Editor’s Note: This story is Part 1 of a 2-part series recapping our favorite health tips from 2024. Part 1 focuses on tips for mental health.

At the top of many New Year’s Resolution lists is the goal of being active. Whether that means walking around the neighborhood or hitting the backcountry, the tips below can help you stay active through the coming year.

Reduce back pain: Even if you’ve never experienced back or neck pain, there’s a good chance that at some point, you will.

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“As humans, we’re susceptible to neck and back pain because of the way we walk upright,” said Dr. J. Alex Sielatycki, a spine surgeon in Steamboat Springs and a member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. “Almost every adult at some point in their life will have some sort of neck or back pain.”

But that doesn’t mean you have to live in pain. Sielatycki recommends low-impact aerobic exercise to keep the spine limber and healthy.

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“I tell patients across the board that regular, low-impact aerobic exercise is one of the best things you can do,” Sielatycki said. “That, in combination with maintaining good flexibility by warming up and doing gentle stretching, can do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to preventing back problems later in life.”

Recover after training: A critical but sometimes overlooked part of any active lifestyle is rest and recovery.

Training stresses the body in various ways, but it’s far from the only stress athletes face. Work, school, relationships and the busy pace of modern life can all exacerbate stress, which has a cascade of effects.

“If you’re exercising and operating in this stressful, high-cortisol state all of the time, you aren’t getting back to the rest and digest state, and your body isn’t able to heal,” said Jessica Yeaton, a physical therapist at UCHealth SportsMed Clinic in Steamboat Springs. “No one can function without getting adequate recovery.”

Try to prioritize sleep, which is a time when the body actively repairs and grows muscles, and to practice dynamic stretching, which can improve performance by activating the neuromuscular system and increasing blood flow to muscles. And don’t forget to build rest days into your schedule to help your immune system recover.

Fend off fall risk: According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls were the leading cause of injury-related death for adults 65 and older in 2021. Falls are responsible for more than 95% of hip fractures and are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries in older adults.

“Fall prevention is important because, although it’s common with older adults, it’s not a normal part of aging and there are ways to prevent it,” said Alison Weston, an injury prevention specialist with UCHealth’s Northern Colorado trauma services program.

Make sure your home has good lighting and remove clutter and cords to clear pathways. Use electrical tape with contrasting colors on stair landings or the last step. Remove throw rugs and install grab bars in the bathroom. Wear proper shoes in the house and outdoors, and discuss the need for assistive devices with your health provider.

It’s also helpful to maintain strength and balance, stay up to date with eye exams, review medications for potential side effects such as drowsiness, allow time to get to destinations to avoid rushing, and know when to ask family and friends for help.

Stay Hydrated: “We are high and dry in this part of the state, and it gets hot, so it’s important to hydrate,” said Sue Golden, a physician assistant at UCHealth Urgent Care in Steamboat Springs. “You should be drinking at minimum your body weight in ounces of water.”

Up the fluid intake when you’re active, and don’t hesitate to add an electrolyte solution to your water to help avoid fatigue and cramps.

“People can feel poorly if they get dehydrated,” Golden said. “Check-in with your doctor or urgent care if you have symptoms of dehydration.”

Susan Cunningham writes for UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. She can be reached at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.