Oh My Blooming Back! Tips and Stretches for Gardening.

As springtime approaches, weather warms up and leaves turn green, many people will spend more time outside planting bulbs, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety.  Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to follow these tips and stretches for gardening to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools.

The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.  A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity. Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, and prevent pain and stiffness. To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

Garden Fitness Tips and Stretches for Gardening:

• Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the no pain, no gain rule. Stretching should not be painful.
• While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.
• Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.
• While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.
• Do the “Hug your best friend.” Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times. Finally, be aware of your body technique, form and posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements frequently.

Oh My Blooming Back! Tips and Stretches for Gardening.

When to Seek Care:

When the Bulbs are Planted… If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours, and consider chiropractic care. If you over do it in the garden this spring, and your back pain does not resolve within 2-3 days, it’s time to seek the care of a professional. Chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage work to correct misalignment’s in your posture, loosen tight muscles and can remove the pressure placed on the nerve endings that line the surface of the spinal joints.

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Dr. J. Adam Metzger
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Non-surgical Spine Pain Expert, Dr. J. Adam Metzger works to help people overcome neck pain, back pain, and headaches as quickly as possible. Triple Board Certified in Chiropractic Medicine, Physiotherapy, and Acupuncture, Dr. Metzger is focused on accurate diagnosis, individualized treatment plans, and teaching patients how to best care for themselves and their family. For more information visit: http://spinewellnesscincinnati.com/
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Oh My Blooming Back – Tips and Stretches for Gardening.