Physical therapy corner - Staying active in the winter

With colder weather and shorter days, sometimes it can be easier to stay on the couch with a warm blanket instead of getting outside. While winter is a great time to remember to rest, relax, and recover, it's also essential to try to stay active and get regular exercise.

The shortened days often make it challenging to get exercise outside during daylight. To increase your motivation (and safety!) to exercise, consider finding or creating a group or simply asking someone to exercise with you. If you plan on walking or running in the dark, wear a headlamp, reflective gear, and bright clothes. Check park hours and know which areas allow for activities between dusk and dawn. Winter is one of my favorite times to hike, but parks may have closures or muddy trails at certain times due to the trails' freeze-and-thaw process.

Another way to get exercise during the winter is to use available space such as a carport, garage, or cul-de-sac to do a fitness or strength training routine. If you do not have your own equipment for this, check out the outdoor fitness centers Howard County Parks provides. Centennial Lake has an Age Friendly Fitness Lot with ten different pieces of exercise equipment that was built this year. Cedar Lane Park also has a small outdoor exercise equipment area. Meet up with a friend, make a circuit, and enjoy a workout together!

If you exercise outside in colder weather, always do a light warm-up to increase blood flow to your muscles. Warming up can help prevent muscle strains and sprains, which occur more commonly when exercising in the cold. Wearing layers can help keep you warm and accommodate temperature increases as you generate heat from exercising. Generally, you should have three layers of clothing. Your base layer is the first of these. Its goal is to wick away moisture as you sweat. Avoid cotton for this layer as it absorbs moisture and stays wet. Instead, consider materials such as wool, polyester, or synthetic blends. Your next layer's job is to provide insulation to help you retain your body heat. Examples of this layer include a fleece zipped shirt, a midweight pullover, or a wool sweater. Finally, add an outer layer, such as a rain jacket, windbreaker, or soft-shelled jacket, to match the weather conditions. Top off our outfit with a hat as the body loses a fair amount of heat from the head. With exercise, blood flows more to our central core region than our extremities, so keep your hands warm with mittens or gloves, and your toes warm with a wool or synthetic blend sock.

If the weather does not allow for outdoor activities, be creative in how you can still stay active. Get your steps in by walking at the mall. Remember that challenging housework counts as physical activity. You can also partake in group or virtual fitness classes to stay active. Increase your accountability for these by joining with a friend or gifting someone with an exercise experience this holiday season. Howard County also offers 50+ senior centers with fitness rooms that are much more affordable than most gyms for folks in that age bracket.

Finally, consider trying a new sport, such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. While central Maryland doesn’t often get enough snow for these activities, a few hours' drive to Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, or Virginia can get you to areas with more snow. The Community Gear Closet at Freetown Farm has a few sets of snowshoes to lend to those wanting to try them. It also has a set of crampons to lend for mountain adventures in the snow. It is also a fun time of year to try orienteering and geo-catching. Have a happy, healthy, and active holiday season!
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Author

Karyn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the  Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures.