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Bellevue chiropractor gives some seasonal gardening tips.
Wow, can you believe its time to get back out into the garden again and start planting? Its this time of year that I see a lot of injuries that come from seasonal gardening. Kneeling, bending, and lifting are all an integral part of gardening and also strenuous physical activities. “Many people think gardening as an innocuous activity, but it puts the body in positions it hasn’t been in for months-bending, sitting on the ground, stooping, working on all fours,” says Dr. Hancock, DC of Chicago.
We have to start thinking about gardening activities much like we would think about participating is a sporting activity. “To warm up, walk for five to 10 minutes to get your heart rate up While you garden, divide your activity into thirds- (movements affecting the body) below the waist, between the waist and shoulders, and above the shoulders, doing each for 10 to 15 minutes,” he says.
Before and after your gardening activities, Kathi Casey, ERYT, CPI, a health coach and trainer recommends a routine of short stretches for the spine. “Sit tall in a straight chair with your feet on the floor. Inhale deeply as you slowly arch your spine; then exhale slowly as you curl. Avoid straining your neck,” she says.
For those about to engage in heavy duty gardening work, Debbie Mandel, MA, a fitness and stress management expert and author of Addicted to Stress: A Woman’s 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life, recommends a combination of aerobics with strength training moves. To strengthen upper extremities, she prefers triceps extensions and wrist curls with dumbbells. To strengthen shoulders for overhead movements, use two dumbbells in a military press and shoulder raises. “Remember to hold your abdominals in tightly to support your back and recruit core strength, and to exhale on exertion,” she adds.
All in all, make sure that you are physically prepared to garden this summer. I have seen far too many gardening injuries and would like you to stay strong and healthy this gardening season.
Michael Weir, D.C. is a practicingBellevue chiropractor. You can find him at Back in Action Chiropractic at 1940 116th Ave NE #101, Bellevue WA 98004, or by calling the clinic at the phone number (425) 635-0495.. Unique version for reprint here: Bellevue chiropractor gives some seasonal gardening tips..
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Filed under back pain by on Jan 10th, 2012. 
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