Director of the non-surgical Foot and Ankle Service at HSS, Rock G. Positano, DPM, MSc, MPH, DSc, discusses trends in exercise and injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Positano shared that generally people have increased their walking mileage since the pandemic, which is an effective and safe mode of transportation. However, when increasing mileage suddenly, people are more predisposed to developing injuries like stress fractures in the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.

He encouraged people to be gradual about getting back into an exercise routine – if you aren’t accustomed to a certain amount of activity, you run the risk of overuse problems, particularly in muscle groups in the foot, ankle and back.

Dr. Positano’s tips for getting back into exercising: start slow (as rapid return to activity can be dangerous), feet and back pain are particularly common, and to avoid a self-diagnosis - advising to consult with a doctor about any issues.

This segment appeared during the 8am news hour on May 21, 2021.