The new reality of this ever changing COVID lifestyle has definitely brought with it something that may be here to stay its course in the long term – virtual exercise. As soon as we are able to get back to real-life interactive exercise classes, the majority of us will be lining up with our mats and gloves in hand — but a smaller percentage of us may indeed have happily adapted to a sound daily dose or two of virtual exercise and be more inclined to stay away from all of the crowds, loud music and line-ups.
Not only will this bring with it a possible upset in the continuation of the current fitness related small business loss and disruption, it will also bring with it what has already began to rise – virtual exercise related injury.
Virtual life during COVID has forced me to reach out to connect with friends and family. As a result, I have been trying many different interactive apps including one called “House Party”. At first, this app appeared to be just what it sounds like – a virtual house party of pow-wowing COVID woes over a few cocktails in the evening with old friends. What it has become however, in my circle of old friends, is a means for a daily check-in as well as an evening stage for cocktails and COVID related rant.
Some of the friends I have been connecting with more regularly now on the House Party app are friends I haven’t been in touch with since high school, which for me was thirty years ago! A lot has certainly changed in thirty years. As we catch up and learn more about what it is we are currently doing with our lives, I’ve been able to offer support with virtual exercise related injury and discomfort. Just the other day, I found myself in a discussion with an old friend with a “trades-related” bummed-out knee.
My initial inventory captured that my friend feels his knee pain started as a result of his working in the construction trade. He had consulted with a doctor and was simply told to rest his knee and take anti-inflammatory meds. Over the years, since his knee began giving him trouble, this is what he has been doing. More recently, my friend told me since he’s been laid off during COVID he has been indulging in various virtual exercise classes and that his knee pain is back in full-force. He showed his bottle of meds. I told him what it is I do for a living and began to talk about my own chronic knee pain and what I do to help reduce my knee-related pain.
All of a sudden, the virtual chat became very interactive as my friend pulled out his old dusty foam roller while I guided him as to how to self-massage his tight quads and hip-flexors. Almost immediate relief to his on and off years of chronic knee pain was a result from our chat, along with a renewed sense of why the knee pain may have started in the first place. I happily educated my old friend on proper knee alignment during squatting with the addition of some common key squatting warm-up techniques he could do before his virtual exercise sessions. I also told him that keeping up with the instructor should not be his main goal right now, but that his main goal should be to maintain good form and proper alignment — even if this means he is behind a few sets and reps for now.
All in all, I enjoy what I do very much. I was never a huge fan of virtual life and/or technology, but I am a fan of rolling along with the constant ebbs and flows of daily life — especially as I strive to make the best of this new pandemic lifestyle we’ve all been inducted into. I may not partake in much of the virtual exercise offerings currently available myself, but I have to admit I’m grateful to be able to connect with old friends using the same interactive tools. Day by day I am becoming more adept in using today’s growing list of interactive technology options, and as such I’d like to remind you that my services are currently available online. I am confident I can help you in your current virtual journey and I invite all of you to reach out to me with your virtual exercise and related healthy movement inquiries.
Lynn Tougas, Registered Kinesiologist is licensed to provide advice and programming in the area of virtual exercise and virtual human movement related activities. Lynn is very well-connected to other fitness and health related professionals, including Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Ergonomists, Massage Therapists, Older-Adult Specialists, Dieticians, Body Building Coaches, Sport Coaches and Occupational Therapists (to name a few) whom will gladly join in on a call with us, in the case that your issue requires assistance and advice outside or over and above of her scope.
Your first 15-minute inquiry is always FREE and depending on your current financial state, future programming and or advice can be pro-rated or priced using a sliding-scale method. All inquiries are confidential.
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