Helpful Hints to Keep Your Spine Healthy While Gardening
As spring approaches, it’s easy to spot people uncomfortably hunched over in their gardens. But how easy is it to find a gardener who is kneeling on knee pads pulling weeds, or doing gardening warm-ups in their front yard?
According to the National Gardening Association, about 40 million U.S. households have a garden. A hobby for many people, gardening can also be an intense exercise routine, using all of the major muscle groups in the body. Legs, buttocks, stomach, arms, shoulders, neck, and back all get a workout. And, like any exercise, gardening requires stretching as a warm-up and the use of proper form while shoveling, raking, digging, lifting, or pulling weeds. Without proper posture positioning and warm-up, gardening can be a source of injury as well.
To properly prepare yourself for garden exercise, do some simple movements to get your heart rate up and warm your muscles. Try walking in place using high stepping for 2 minutes, or go for a short walk. Then doing some stretches. All muscle groups should be gently stretched, with special emphasis on your spinal muscles. Start by curling up in a ball with your chin tucked to your chest. Then while seated with erect posture slowly twist to the left as far as is comfortable, including turning your head. Then repeat to the right. Slowly do 10 of these to each side to warm up the back and neck.
You will get more enjoyment and physical benefit from gardening if you prepare your body for the task. Keep your body in constant movement during gardening for 30 to 45 minutes three times per week throughout the growing months and you will see a stronger, leaner you as the season progresses. Gardening can be a fun way to help you get in, and stay in shape.
The broader purpose of Chiropractic care is to help you accomplish everything possible in life.
Enjoy your gardening!
According to the National Gardening Association, about 40 million U.S. households have a garden. A hobby for many people, gardening can also be an intense exercise routine, using all of the major muscle groups in the body. Legs, buttocks, stomach, arms, shoulders, neck, and back all get a workout. And, like any exercise, gardening requires stretching as a warm-up and the use of proper form while shoveling, raking, digging, lifting, or pulling weeds. Without proper posture positioning and warm-up, gardening can be a source of injury as well.
To properly prepare yourself for garden exercise, do some simple movements to get your heart rate up and warm your muscles. Try walking in place using high stepping for 2 minutes, or go for a short walk. Then doing some stretches. All muscle groups should be gently stretched, with special emphasis on your spinal muscles. Start by curling up in a ball with your chin tucked to your chest. Then while seated with erect posture slowly twist to the left as far as is comfortable, including turning your head. Then repeat to the right. Slowly do 10 of these to each side to warm up the back and neck.
You will get more enjoyment and physical benefit from gardening if you prepare your body for the task. Keep your body in constant movement during gardening for 30 to 45 minutes three times per week throughout the growing months and you will see a stronger, leaner you as the season progresses. Gardening can be a fun way to help you get in, and stay in shape.
The broader purpose of Chiropractic care is to help you accomplish everything possible in life.
Enjoy your gardening!
Posted by The Livewell Clinic at 6/2/2009 2:01 PM 
Categories: Exercise,Chiropractic
Tags: Exercise Chiropractic
Categories: Exercise,Chiropractic
Tags: Exercise Chiropractic
This page added to Google cache Cached: http://google.com/search?q=cache:http://blog.thelivewellclinic.com/2009/06/02/helpful-hints-to-keep-your-spine-healthy-while-gardening.aspx?ref=rss&ei=AFQjCNHajN_OX0kgxzx7UGA1yBfPoRn TubedfWq
Reply to this
This page added to Google cache Cached: http://google.com/search?q=cache:http://blog.thelivewellclinic.com/2009/06/02/helpful-hints-to-keep-your-spine-healthy-while-gardening.aspx?ref=rss&ei=AFQjCNHajN_OX0kgxzx7UGA1yBfpoRn tubedfWq
Reply to this
I never thought that gardening was so much of a workout. I guess some people may get really strong just from gardening. That would be an interesting conversation as to why someone looks buff.
Reply to this