Having lost the chance to play netball because of the injury in my arm, I have found other ways to partake in physical activities. I have been in lockdown in India for a while, attending school online, which leaves me with plenty of time to focus on extracurriculars. Since my right arm still hasn’t reached its full ability, I have planned some exercises to help with the missed out physiotherapy. Since because of the time difference, school ends at 12:30 pm, I have the whole evening to plan out some exercises to keep fit. I have some gym equipment at home such as a treadmill, weights and a yoga mat.
During the week, I have an exercise routine that I do on alternate days. The routine involves watching youtube videos for working out parts of my body such as the abs and the thighs. Additionally, I add about 20 minutes of running on the treadmill before the workout and 20 minutes after the workout. I do the same routine with different exercises every alternate day on weekdays. I have noticed that it helps me bring strength back into my right arm after my injury. Despite the situation causing a lot of emotional distress, I have been able to use lockdown as a way to rehabilitate my arm. Now I can lift a 5 lb dumbbell with my right arm and am planning to gradually add more weight.
I hope to be able to continue these exercises and remain fit for the remainder of online school, so that when I attend school in person I can possibly participate in team sports again. I have also learnt to manage my time well and the importance of being principled to achieve long-term goals. I have realised that having the patience to gradually rehabilitate my arm has helped in numerous ways to keep the rest of my body healthy and also helped me focus better at online school.
