Avoid Aches & Pains in the GARDEN THIS SPRING
Continued fromprevious page.
symptoms by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. An anti-Inflammatory diet consists of the following components: Plant-based emphasis: This means adding in more fruits and vegetables. Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids: • Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines) • Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
Whole grains: • Whole Oats
• Whole Wheat • Buckwheat
• Whole-Grain Rye
• Bulgur Wheat (Cracked Wheat)
• Millet • Spelt
• Whole Barley
Lean protein: • White-Fleshed Fish
• Plain Greek Yogurt
• Beans, Peas, and Lentils
• Skinless, White-Meat Poultry (i.e., chicken, turkey, and pork)
Healthful fats: • Avocado
• Nuts
• Olive Oil • Flaxseed To strengthen your body’s immune response, you’ll want to avoid simple carbs and sugars. Anti-inflammatory diets discourage or limit the consumption of processed foods, red meats, and alcohol. In addition, reduce your processed grain and dairy intake. Unfortunately, that means
no donuts, no pastries, and white bread. What To Expect In Physical Therapy
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 senior citizens and 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
By maintaining a nutritious dietary plan with the help of a physical therapist, you should quickly begin to notice a decrease in your pain and inflammation symptoms. In addition to this, you can also help manage your pain and inflammation through: • Daily exercise: Exercise can alleviate pain or stiffness and stop the inflammation from becoming worse. • Stress management: Stress can influence the body’s inflammation and lead to a longer recovery. Taking time to relax can allow you to heal quicker. • Weight loss: If you have some unwanted weight, getting down to your ideal body weight will help with your pain and inflammation. Our physical therapists will perform a whole-body evaluation that includes a nutritional assessment to identify all the factors that may be contributing to your pain and chronic inflammation. We need to understand how your nutrition and other factors affect your overall health status. We will use this information to develop a comprehensive program that includes targeted manual techniques, mobility work, strengthening, and appropriate pain relief techniques. In addition, we will educate you and support you through changes you need to make to your lifestyle to ensure optimal results! Schedule your consultation with Restore Physical Therapy today to discuss nutrition plans with one of our licensed physical therapists and gain additional advice on other ways you can help manage your pain!
done before starting. Author: Andrea Avruskin PT, DPT
Contact Restore Physical Therapy today to learn more about how we can help you live pain-free!
www.restore-rehab.com
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