Iso-injuries from exercise might have tapered off, particularly compared to the roaring start Ballarat people made to running and walking in the first lockdown, but Lake Health Group physiotherapist Michael Pierce said there were a whole new set of risk factors at play.

Mr Pierce said everyone needed to be aware of their de-loading.

"You cannot go back to working out at the same level you were working out," Mr Pierce said.

"If you haven't done anything much for three months, it's going to take about three months to get back to the same level. If you haven't been running for six weeks, it's going to take six weeks or more to get back to the same level.

"The longer the time away, the higher the risk of injury rates."

Mr Pierce said gym loading was a common example. People trying to lift the same weight they did before lockdowns, mentally knowing they can but not realising they do not have the same conditioning.

This time as restrictions ease, Ballarat is entering spring conditions as compared to late autumn into winter for the first lockdown reprieve.

Mr Pierce said as the weather picked up, more people would likely pick up their running and walking whereas last time, most people were pivoting from their chosen sport to walking or running and injuries occurred in a change to loading with different muscles in use.

"Because we haven't been allowed to do stuff, and we've been in lockdown so long, as soon as people can get out physical exercise and sport is going to explode," Mr Pierce said. "We need to take even more care than last time, because it's been longer."

Mr Pierce advises to start slow and carefully build-up.

Outdoor personal training sessions are back from Monday with two people per personal trainer.

People can also now meet up to exercise in groups of five people, but only from within two households.

Outdoor non-contact sports for adults do not come into play until regional Victoria hits step three: this means less than five new regional active COVID-19 cases on a rolling 14-day average and zero mystery cases. This is when outdoor training groups can increase to 10 people.

City of Ballarat's outdoor gyms will remains closed until further instruction from Victoria's health department but public playgrounds will progressively re-open from next week after compliance and safety checks.

A return to school will be a different playing field next term.

Mr Pierce said many children would lack conditioning usually built in physical education classes and the general rough and tumble of the school yard.

He expected a spike in presentations to physiotherapists for rolled ankles and sprained ligaments that had all-but disappeared with suspension of organised sport.

Meanwhile, when it comes to organised sport, Ballarat has been making a statement in the national (not)Parkrun movement.

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While gatherings are banned but running is an allowed sport, people are encouraged to keep up running or walking five-kilometres wherever they choose then to post their time.

Parkrun Ballarat has consistently been ranking within the top 10 communities in Australia to keep people moving.

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