JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
National Physical Therapy Month is celebrated every year in October, giving physical therapists the opportunity to raise awareness about their profession and promote physical health.
The physical therapists at Joint Base Langley-Eustis serve active duty members in the physical therapy clinic of the 633rd Medical Group and provide embedded services in the 1st Fighter Wing and the Airman Resiliency Team of the 497th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group. The Physical Medicine Flight was recently placed into the Operational Medical Readiness Squadron as part of the reorganization of the Medical Group. This demonstrates physical therapy’s importance to medical readiness for all uniformed members by allowing therapists to expedite rehabilitation and return members to their jobs sooner after injury.
This year, we have seen the entire world transform within a global pandemic. Through many months of quarantine, physical health has been difficult to maintain due to gym closures, telework, and social distancing. We have seen an increase in chronic overuse injuries from people working longer hours at a computer without proper ergonomic set-ups and with decreased physical activity.
Our bodies are meant to move and do not like to be sedentary. The worst position for your body is any one that you are in for an extended period, and your body will eventually tell you that you need to make a change. Exercise also improves your mental health and allows you to think and function better.
As gyms start to open back up and restrictions are loosened, we are also seeing injuries from people returning to activity too quickly. After several months with a sedentary lifestyle, the body needs to be reconditioned gradually. It will not perform at its previous physical level without some retraining.
You should start slow with running, whether a combination of walking and jogging or slow pace constant jogging starting for around 20-30 minutes and progressing from there. If you haven’t run since the pandemic began, it may be as little as five minutes. When returning to weight training, start with a lower weight and progress back to your previous level. Also, be sure to incorporate rest days into your training. Your body needs rest periods to allow for muscle growth and recovery. In addition to general strength training, performing specific core workouts will improve performance in all physical activities and help to decrease the risk of back pain.
So as a reminder to all as we celebrate physical therapy month, get your body moving again whether at home with your kids, or getting back into the gym. Be safe, and progress gradually.