Take control Series: Make gardening great again

Tricia Hayton, Registered Physiotherapist

Following injury, or as we age, gardening and yard maintenance can seem daunting.    The demands placed on our back, knees, and hands can lead to hours or days of aching and stiffness – but this can be avoided at all ages and states of health.   Over time, staying active will keep your joints and bones healthier.   It is easy to fall into a cycle of inactivity leading to joint pain leading to more inactivity.    The key is moderation and movement patterns.  Learning to listen to your body and knowing how to use it efficiently will let you return to your garden.   Take Control.

However, taking control on your own can be tough.  Often our clients state that they don’t know where to start.    Others say that they are nervous of making a mistake and causing more pain.   We are here to help!   The staff at Physio Sport Med are trained to look at the movement patterns and strength imbalances allowing us to teach you how to move your body more efficiently.    We will start you at your specific level of exercise and break the cycle of pain and get you back to hobbies that you love.   Our goal is to keep you active longer into the season and as you age. 

Although every patient is assessed and analyzed individually, here are some healthy habits that everyone can benefit from:

1. Switch it up:   Change activities every 15 minutes to avoid over working one joint or muscle.  If you are stooped pulling weeds, then change to raking or another activity in standing.
2. Ergonomic aids:  From grips on your hand tools, to the shape of the rake, to squatting and sitting stools there are hundreds of aids out there that can reduce the energy and effort of yard work.
3. Bend appropriately:  For years, we have heard that bending at the knees is essential to save stress on your back.   This is true, but for many squatting creates knee pain and is difficult to do.  Sitting, kneeling or even bending at your hips can be used to spread out the stress on your legs, back and knees
4. Spread it out:  Rather than doing hours of gardening in one day, spend a short amount of time frequently through out the week
5. Stretch it out:  Gardening is exercise.   It is helpful to warm up a little before starting and to stretch after you are done.   Walking around your space for five minutes before starting will not only let you assess the work ahead of you, but will increase muscle and joint flexibility. 

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