Avoid Aches & Pains In The Garden This Spring
Patient Success Spotlight
“The owner, Laura, will educate you and prepare you for what to do after the physical therapy visits have stopped.”
Did you know that the State of Massachusetts is one of many states that allow direct access to physical therapy? You do not need a prescription or referral to start physical therapy. This was done to help combat the opiod crisis and encourage the use of physical therapy as the safe and effective alternative for treatment of acute and chronic pain and injuries. A PHYSICIAN REFERRAL IS NOT NEEDED FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS! Direct Access To Physical Therapy SEE MORE TESTIMONIALS LIKE THIS ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.WOODASSOCIATESPHYSICALTHERAPY.COM “Definitely a 5 star rating! A combination of electrical stimuli, moderate stretching exercises that produces great strengthening results, along with professional deep tissue therapy. In this pleasant atmosphere, The owner, Laura, will educate you and prepare you for what to do after the physical therapy visits have stopped. Thank you again!” - Tony
Common gardening activities, such as digging, planting, weeding, mulching, and raking can cause stress and strain on muscles and joints. This is especially true for people who are normally sedentary. Different body areas such as the shoulders, neck, back, and knees can be vulnerable to injury during gardening. 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 and keep the other foot on the ground. Use knee pads or a gardening pad when kneeling.
• 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, a short walk and light stretching, similar to stretches done before starting.
Author: Andrea Avruskin PT, DPT
www.woodassociatesphysicaltherapy.com
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online