The COVID-19 pandemic has deprived all individuals of enjoying the most essential aspects of everyday life. After spending months in quarantine, many people are eager to get back to playing sports and engaging in physical activities.
Given the omnipresent risk of COVID-19 spread, everyone is expected to abide by certain regulations when being physically active. Social distancing, wearing a mask, washing hands, and not sharing equipment is considered vital for staying safe.
There is a multitude of online stores, such as Gotto Sports Belfast, providing shoppers with a huge variety of sports apparel and equipment, ideal for safe shopping during the pandemic.
Take a look at some useful tips about staying safe while being physically active.
Consider the risk of the activity
The inceptive factor to consider prior to getting back to your fitness routine is the level of involved risk. COVID-19 is believed to spread with varying intensity in accordance with the settings as well as the number of people involved in the activity.
For instance, performing individual skills and level drills in the comfort of your home, either by yourself or with a member of your family, is considered to involve the lowest level of risk. In contrast, team-based practice is believed to be riskier, whereas within-team competitions carry an even greater amount of risk.
Moreover, competition between local teams is declared as highly risky, while competition between teams of different regions is thought to involve the highest likelihood of spreading COVID-19. Football and wrestling involve higher risk in comparison with baseball, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, and hockey, where players wear protective gear. The higher the number of players the lower the chances of keeping social distance.
Therefore, people are advised to choose individuals sports or ones that involve minimal physical interaction. Consequently, tennis, golf, weightlifting, skiing, and running are suggested as the safest alternatives during the pandemic. Click here to learn more about the safety of engaging in physical activity during COVID-19.
Outdoor vs. indoor physical activity
Another important consideration before engaging in physical activity is choosing between indoor and outdoor activities. Make sure you prioritize outdoor sports while the weather is pleasant enough to exercise outside, as indoor activities are performed in smaller places where social distancing is more challenging.
When exercising outdoors, airflow and ventilation are significantly better, hence weakening the virus particles in the atmosphere. This isn’t the case in indoor facilities, as most of them don’t provide proper ventilation. Therefore, when using indoor facilities, you’re strongly advised not to use locker rooms or changing rooms in order to avoid high-touch surfaces.
Furthermore, you’re recommended to bring the necessary supplies that protect both you and the other players from the virus. Make sure you bring a couple of masks, an alcohol sanitizer, and a bottle with drinking water. However, in case you already suffer from a severe health condition, it’s paramount not to engage in group sports but choose an individual one instead.
Take precautions
In terms of physical closeness, you’re supposed to keep a minimum of six feet distance from the other players whenever possible. Handshakes and high fives aren’t considered appropriate in this period, so make sure you come up with a greeting that involves minimal or no physical contact.
When failing to maintain the recommended social distance, you’re advised to wear a mask. Anyhow, wearing masks isn’t feasible in every type of sport, particularly the ones of high intensity. For instance, people that engage in lower-intensity activities can wear masks but the ones practicing high-intensity sports like running find them inconvenient due to causing breathing difficulties.
Additionally, it’s essential to minimize the sharing of equipment by bringing your own ball, gloves, or helmet. Avoid sharing towels, food, and drink containers or disinfect them before use. Also, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap, both before and after exercising. Some people prefer using a hand sanitizer, which is effective as long as it contains at least 60 % alcohol. The following link, https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Hand-Sanitizer, includes some useful tips about using hand sanitizer.
Bottom line
Opt for an individual sport while the risk is still high.
Take the necessary precautions for everyone’s sake!