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Spring has
sprung!
Weve turned forward the clocks, and soon there will be
little green
patches sprouting everywhere! For all of those gardeners
out there, we are now heading into one of the busiest
seasons. But dont forget to take care of yourself while
you are turning the bleak grey landscape out there into
beautiful and colourful displays for everyone to enjoy!
Tips and Preventative Techniques for Getting Back to
Gardening Safely
Give your
muscles a chance to warm up before working in the yard
or garden. Practice stretching with the various
movements you will be working in the yard, or take a
short ten to fifteen-minute walk around the block.
Avoid
prolonged bending, pushing and pulling while raking and
hoeing, which can strain shoulders or the lower back.
Use
long-handled tools, or the resulting forward and
sideways bending can aggravate the neck or lower back.
To avoid
strain and muscle spasm on one side of the body, switch
hands frequently while raking or hoeing.
When using a
hedge trimmer, keep your back straight and use short
strokes to avoid upper arm and neck strain. Pause after
three to five minutes.
Carry
medium-to-small sized loads of debris close to your
body, or use a wheelbarrow to avoid strain on your back.
Save heavier work for mid-way through your chores. This
helps avoid sudden strenuous exertion on unused muscles
and joints.
Keep
overhead work to five-minute episodes. Avoid extreme
reaching with one arm.
Kneel to
perform tasks, rather than bend.
Stretch!
Stretching exercises will help prevent recurrences of
spinal and related health problems. Back exercises
should deal with flexibility first, strength second.
Finally, if
a task seems like too much work, it probably is. Hire a
professional for tasks like landscaping, tree-topping or
trimming large hedges.
And if you
do injure yourself, see a health professional!
Happy gardening everyone! To learn more about
preventing injury, contact Dr. Macanuel to book an
appointment today at 416.481.0222 or KMacanuelDC@ForcesofNature.ca.
From BCCA resources
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