An Cosantóir

24 WALKING INTO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WALKING INTO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PART 2 COVID-RECOVERY GUIDELINES This evaluation guideline is for people who are suffering from the aftermaths surrounding COVID-19. It allows you to record your daily routine using the exercises provided. Following a structured plan will aid better recovery and it's a great way for you to get back to the things you love doing. The headings that will be covered are as followed: 1.Stability Exercises 2.Breathing Exercises 3.Nutrition 4.Focusing Exercises 5.Wellness Before beginning, you must remember this is only a guideline to aid recovery for Post-COVID. If you have been advised from a healthcare professional on recovery I'm sure they provided you with recovery information to follow. Nonetheless, the above headings that will be covered in this evaluation guideline sheet will support your recovery. Before starting I'd advise you to ask a family member or friend to get involved with you, for safety and support. Stability Exercises Exercising has proven to be very beneficial for people after COVID. Health professionals are inviting people to get more active after the illness. The benefits of physical activity are as follows: 1.Improve your overall fitness levels. 2.Reduce breathlessness. 3.Improve your energy levels. 4.Reduce stress and improve behaviour. 5.Develop balance and coordination. During your exercise programme, you'll be asked to record your workout, this will allow you to keep track and also discuss your progress to date with family members or friends. Exercising Safely Before starting your programme you must remember your body has been analysed both mentally and physically and the things you did before COVID might be different now, for example: You might have been able to do 50 x squat jumps without stopping, and after 40 x squat jumps, you start feeling the effects of the exercise working, you're breathing a bit heavily after 40 but still managing the exercise. Research has proven that COVID impacts the Lungs, therefore, your cardiovascular endurance might not be the same as before and you might be breathing heavily after 5 x squat jumps. So my advice to you is start exercising at the beginning and work your way up. This will lead to better performance in the weeks to come. Steps before any exercise 1.Carrying out a warm-up and conducting a cool-down afterwards, to improve blood flow and range of motion (ROM). 2.Having the correct clothing and footwear. 3.Drinking plenty of water before/during and afterwards. 4.Maintaining a healthy balanced diet. If you're adventuring outdoors, always make sure someone knows the route you're taking and what time you'll be back at, have your phone with you. When taking the following steps above, if you feel any symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or sickness, shortness of breath, or chest pain stop and cancel your session, I'd advise you to get in contact with a health professional and record your symptoms. You're playing it safe as you're merely on your path to recovery, so it's important to remember that at all times. Nonetheless, during your warm-up, your heart rate will naturally increase bringing your body temperature up, so feeling breathless when exercising is not harmful but you need to know the difference between this and breathlessness that you're uncomfortable with. Gradually building up your fitness will help and it will help you become less breathless. Your warm-up should take 5-10 minutes approx. All exercises should be carried out in a relaxed manner, for example: Quadriceps Stretch 1.Stand on your left foot and grab your right shin by bending your leg behind you. 2.Tuck your pelvis in, pull your shin toward your glutes, making sure your knee is pointing to the ground. Try not to pull the knee backward or sideways. 3.Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides. The benefit of this stretch is that you can support your body weight by holding onto a chair or against a wall. Chest Stretch 1.Wall stretch: place hand on wall 2.Elbow slightly bent or straight, 3.Turn body away from wall. 4.Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides. During your warm-up, you can stand or sit. All stretches should be carried out in a controlled manner, holding the stretch for 30 seconds, and repeating the stretches twice. During your stretching make sure you control your breathing and if you need to drink water during the warm-up, please do so. Starting your main event Below are a number of stability exercises and a small note attached. During this phase you must be monitoring your progress with notes and addressing any issues during the week with a family member or friend. All exercises are low intensity, furthermore you need to record your time on each exercise and then each week gradually build-up the amount of time you can manage. A good starting point for each exercise would be 30 seconds on your first week. Remember it may take a few weeks before you return to a level of fitness where you feel comfortable on each exercise. Balancing on one foot, change foot - Maintain your balance for several mins and repeat 3 times. Walking a straight line - Mark a line on the ground, walk it: improving your balance and core. By Sgt Thomas Deveraux DFPES, DFTC

• Cover