Q: My yard work is killing me this year. Can you help with the achiness I am experiencing or am I just too old? I am only 58 and I don’t think I should have to take this much aspirin to work on my yard. Mainly, it hurts across my upper back.
A: During the fall, you may spend considerable time outside raking, bundling leaves and preparing your plants for winter. Although this yard work provides excellent exercise, you may not be ready for this extensive workout with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling.
In regards to your upper back achiness, I would suggest more regular breaks. Stop – look up and pull your shoulders back. Also, it might be very helpful if you were to use better posture during the routines of the yard work. Bend with your knees, keep your chin up and your back straight. Don’t lift too much at once, it is not a race. And don’t forget to warm up and stretch a little before and after. Drink plenty of water.
Doctors of Chiropractic see many patients who have stretched and strained too much while completing their fall chores. With gentle, hands-on adjustments, a chiropractor can help make a sore body feel as good as new.
However, your chiropractor would much rather prevent these problems from occurring in the first place. Similar to the above advice, a doctor of chiropractic can recommend ways to stretch your muscles before and after a strenuous workout, and suggest proper posture techniques to use while performing your outdoor work, like bending at the knees instead of the waist as you pick up leaves, weeds or grass. If you are already feeling the aches and pains of autumn cleanup, be sure to visit a chiropractor.
If you would like more information, health tips and a newsletter from Advantage Health & Wellness PLLC, join our mailing list.
