AVOID ACHES & PAIN IN YOUR SPRING GARDEN
• If kneeling or leaning down to the ground causes significant pain in your back or knees, consider using elevated planters to do your gardening. • Avoid bending your wrist upwards when pulling things or using gardening tools. Instead, keep your wrist straight and use your shoulder muscles to pull and lift. • End your gardening session with some gentle backward bending of your low back,ashortwalkand lightstretching,similar tostretchesdonebeforestarting. To see how we can relieve your aches and pains, improve your mobility, and get you back to the activities you love to do, call us today!
Common gardening activities, such as digging, planting, weeding, mulching, and rakingcancausestressandstrainonmusclesand joints.This isespecially true for seniorcitizensandpeoplewhoarenormallysedentary.Differentbodyareassuchas theshoulders,neck,back,andkneescanbevulnerable to injuryduringgardening. These tips can help prevent injuries: • Warm up before you garden. A 10 minute brisk walk and stretches for the spine and limbs are good ways to warm up. • Change positions frequently to avoid stiffness or cramping. • Make use of a garden cart or wheelbarrow to move heavy planting materials or tools. Be sure to keep your back straight while using a wheelbarrow. • If kneeling on both knees causes discomfort in your back, try kneeling on one andkeep theother footon theground.Usekneepadsoragardeningpadwhen kneeling.
Author: Andrea Avruskin PT, DPT
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