Find out how to get back to exercise after a long period of rest

With social life resuming, as well as home offices shrinking and schools and theaters opening, it’s time to get back to exercise. Social isolation has caused many people to abandon healthy habits, according to a study by Unesp (Universidade Estadual Paulista). Only in the first months of quarantine, there was a 28.6% increase in sedentary behavior.

According to Alexandre Stivanin, member of SBOT (Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology), due to a long period of rest, attention to the condition of the body is necessary before performing any physical activity.

“It is necessary to do a cardiac assessment to check if everything is OK. Only after that, I repeat the exercises to restore the muscle mass responsible for stabilizing the bones, and in this way it will be possible to avoid injuries,” says Stefanen.

The specialist explains that it is necessary to know how to choose the appropriate physical exercise for this appeal in order to first reach the ideal setting and gradually increase the load of activities.

“When returning, regardless of age, strength exercises are recommended to restore lean mass, and aerobic activities, such as walking and cycling. From my point of view, people first need to gain physical conditioning and then increase exercise, so that the body is ready for this load,” As he points out.

According to a survey conducted by Unifesp (Federal University of São Paulo) physical exercise can help not only the body, but also the emotional, 3 out of 10 people suffer from depression due to lack of exercise in the epidemic.

However, physical activities must be resumed through professional monitoring, which shows the correct way to perform each exercise. According to Stefanen, the chances of injury from overload increase if the exercises are performed alone.

“It is necessary for the body to acquire a slow and gradual rhythm, since if it is off for a long time, the body is more susceptible to injuries. The thigh muscle, for example, is responsible for helping to reduce the impact, preventing injuries to the knee, meniscus and joints,” he says.

For those who already did physical activities before the pandemic, Stefanen recommends caution, because the loss of muscle mass is rapid and may cause injuries if the resumption is at the same pace as it was before stopping.

Researcher at the University of São Paulo Medical School, Thiago Picanha, explains the risks that such a sudden return to the body can cause.

“The main danger to a healthy person is the feeling of pain, after a long period of inactivity, it is very common for this to happen. He explains that these pains usually appear 24 hours after physical activity, and disappear with rest for 3 to 4 days.

For Peçanha, the first months after the resumption of exercises is the moment when the body acquires optimal conditioning. For those who have been inactive for a long time, it is expected that only after this period will a person restore his previous conditions.

“Those who already have a history of physical activity resume faster, due to the body’s readiness to restore physical shape, but everything will depend on how long the person has remained. Those who have stopped exercising, and have been more stable during the epidemic, take longer, Because the body is not ready for the load it receives during activities.”

For those who want to keep their health up to date with the latest exercises, the specialist gives advice on what activities to do. “A program of physical exercises to maintain health should have three foundations: the aerobic part, with walking, running, cycling or swimming; strengthening the muscles, with exercises that use weights, weight training or Pilates; improving flexibility, working with Pilates or yoga .”

In the case of people who have contracted Covid-19, Thiago explained that it is necessary to seek a doctor before starting physical activities, in order to look for possible effects left by the virus.

The researcher concludes that “for those who have already taken Covid, this person may be suffering from excessive heart and respiratory fatigue and need a medical examination before being allowed to perform physical exercise.”

* Trainee in R7 Under the supervision of Carla Canteras