Now that Colorado is in the “Safer-at-Home” stage of the COVID pandemic, we can start to think about getting and staying active – while taking precautions and maintaining social distancing. This includes our love for sports and health. 

This can be disappointing for those with tickets for opening day of the Rockies game, but this won’t last forever. There are ways we can maintain our connections and activity levels safely — it only takes 30-60 minutes of exercise per day to keep you and your family healthy! So how can you make it happen? 

Here are some tips from the team of Sports Medicine Doctors and Specialists at Orthopedic Associates of Denver. 

Question #1: Do you feel healthy? Just a cough or a sneeze can spread the coronavirus to countless people – so your first step is always to make sure you feel well and have no fever. 

Question #2: Are you prepared and able to wash your hands, disinfect and maintain social distancing during your activity? 

If you answered yes to both questions you can get and stay active! 

Guideline #1: Get Outside 

Just because your favorite gym or club is closed, that doesn’t mean you can’t move your fitness routine outside. Children and young adults can benefit from playing together outside, in small groups… as long as everyone in the group meets our first 2 requirements and can minimize direct contact with each other and equipment. 

Your backyard works or find a local trail or hiking path, set your smartphone or smartwatch, layer on the sunscreen, pack the water (and possibly a face mask) and get moving.

Guideline #2: Exercise alone or with others in your small quarantine group. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines advise you to choose activities that allow you to maintain an appropriate distance between each other, such as hiking or biking. The CDC also recommends if you are meeting up in small, healthy groups of individuals you meet up at your destination and avoid close quarters like carpools.

Guideline #3. Maintain 6 feet of space between members of your small, healthy group. 

Activities like golf, bike riding and tennis can meet this requirement more easily than others. 

Limiting physical contact is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus—and any other virus. Be sure to wipe down equipment and keep apart. 

Guideline #4: Keep up your general fitness and keep up your health 

Having a strong core and aerobic fitness level is necessary for maintaining your health and fitness. You can work on strengthening your core and cardiovascular condition without compromising the safety of those around you by using:

1. Youtube Videos 
2. Zoom/streaming videos hosted by your local gyms and fitness clubs 
3. Weights and bands at home 
4. Home gyms / home-based workouts
5. App-based exercise programs

Guideline #5: Disinfect all your equipment – even at home

COVID can remain active on untreated surfaces – so be sure to follow the CDC guidelines for disinfecting surfaces. Be diligent about cleaning before and after every workout, every time even inside your own household. The CDC recommends using cleaning agents that contain a minimum of 70% alcohol to kill the virus. 

Guideline #6: Skip the equipment, use your own body weight! 

You can create your own workout circuit with no equipment at all! 

• Yoga 
• Pilates mat 
• Lunges
• Squats
• Pushups 
• Situps 
• Crunches 

Remember that with any exercise program, you should gradually increase frequency, intensity, and duration to avoid injuries. 

Guideline #7: Keep in touch with your local fitness community 

Be sure to follow, via social media like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, your local gyms, clubs and sports teams for inspiration and interaction. Many local clubs have home workouts, Youtube workouts, competitions and virtual races! 

Guideline #8: Remain hopeful and look ahead 

We will get through this! Stay positive in your mind and your heart. Be safe, smart and practice social distancing! Good luck and stay healthy!