Spring yard work tips
This time of the year, one of the most common issues we hear from patients is that they’ve tweaked some part of their body while working in the yard.
While we love seeing our patients, the goal is injury prevention. So here’s our Keizer Chiropractic Clinic SPRING YARD WORK TIPS:
#1 STRETCH. When working in your yard or garden, one way to avoid stressing one’s musles and joints is by taking a few minutes prior and warming up with a few basic stretching exercises.
#2 PACE YOURSELF. We all have until October to finish it :)
#3 HYDRATE. Maintaining your body’s water levels during use allows your muscles to coordinate with one another properly in order to support your physical activity. Sufficient water levels in your body will also help deter muscle cramps or spasms.
#4 SWITCH IT UP. You want to avoid continuously performing a particular activity for long periods of time. Alternate between different work: mowing, pruning, raking, weeding, shoveling, etc. Also, vary the way you do certain tasks. We’ll use raking for example: Raking to one side of your body will cause that side to be overused. Although it won’t likely feel natural at first, we recommend switching sides every few minutes.
#5 WE HAVE TWO WORDS: Knees, hips. You’ve definitely heard this before, and it’s still true after all these years. When lifting potted plants, bags of mulch, etc., keep your back straight — and bend with your knees and hips.
#6 FOOTWEAR. As Oregonians, we tend to take full advantage of nice weather days — soaking up the sun whenever it shows itself. No matter how nice it may or may not get this spring, resist the urge to wear sandals or flip-flops while working in your yard. A supportive pair of shoes or boots is a much wiser choice. Yard work can strain your feet and legs. Quality arch support will stop some of that strain from reaching your spine.
#7 USE THE STRAP. If your piece of equipment has a strap — don’t be stubborn — use it as intended. This will keep your center of gravity and prevent you from overusing one part of your body.
#8 GREEN HAS ITS BENEFITS. Consider electric-powered equipment instead of gas-powered. Green-friendly equipment is usually lighter and easier to start than traditional gas mowers, trimmers, edgers, etc. If you’re like us, then you’ve definitely felt a twinge after yanking repeatedly on the starting cord of a gas engine.
#9 MOWING. Many people make the mistake of leaning forward as they push a lawnmower. That common oversight is an easy way to strain your back. Instead, maintain proper posture, and push with those arms and legs.
#10 ASSISTANCE. For heavy work, think about asking someone for help.
If you do find your body not responding well to yard work, we can get you back on the path to mowing, weeding and planting quicker than you can say ‘Keizer Chiropractic Clinic.’ Okay, not exactly that fast — but fast.
— David Weaver, D.C.