FEELING GREAT: Always vary your routine for better and long-term results

“As pain strikes, we suddenly find the time to rework our schedules.”

I love staying active. For me, sitting at home isn’t an option, and my house feels more like a hotel – just a place to sleep at night.

I’m addicted to the energy boost I get from daily exercise, but sometimes I overdo it, and my body pays the price.

This past month, I became a “lazy runner.” I’d go for quick runs after work to spend more time with my son.

Unfortunately, this led to an injury – my right foot showed signs of a potential stress fracture from too much running on hard pavement.

Once I realised the problem, I swapped running for cycling and swimming, but I quickly found that cycling for 90 minutes to get the same benefits as a 30-minute jog came with its own set of issues.

Spending so much time seated on the bike led to tension in both shoulders (especially my left one) and stiffness in my lower back.

The takeaway here is that if you run a lot, you may develop issues with your feet or shins.

Cycling frequently can cause shoulder and back problems.

And it’s not just these activities that can lead to pain – golfers often come in with Achilles or lower back issues, bowlers with bad knees, and hill walkers with similar problems.

Even swimming, which is often thought of as great for your health, can cause shoulder and neck pain due to the repetitive arm movements and keeping your head above water.

So, what's the solution? It’s simple: proper planning.

The root cause of my issues wasn’t running or cycling; it was my failure to vary my exercise routine.

We all fall into the trap of thinking we don’t have enough time to do things properly, but as soon as pain strikes, we suddenly find the time to rework our schedules.

The key lesson here is to constantly mix up your activities.

Yoga, Pilates, walking, jogging, and swimming – mixing these up can dramatically reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries.

If you’re starting an exercise programme, always remember to vary your routine for better, long-term results.

For more tips and advice on healthy habits, please get in touch for a free copy of my book The Healthy Habit. I have three available to the first readers to get in touch. Call 01429 866771 or visit paulgoughphysio.com.