By Robin Poston, OTR/L, Central Illinois Institute of Balance and Physical Therapy
Spring is upon us! That great time of year when we can get outside again and enjoy the fresh air and start working on our yards and gardens. Yardwork and gardening are not only a way to enjoy the outdoors, but are excellent forms of exercise. Unfortunately, they can also be an easy way to experience aches and pains. It is important to take some precautions before tackling those outside chores so that you can avoid suffering such ill effects.
First, know the condition of your body. Have you been sitting by the fire with a good book all winter, or have you remained active to some extent? If you are de-conditioned from the winter months, don’t overdo things your first day outdoors. Instead, pace yourself and work in rest breaks. Here are some other simple tips to follow.
Don’t work hard in the garden or yard with cold muscles. Go for a light walk first or start with light tasks like picking up sticks or yard waste to warm up your muscles before diving into heavy tasks. Once warmed up, gently stretch the muscles you will use during your task. With gardening, it is often good to stretch your hamstrings and quads (the muscles on the front and back of your thighs), and your shoulders, forearms, wrists, and hands. Increasing blood flow and stretching will bring nutrients and oxygen while preparing the muscles you will use most.
Protect your back. Back pain is the most common ache that develops from gardening and yardwork. Remember good body mechanics are important to use with every task we do, not just work tasks. Your back is protected best when you maintain the natural lumbar curve (the inward curve of your low back). Often, we develop habits of slouching or rounding out our lower back. This rounding pushes the disc (the jello-like material in our spines) toward the spinal nerves which can cause pain. Be sure to keep your low back flat or with that lumbar curve and bend at the knees and hips instead of bending the back when reaching forward or lifting. After pulling weeds or doing a lot of forward bending, stretch your back with a gentle backward bend to rebalance your body (stand with feet shoulder width apart, hands on hips, while you gently lean backward for a comfortable stretch for 10 to 30 seconds).
Mix it up! Don’t do all the weeding, then all the raking, then all the mowing. Posture variety is a great tool to prevent aches and pain. If you weed some, then rake some, then mow some and repeat, you will change the position of your body and change the muscles you are stressing or using most. This variety will help you prevent repetitive strain injury and relieve stress on your muscles and joints.
Use the tools available to you. Depending on the type of yardwork or gardening you enjoy, there are various tools available to reduce risk of pain. Some examples include a kneeling pad, large-handled tools, non-slip well-fitting gloves or tools, gardening carts with built in seats, rolling stools, curved handled tools. Keeping the wrist straight will reduce strain to the wrist, sitting on a low stool, or kneeling can be better than bending over from standing (remember regardless, to bend at the hips keeping the lumbar curve), non-slip items help you to reduce force needed to grip and reduce stress to your hands.
Hopefully, you will enjoy spring and the outdoors without experiencing aches or pain. However, if you should experience mild pain, try applying ice for 10 to 15 minutes multiple times over the first 72 hours. If you experience more severe pain or swelling, you may want to see your healthcare professional. Take good care of your yard and garden, but more importantly take even better care of yourself and your body.
Robin Poston, is an Occupational Therapist at Central Illinois Institute of Balance and Physical Therapy, located at 211 Landmark Dr, Suite E-3 in Normal. The practice specializes in treating balance and dizziness problems and also offers physical and occupational therapy for many types of pain. For more information, call 309-663-4900 or visit them online at www.dizzyil.com.