Now that fall is here, your weekend activities may consist of outdoor chores including cleaning gutters and raking leaves. The twisting turning bending reaching and climbing that these popular seasonal activities bring can potentially lead to falls upper and lower back strain shoulder pain and neck strain. Your chances of injury are higher if you jump into any strenuous activity without warming up or without properly preparing your body.
What you can do:
Warm up: take 10 minutes to stretch. Do knee to chest pulls, trunk rotations and side bends with hands over the head. Also take a short walk to stimulate circulation. - Avoid the heat of the day. Get work done before 10am or when it cools down in the evening - Choose a rake that’s comfortable for your height and strength. Find one that is the appropriate height and weight so that you avoid hunching and over exerting with a heavy rake. Use your arms to rake and avoid twisting your upper body. Turn your whole body. - When raking use a “scissor” stance. Place your right foot forward and left foot back, hip-width apart, and alternate periodically. Stand as straight as possible and keep your head up. To avoid using the same muscles, which causes muscle fatigue, switch sides every few minutes. - As you’re picking up piles of leaves, bend at the knees, not the waist. Don't overfill bags and do not carry bags over your shoulder.
Use the right ladder for the job. Step stools are good for low and medium heights, while extension ladders should be used outdoors to reach high places. Make sure all ladder legs are on a firm level surface.
Wear the right shoes. Wear shoes or boots that are slip-resistant to prevent falls as well as gloves to prevent blisters while raking.
Take breaks every 20 minutes. Stretch during the breaks and stay hydrated with pure water (not soda or other sugared drinks)
Stretch and Stretch Again. Take plenty of time to stretch again once finished. This is a vital step.
If you experience any pain or difficulty with these chores, stop, rest, use an ice pack on any sore areas, and consult your chiropractor.
If you'd like to try chiropractic care, reach out to Dr. Bowman at Walter Chiropractic Roanoke, VA.
ph: 540-362-0811
website: http://WalterChiropracticClinic.com
