Tips to Prevent Back Injuries from Gardening and Landscaping this Summer
Gardening season is approaching and the staff at Mainway Physiotherapy want to make sure that you are aware of all the tips to prevent any accidental back injuries from occurring.
Why are gardening and landscaping injuries so common?
In the winter months, a lot of people do not condition themselves as much as they do in the spring and summer. This is because people tend to stay indoors more and are not exposed to as much exercise. When temperatures begin to rise, in early spring, people are eager to get outside and begin preparing their lawn and garden for summer. Since people are not accustomed to heavy lifting and not using their muscles as much, they tend to overwork themselves without noticing and this can result in an injury.
We call people who have accidental injuries from spring and summer activities the Weekend Warriors. The reasoning behind this term is because they get very excited for the warmer weather and tend to do too much, too fast.
Did you know that May is national physiotherapy month? This is most definitely the busiest time of year for the staff at Mainway Physiotherapy for new and existing patients. Perhaps it's because of the weekend warriors!
What happens to the muscles and tendons?
When individuals are engaging in gardening and landscaping, they are subconsciously overusing and moving muscles and tendons that they are not accustomed to. With frequent movements of pulling, bending, and carrying heavy objects for an extended period of time, your back can eventually feel distressed which can cause inflammation.
What can you do to prevent this from occurring?
Here are some tips that we suggest to prevent any accidental gardening injuries:
Make sure you are warming up before you begin gardening and cooling down after you're done!
Be sure to condition your body throughout the winter, the stronger your body is, the more you can take on!
Pace yourself and listen to your body
Avoid overusing your muscles, ease into the activity, and take frequent breaks
Gardening for a lot of people is a passion. It is a part of their mental health, which is so important right now. We don’t want to stop people from gardening, we just want to educate you on the right way to do it.
Remember, it is easier to prevent an injury than it is to rehabilitate an injury.
If you are experiencing any discomfort or pain after engaging in spring activities such as gardening, feel free to contact us so we can help!