It’s that time of year again, the snow’s melted, the sun’s out (sort of), the clocks are about to change, and the garden’s looking a bit sad after winter. It’s great to be back outside and we know that any exercise is good for us, whether that’s dog walking, gardening or even the dreaded housework.
So here’s a few top tips for saving your back this Spring while getting the garden under control:
- Limit the amount of time you spend at one task. This is my number one rule because this is just about the easiest way to strain your back. Remember that you’re back may not have done any strenuous work over the winter. To suddenly spend an hour digging is a lot to ask of the muscles, ligaments and discs of your spine. So take it easy, move between tasks regularly, and have plenty of tea breaks!
- Spare a thought for your posture. Lumbar flexion, or bending forward from the waist, is the most strenuous position for the spine. If you add in twisting and lifting too then your back will get very tired very quickly. So bend with your knees where you can or aim to ‘hip hinge’ (see the hip-hinge blog).
- Take your time. You’ve got the whole of the Spring and Summer to get the garden in shape, so don’t worry if a job is left half done, there’s always tomorrow!
Additionally, if you’ve already been in to see us then you may well have been given some mobility or flexibility exercise by the Chiropractor. Remember to keep these up. They can be particularly useful just before and just after using your back, for example with gardening. If you feel you’d like to have your back looked at, then send us an email or give us a call and we can get you booked in.