SPRING HAS FINALLY SPRUNG and for many people, that means getting outside and spending some time in their gardens. Gardening can be a great exercise, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching, and pulling involved, it also presents the potential for injury.
To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, here are some tips to help keep you injury free and healthy:
1. Warm up / Cool down
We already mentioned that gardening can be great exercise, and it should be treated as such. Get your blood flowing and muscles loosened up by taking a 10-15 minute walk and doing some stretches before the real work begins. Stretching after is also important to prevent the muscles from tightening up after working them.
2. Practice proper form
Avoid twisting your body. When shoveling, keep the shovel close to your body and bend with your knees, not your back. While weeding, don’t over-reach but get up and move from spot to spot.
3. Wear proper support
Wear supportive shoes with a good arch. Your feet are the foundation for the rest of your body and if they’re not properly supported it could lead to injuries. Use knee pads to reduce stress and impact on your knees and wear a back brace or lumbar support to support your low back, particularly if you plan on doing any heaving lifting.
4. Wear gloves
Wearing gloves while gardening is important for several reasons. They prevent blisters from forming during activities such as shoveling or raking. They can provide better grip for lifting and moving objects. And they prevent exposure to harmful things such as fertilizer, pesticides, bacteria and fungus.
5. Cover up
Wearing long sleeves, pants, and high socks can protect you both from sun exposure as well as insects such as mosquitoes and ticks. Further sun protection can be provided with hats and SPF 30 or higher.
6. Don’t overdo it
Overuse and repetitive motions can lead to muscle strains, ligament sprains or tendonitis. Keep activities varied and rotated every 15-20 minutes with a brief rest in between so that the same muscles are not getting used repeatedly.
7. Ice / Heat
If you do end up overdoing it, icing or heating may help. Ice is better for pain and swelling. Heat is better for stiffness. If the injury persists, consider going to see a chiropractor.
Dr. Kevy Smith is a chiropractor in Saratoga Springs providing non-surgical treatment of spinal disorders and sports-related injuries. For more information please visit MySaratogaChiropractor.com or call 518-587-2064
