While gardening is a great way to spend quite a few hours in the spring and summer, there is always a chance that you can end up hurting. How many times have you planted some flowers and then gone to stand up only to feel a pull in your lower back from being in the same position for so long? I know that it’s happened to me. Here are a couple of things that you can do to help prevent that pain after spending a day making your home look more lovely.
- Stretch. I am a stretch pusher. I will admit that very freely. Stretching is one of the most important things that you can do to help your body with most things. Make sure that you breathe deeply and stretch your back and legs before you get down to business. Try to touch your toes and reach up towards the sky. Slowly twist at the torso and move your neck around so that you loosen your body up.
- Use Padding. One thing that helps a lot of people is kneeling on some sort of pad. They sell those in almost any hardware or garden store, but you can also use an old piece of foam to rest your knees on. While this will make your knees a little higher, it is also better for them to not be on the hard ground for extended periods of time. Knee pain is one of the most common types of joint pain in our country, so anything that you can do to prevent it will be good.
- Take Breaks. I know that I don’t like doing this once I get into a rhythm, but taking breaks is extremely important. Perhaps try to do this every three or four bulbs or every row. This will give you a great reason to stand up, stretch again, and take a drink or two. Keeping hydrated is a great way to prevent muscle cramping which will also mean that you will be less likely to hurt after a day in the garden.
Gardening is a great load of fun for many people, but pain certainly is not. If you are hurting, come into DiBella Chiropractic and let us give you a spinal adjustment so that you can get back to feeling better quickly.
