Pull Weeds, Not Your Back!

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 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," said Dr. Scott Bautch of the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. "Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, 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 Stretches

  • 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, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don't bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced.

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.

Prevention is Key!

The best way to fight the pain, emotional stress, and missed work that may accompany a spinal problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. The following tips will help you identify and eliminate "spinal stressors" and incorporate spinal health into your daily routine.

Location

Find us on the map

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

Closed

Tuesday:

8:30 am

5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am

6:00 pm

Thursday:

Closed

Friday:

8:30 am

6:00 pm

Saturday:

8:30 am

4:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Excellent work ethic and bed-side manner. He's not the type to give you heat/stim/roller bed and call it a day. Dr. Chris will really get in there and try to give you immediate relief. His ART techniques in particular are very effective. I highly recommend giving him a try for upper or lower back problems"
    -T.T.
  • "Dr. Chris Tosh is by far the best chiropractor I've seen. I've been to doctors with injuries from running and playing basketball and those doctors would just tell me to stop and give up on those activity without even trying to find a cure or help me out with my injury. Dr. Chris works with you with great care, patience and provide detailed information on the cause and the problem. His A.R.T. (Active Release Therapy) technical works well on many treatments from psoas issues to joint problems. He can also find any imbalance in your body that may have caused issues before running into injuries. This guy is the man to go to for sports related injury. Don't give up on what you're passionate about. Make an appointment and see what he can do for you. - Highly recommended."
    - Kevin C.