Spring is here, and just like that, we are looking for those April showers, but you know what that means – May flowers are coming! Seasoned gardeners know that the work starts now to get prepared for the blooming season.
Gardening comes with a lot of work; it isn’t just plant and go, it takes a lot of time and care and effort.
With the enjoyment of gardening, there also comes a lot of:
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Neck pain
- Thumb pain
- Wrist pain
- Knee pain
It can also cause a lot of serious injuries as well, such as:
- Pulled or torn muscles
- Tendonitis
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Pre-patellar bursitis
- Lateral Epicondylitis
All of the above injuries feel incredibly uncomfortable and painful. Sometimes, they require more than just pain medication to help with the pain management. The good news is that you can work to prevent these injuries from happening so that you and your gardens are both in perfect condition. Here is what you should do before, during and after your gardening sessions:
Before: Warm up
- Take a quick walk around the block or even around the yard to get your legs and arms moving and ready for work.
- Follow this with some light stretching of your arms, legs and back. Spending 10-15 minutes to prepare your body for work is a great way to help avoid unnecessary injury.
During: Be Aware
- Switch positions often. Don’t stay seated or bent over for too long or you will cause cramping, stiffness and strain on your muscles, joints and tendons.
- Tune into your body, once you start to feel stiff, take a break, walk around and stretch out
- Get a knee pad to kneel on, something that is comfortable and supportive.
- Don’t bend over and hurt your back, but don’t rely on your wrists to support you. Find a place that caters to you and your physical well being.
After: Self care
- Once you are finished for the day, take some time to stretch out and do some more light walking.
- After you have taken some time to stretch out, you can rest!
For every step that you take to make sure you are warmed up and comfortable when digging in your gardens, also ensure that you are protected from the sun and stay hydrated! Consuming water regularly throughout the day will help keep your muscles functioning properly and reduce the risk of injury.
If you suffer an injury or if aches and pains are keeping you from enjoying all the spring gardening that is waiting for you, give the team of experts at Port Perry Wellness Centre a call. Contact us!
We can help get you back out there!
