity means different things to different people and it’s important to take into account your current fitness level and start there,” said Dr. Koh, who has a long history of working with all kinds of professional athletes including the Chicago Cubs and currently as Chief Medical Officer of the Chicago Fire FC, Chicago’s major league soccer team.
Start gradually
One of the most important things to remember is to start gradually and work your way up to a new level of fitness step by step, said Dr. Koh. “If you have been sedentary, you can start by taking short walks,” he added.
And for those athletes who already have an exercise program and want to ramp it up to include more miles, more weights, more time on the court, his advice is the same — don’t add too much too soon, gradual increases in time and intensity of exercise will lead to the biggest gains with less risk of injury.
Recovery
Once you start adding to your exercise routine and training more regularly and vigorously it’s very important to focus on recovery. “Your body needs a chance to recover, especially if you have picked up your activity level quickly,” said Dr. Koh. Professional athletes and Olympians train on rigorous schedules and also follow strict recovery regimens, he said.
Many athletes track their sleep to help ensure that they are getting enough, and especially significant amounts of quality sleep that is key to recovery from strenuous exercise.
Accountability
Joining a group or signing up for a race can be good motivators to help you train consistently. “Having a specific goal is very helpful. We’re all so busy with work and family and personal commitments so looking ahead toward a race or other event can help you build a gradual training regimen and stick to it,” said Dr. Koh.
He also advocates adding exercise or workout sessions into your daily schedules, putting them on the calendar just like other commitments. Simple things like parking farther away at work or taking the stairs whenever possible can also help augment your training, he said. Meeting friends for a game of pickleball or a group run can help with accountability, he added.
In addition to focused recovery that takes into account, sleep and nutrition, Dr. Koh suggests that newer athletes and those ramping up their activity also concentrate on strength and flexibility training to help with overall wellness and injury prevention.
Care for injuries
When injury happens, as it does at some point to just about every professional athlete, it’s important to see a physician sooner rather than later to get a proper diagnosis and begin a personally tailored path to recovery, said Dr. Koh.
Endeavor Health orthopaedic and sports medicine specialists have experience taking care of athletes at all levels from recreational to the pros in all disciplines and are skilled in helping athletes recover and get back to their training. Walk-in access ensures that you can be seen when you need care.
“We are here for you when you are injured; we know it’s very frustrating. Most of our sports medicine specialists are active themselves and we understand how important it is to maintain your level of fitness while you are coping with an injury,” said Dr. Koh, who works with patients and pro athletes alike to find alternate methods to work out when they are dealing with a sport specific injury.
Anti-gravity treadmills are just one of the tools that are employed with physical therapy to help athletes recover and train around their injuries.
“Professional athletes trust us with their care; our physicians are ready to help all our patients train and perform to meet their personal goals,” he added.
Related Articles
