Getting Back into Movement This Time of Year

After 25 years in practice, one thing is clear, spring is when people are ready to start moving again.

After a winter of doing a little less, it’s natural. Walks get longer, time outside increases, and people start returning to activities they enjoy. For me, that also means getting back out on the water for dragon boating.

And every year, we see the same thing at Corbett Family Chiropractic. People are ready but their bodies aren’t always quite there yet. There’s often a gap between what we want to do and what our body is ready to do. That’s usually when things start to feel tight, sore, or just not quite right.

What it takes to start moving again

You can start moving again at any time.

• But it does take effort.
• It takes consistency.
• And it doesn’t always feel comfortable at the beginning.

That’s part of the process.

Other things we see often too

• Over time, we tend to do less than we used to.
• Life gets busy, routines change, and without really noticing it, strength and movement can start to drop off.
• So when we go to get active again, it’s not just about picking up where we left off, because the body doesn’t always work that way.
• It usually needs some rebuilding.
• Gradually.
• That’s often where things go wrong.

Patterns we see over and over again this time of year

1. Doing too much too quickly

This is probably the biggest one. It makes sense: you feel good, you’re motivated, and you want to get started. But the body doesn’t always keep up as quickly as we’d like it to. Even with paddling, there’s always a build. We don’t go from zero to full effort right away. That same idea applies to everything else, walking, workouts, even a full day outside in the yard.

2. Trying to do more before the body is moving well

We often see people increasing activity, but certain areas aren’t really moving the way they should. Hips feel stiff. Shoulders feel tight. The upper back doesn’t move well. When that happens, the body works around it, and something else takes over. That’s usually when discomfort starts to show up.

3. Not having enough support where it’s needed

Strength plays a role here, often more than people expect. Not in a “you need to be in the gym all the time” way, but in a “your body needs support” way. When the hips and upper back aren’t doing their job, other areas take over. That’s where we often see more strain through the low back or shoulders.

4. Not being sure what discomfort means

This comes up a lot. Getting back into movement can feel uncomfortable at first. That doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. But there’s a difference between something that feels like your body adapting, and something that just isn’t settling. Learning that difference matters.

5. Waiting to see if it will go away

This is one of the most common things we hear. “I thought it would just go away.” Sometimes it does. But often, those early signs are your body asking for a bit of attention before something becomes more limiting.

Final thoughts

After 25 years in practice, one thing has remained consistent:

• It’s not about doing more.
• It’s about building gradually and moving well.

Whether you’re getting back to regular walks, spending more time outside, or returning to something you enjoy, small adjustments can make a big difference in how your body responds. And if things don’t feel quite right, that’s usually something to pay attention to, not push through.

💙 A small thank you

We were recently recognized in the Burlington Reader’s Choice Awards, which was a bit of a surprise.
It means a lot, especially because it reflects the support of the community, we’ve been part of for so many years. Thank you for that.

Common questions about getting back into movement

Ready to learn how to wake up your joints this spring? Read (and subscribe) to our blog, Healthy Living Naturally!