Gardening can be addictive for many of us here in Sussex. Take a short walk around Eastbourne and you’ll see a plenty of well manicured lawns and cared for flower beds. As we get into the Spring, with these Bank Holidays, everything will start to grow again.
Whether you enjoy the rewards of regularly maintaining a well kept garden or you’ve been put off dealing with those unruly flower beds, we should all spend more time in the garden this time of year.
However as many of us know to our detriment, over enthusiastic gardening can take it’s toll on our backs causing unnecessary aches and pains.
It’s all too easy to spend longer than you planned out in the garden and you end up aching because of it. “Back ache specialists see a flood of gardening related aches this time of year,” says James Revell. “As the weather improves many of us end up suffering from gardening for too long in awkward positions.”
Gardening is really rewarding and can be a great activity to help keep us fit. But it is all too easy to overdo it. Take it slowly to start with, until your muscles and joints get used to the increased demands. You can just throw yourself into it and “get it done” but if your muscles and joints are not used to it, then you could end up regretting it with aches and pains in your back.
Here at Lushington Chiropractic Clinic, we offer these top self help tips for local Eastbourne gardeners:
Gardening Self Help Tip #1
Warm up – You may find the idea of warming up before gardening to be a bizarre concept. But the dangers of overexerting yourself in the flower beds are just as real as sustaining an injury on the sports field. At the very least, a few stretches and mobility exercises can help to prevent the unfortunate tweaking of a muscle.
Gardening Self Help Tip #2
Take regular breaks – Don’t work for more than one hour at a time. This is particularly important if you’re not used to gardening or have a lot of heavy work or bending to do.
Gardening Self Help Tip #3
Try to keep good posture – Don’t hunch over your work. It’s worth sitting, kneeling on a firm rubber mat rather than spending all day bent over. Your ache and pain free back will thank you for it.
Gardening Self Help Tip #4
Bend your knees – Keep your back straight and bend your knees when lifting heavy pots etc. Just remember the basics: Back straight, Knees bent Tummy tight – it works.
Gardening Self Help Tip #5
Listen to your body – If you start aching in your back or any other part of your body then stop, have a good stretch and a glass of water.
Look after your back as well as the garden this summer.
Take a break when you need to and relax. After all the gardening will still be there waiting for you next weekend.
These gardening self help tips have been provided by your local award winning chiropractic team at Lushington Chiropractic. Our clinic in Eastbourne has already helped thousands of local people by diagnosing, treating and helping to prevent back ache. To find out more about our treatments for back ache please call 01323 722499 or visit www.chirocare.co.uk.
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