While getting a group of friends together to play a friendly game is a great activity to be a part of, group sports have been much more complicated and high risk this year due to the coronavirus. With that being said, that doesn’t mean that you should stop being active! Our team at AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway explains why below.

How Much of a Health Risk Is Playing Sports This Year?

Because of the physical nature of team sports like basketball, football and soccer, these types of team sports are generally a high health risk during the pandemic. The only way the health risk could be lowered is if each member of each respective team was fresh off a negative COVID-19 test, but that would be a tough and expensive task. If you are a member of a sports club or intramural team and are itching to play your sport, you can stay safe by considering the below-mentioned precautions and contacting your organization or university to see what health precautions they are taking to make sure it’s safe to be involved.

Easy Ways to Lower Health Risk When Playing Sports

• Stay home if you feel sick.
• Stay socially distant when possible.
• Wear a breathable mask.
• Use your own equipment and drink from your own water bottle.

How Can I Stay Active If I Can’t Play Team Sports?

There are many great ways to get great exercise even if you can’t participate in organized athletics! Activities like running and biking offer good workouts that boost your cardiovascular strength, strengthen endurance and build core strength. If you are looking to build muscle, consider weight-training. If your local gym is closed, however, it might be worthwhile to workout from home by watching online videos that focus on body-weight exercises. Body-weight exercises are amazing ways to get the same kind of muscle-boosting benefits that weight training offers in the safety of your own home and with less injury risk.

Some More Socially Distant Exercises

• Hiking
• Yoga
• Tennis
• Golf
• Trail-running

Even though team sports offer more health risks this year than in years past, it’s still important to stay active! If you have been feeling sluggish or under the weather, however, feel free to visit us at AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway today.