OUTDOOR ACTIVITY SEASON

               Looking out the window today I realized how quickly the timeis going by. The weather is quickly getting warmer and that sun that we weredeprived of in January, February and April (really) can’t seem to stay hiddenanymore. It has me thinking about all the things I can’t wait to do and amalready busy with outside again. I’m guessing that if you are at all active (orjust a fan of warmer weather) you probably found your mind drifting as well. Beforeyou do break through that threshold and head outside into that lovely sunshineyou probably want to remember a few basic things. 

                Firstand one of the most important (as it gets warmer) is your hydration level. Manypeople make the mistake of not packing enough water or appropriate otherhydration sources when they are outside. Often people don’t realize they needwater until they really need it. Speaking for those who live in SouthernOntario, we get plenty of very warm and humid days during the summer.Dehydration can make whatever you’re doing much more difficult and can bedangerous; so here are a couple simple tips to help you try and stay hydratedwhen you are outside.  You should bedrinking before, during and after exercise in order to try and maintain yourhydration status. If you are thirsty and feel “dry”, then you’re likely alreadydehydrated; regular sipping of water during is good way to maintain yourhydration level.  Last year The American College ofSports Medicine was recommending that you generally consume about 3-8 ounces(approximately 90-230mL) every 15-20 minutes. If you are going to be exercisingfor a prolonged period of time (more than 1 hour) you may need to considerelectrolyte replenishment as well. This can be through sports drinks, tablets,gels etc. Remember these are a general guidelines and what you may need to docould be different. Consulting a dietician (like our own Julia Burt RD) can bea source of great information for your specific needs, especially if you areactively training!

                Nowthat you are well hydrated, you want to make sure you protect yourself from thesun. It’s probably not sitting in the sky waiting to get you but it will if yougive it a chance! Help protect yourself from sunburns, heat exhaustion and heatstroke by doing a few simple things. Wear sunscreen with an appropriate SPF andreapply accordingly based on what you use. Use sunglasses to protect your eyes,wear a hat and good breathable weather appropriate clothing. Simple enoughright? Good. You really don’t want to end up in the hospital feeling prettyterrible, it has happened to me and its seriously not fun.

                Finally,plan your activities according to the weather. Don’t be sitting outside whenthe sun and heat are strongest, doing exhausting work, when you don’t have to.If you are going to be doing endurance or cardiovascular exercise/activitiesoutside, you may want to consider early mornings or later in the evenings.

                Hopefullythe spring has been good to you so far. The weather is pretty great outside andwill only get better. Take advantage of it, just don’t overdo it. Also feel free tocontact us for more information or questions! If there are topics you wouldlike to see us cover, definitely drop us an email and it may be featured duringa future blog post.

Fady Rofail PT DPT

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 (Note: Blogis for general informational purposes only and should not constitute anysubstitution of personal medical or professional advice)