Don't Let the Cold Freeze Your Progress!

When the weather gets cold, you should make some changes to how you exercise. We're not talking about starting earlier because of the shorter days or making a playlist that motivates you to leave your warm house. There are some physiological changes that occur in your body in the cold that you need to consider.

Physiological Changes

• Increased joint stiffness
  • Your body reduces blood flow to your skin and muscles to stay warm at the core.
• The heart works harder
  • Your heart has to work harder to warm up your body and your muscles so that you can stay active. 

This just means we have to make several changes to your workout to ensure that you are prepared for your run and can recover to the best of your ability. 

Warm up well

A good warm up is always important to get your heart rate up, more blood to your muscles, and your aerobic system started. In the cold, it's even more important because of the changes we just listed. To start, get your heart rate up with a brisk walk or light jog. Follow that with a dynamic warm up rather than static stretches. Things like walking or jogging while pulling your knees up high to your chest, high kicks in front of you with straight knees to get your hamstrings loosened, or a walking lunge with an upper body twist can get you ready for more intense activity. Cater your warm up to what you have planned in your workout. If you're not sure how it should look, ask your physical therapist!

Stay hydrated

Drink water before, during, and after your workout. The temperature may be down, but you'll still sweat and you'll still lose water vapor in your breath. The drier air in winter makes your sweat evaporate quickly, so it's easy to underestimate how much fluid you've lost.

Cool down

When you're done, don't rush inside. Cool down properly. Keep moving with a walk or another form of active recovery to let your heart rate come down. A cool down also helps your muscles to transition back to a relaxed state and can reduce soreness following your workout. After exercise is the right place for static stretching. You can also head inside for some foam rolling or self massage.

If you don't have time to immediately cool down or stretch after your workout, make sure you do it after a hot shower and bath. that way the muscles are still warm and can benefit the best. 

Keep moving

The shorter days and lower temperatures don't mean you're stuck inside. If you follow these tips, you can safely keep moving outside. If you'd like a customized warm up or cool down, or have questions about your exercise routine, your physical therapist is a great person to ask! If you are in the Falls Church, Arlington, or Annandale region, give us a call at Advantage Physical Therapy and schedule an appointment today!

About The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

Founded in 1956, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association champions the success of physical therapist-owned businesses. Our members are leaders and innovators in the health care system. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) represents more than 85,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students of physical therapy nationwide. For more information, please visit www.ppsapta.org.

Author

Alana Hamilton Alana Hamilton is a physical therapist at Advantage Physical Therapy in Falls Church, Virginia. She is a proud Hokie from Virginia Tech with a major in Biology and a minor in psychology and sociology. Following graduation, she immediately got her doctorate in Physical Therapy from Radford University. She is an avid fan of Pilates, running, and hiking. On the weekends, she can be found hanging out with her family and baby as well as doing Spartan races with her old physical therapy classmates and friends. She is a big believer that during rehabilitation, "Motion is the Lotion" and that staying active is key to remaining healthy.