At South Shore Orthopedics, we’re always here to help you optimize your orthopedic health, but there’s something special about the start of a new year. A new year provides a fresh start to plan your goals, list out your resolutions, and formulate a plan to accomplish them. No matter if you’re looking to focus on your health, exercise more, or drop some extra weight, all of these common resolutions can also serve as ways to optimize your orthopedic health. Check out these steps to help make 2024 your healthiest and happiest yet!
Stay Active
As you probably already guessed, exercising more is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, and for good reason! Regular activity is one of the most vital ways to optimize your orthopedic health and maintain a healthy weight. The best way to stay active and accomplish your goals this year is by choosing activities you like. Sports like pickleball are a great way to be social while exercising, and activities like walking or cycling are effective at clearing your mind and reducing stress.
Stretch
Stretching may not seem like an effective way to optimize your orthopedic health, but it is essential in preventing injuries and keeping your muscles loose. Warm-ups are especially necessary during these winter months to avoid tears while exercising. Even a short, five-minute warm-up and cool-down can provide significant benefits to your overall health.
Don’t Forget About Your Core
Core exercises aren’t always enjoyable, but they are crucial to our mobility and to the health of our spine and back. Gaining core strength also helps improve our form in various exercises and activities, which can help prevent injuries from occurring. Planks, sit-ups, and even glute bridges can help strengthen your core and optimize your orthopedic health.
Be Mindful of Your Work Space
In one of our previous blogs, we discussed the importance of creating a comfortable workspace. For many of us, a large portion of our week is spent at our work desk, which means paying attention to posture, moving and stretching regularly, and investing in an ergonomic chair can all help optimize your orthopedic health throughout the year.
Listen to Your Body
While exercise and activity are key ways to optimize your orthopedic health, ensure you make time for rest days to allow your body to recuperate. For those of you who may be just now starting an exercise regimen, take it slow and always listen to your body. Modify exercises as needed, and don’t be discouraged if you can get the hang of something right away. Rest is vital for even the most seasoned athlete, and pushing through the pain is never a good idea.
Know Where to Go
Establishing care is key to injury prevention. So many patients wait to seek care when they’re injured, which just makes the injury worse. Other patients accept chronic pain as a part of life or aging without seeking treatment that can enhance their daily lives. Whether it’s an injury, big or small, or an orthopedic pain you’ve been living with for years, the specialists at South Shore Orthopedics can help determine the best treatment plan to optimize your orthopedic health and leave you feeling better. There’s no need to commute to larger hospitals in Boston in order to establish high-quality care. We are conveniently located in Hingham, and can even accept same-day appointments. For chronic pain, arthritis, sudden injuries, and more, the team at South Shore Orthopedics is here for you.
Learn More With South Shore Orthopedics
There are so many different approaches you can take to optimize your orthopedic health this year. If you have been suffering from a stubborn injury, pain, or joint problems, our team of top doctors, surgeons, and PAs are here to help formulate the perfect treatment plan for you. Jumpstart your New Year by prioritizing your health and making an appointment with South Shore Orthopedics to make 2024 the best year yet.