Yard work, gardening, and back discomfort are all words that frequently appear in the same sentence. However, if you treat yard maintenance or gardening as if it were an exercise day, you can avoid back pain. Here are a few pointers to help you enjoy yard care and gardening.
- Stretch! Include your back, legs, and arms in your workout. Simple range-of-motion exercises and toe touches can help loosen up your muscles. Each session should begin with 5-7 reps of the cat-camel (or cat-cow) exercise. This exercise is performed on all fours in the quadruped position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Then alternate between flexion and extension of your spine slowly. By arching your back to the ceiling and lowering your head to the floor, then lowering your belly to the floor and looking up to the ceiling, you can achieve this. If extremes of motion create pain, avoid them. This is not a stretch, but rather a continuous range of motion activities.
- Brisk walk! To get the blood flowing, warm up with a 5-10 minute brisk stroll. Instead of stretching, this is a terrific method to warm up dynamically.
- Hydrate! Bring your water to the garden with you. Staying hydrated can help you avoid being hurt.
- Lift properly! Your back is stressed when you ride your bike, handle your golf bag, or move big bags of soil. Over-stuffing garbage bags with leaves and other garden waste is a common omission; keep in mind that you'll have to lift and carry them!
- Plan your tasks! Pruning, raking, digging, and other gardening duties should be varied. Do not engage in any one activity for an extended period. Planning your chores ahead of time, and putting your tools in a bucket for easier travel, will help with this. If you must be in a kneeling posture, use a kneeling pad or a kneeler with grips to assist you in getting up and down from the ground. Working from a standing or seated position is also possible with tools with adjustable length handles.
- No Stooping! Use your knees or kneel on a mat if you're gardening, planting, or doing other activities where you might need to pause. Try to sit while planting new plants or pruning low bushes if you can. Locking your knees, bending, and lifting are the most typical ways to damage your lower back. When bending and lifting, use the hip-hinge bend technique, which directs all movement through your hips rather than your low back. To relieve stress on the lumbar spine, bend your knees and keep your back in a neutral position. Your buttocks and legs should provide the majority of the lift's force. To strengthen the stability in your low back, abdominally brace (tense the abdominal wall as if you were expecting to be stuck in the gut) during the lift.
- Pace yourself! It's wonderful to be outside but take it slowly. If you haven't been out in a while, start slowly and gradually return to the activity. Doing too much too soon is the quickest way to injure yourself. Take some time to relax, rest, and drink some water.
- Push/Pull Be prepared when pushing or tugging, just as you would not want to lift anything overly heavy. Determine how heavy the item is, and if it is too much for you, seek assistance or divide the project into smaller chores. Spread your feet when shoveling to establish a wide, supporting stance and prevent twisting your body. Picot and reposition using your feet instead.
- Leaves, leaves, everywhere! Don't underestimate how taxing raking the yard may be on
your back. The repeated bending and leaning forward to move leaves can be excruciating. When drawing the leaves together, take your time and don't bend too far forward. If you're packing a bag, instead of bending down to move the leaves, lower yourself to the ground and use a rake that's the right size for you. - Take help! Another alternative is to enlist the help of the kids in your area. Gardening is a physical hobby, and if you exercise regularly and follow the advice above, you will protect your back. To avoid injury, just like an athlete would prepare and condition for his or her activity. If you want to enhance your flexibility, stretch gently after you've finished gardening or exercising. Stretching options include the cat-camel, sphinx, child's pose, and others.
- See your chiropractor regularly! A happy back is less likely to be hurt, and a healthy back is less likely to be damaged.
Contact Sheets Chiropractors Center for any kind of assistance.
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