Shelley Terry, our chiropractor at Blackberry Clinic Milton Keynes shared her top tips at Christmas for avoiding back pain during the Christmas period –Shelley’s top tips for a comfy Christmas. Now the sun is shining a bit more, the weather is improving and we are still staying at home, it might be that your thoughts are turning to work in the garden! Shelley sees plenty of patients who have hurt themselves from unaccustomed every day activities and she is always keen to help. However, prevention is better than a cure!
Make sure you read Shelley’s top tips on preventing gardening injuries, enjoy your gardens and let’s hope you all can soon enjoy having visitors over to admire them!
As the weather brightens many of us will be looking to our gardens as a source of comfort, calmness and activity/exercise. Gardening can be a good activity to help reduce anxiety and stress and help us to keep moving and active. Long periods of gardening can however contribute to back pains, and so it is important to plan ahead to minimise injury, whilst still exercising your green thumb!
Here are some top tips to keep you comfortable and able to enjoy the fruits of your labours:
- Clothing – don’t wear clothes that are tight or could constrict your movement.
- Warming up – Gardening can be a real workout, so warming up your muscles first is a good idea. Try a brisk five-minute walk and some stretching exercises, or start with lighter jobs first to lessen the chance of muscle strain.
- Lifting – Lifting in an optimal position can really help to avoid back pains and strains. Begin by squatting, and not bending at your waist. Use both hands to hold the object, keeping it close to your body, and slowly straighten your legs as you stand. If possible, minimise lifting by using a wheelbarrow, trolley or other lifting aids to carry heavy items from place to place.
- Watering – consider filling large watering cans halfway to reduce the weight you are lifting. It will mean that you take more steps to refill, but will reduce to potential strain on your back and joints. Other watering options such as soaker hoses or automated irrigation systems are also a good idea if possible.
- Pruning – Get as close as possible to the things that you are pruning and avoid overstretching to those hard to reach areas. Long handled secateurs can help with this.
- Take breaks – It’s easy to lose track of time when you love being out in the garden. Take a water bottle with you to keep hydrated and vary your activity by spending no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing. Make sure you take regular breaks.
- Kneelers and chairs – Getting down on the ground and then standing back up can be painful or even impossible, depending on your level of pain and flexibility. Heavy-duty kneelers, especially those with raised, padded handles can help you get up and down, allowing you to use your arm strength to aid this process. Kneelers usually include a well-cushioned base to reduce stress and impact on your knees and back. Many kneelers can also convert to a low chair. Depending on ability, you may just want to use a kneeling pad if you feel more comfortable kneeling at ground level.
- Bring the plants to you – raised beds or wall gardens are a great option if you struggle getting down to the ground. Wall gardens can look great forming a wall of greenery or flowers, whilst being very accessible.
However you get active in the garden, remember to plan ahead, warm up and enjoy! If you do strain yourself, we have a highly experienced team at the Blackberry Clinic who can help to get you back to gardening fit!
