Handling Lawn Care Without Hurting the Back and Body
By Brandi Swieter
Summertime means lawn care. Homeowners need to spend a considerable amount of time keeping their grass cut and looking clean. Excessive lawn care throughout the summer can hurt the back and body if people don’t exercise caution. Learning how to handle lawn care carefully without pain should be on everyone’s list of priorities.
Stretch First
No matter what type of activity is being done, including lawn care, people need to stretch first. Stretching out the joints will help to prevent injuries and ensure the body can handle the tasks to come. Just a short walk around the block and a few simple stretches is all it takes to get the body prepared.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Too many people believe they can throw on an old pair of shoes and get yard work tackled. This practice is very unsafe because older shoes have lost their level of support and will allow pain to set in much quicker than a newer pair would. It’s best to get a new pair of outdoor work shoes each year, at the very least, for safer yard work that is kept as pain-free as possible.
Use Proper Lifting Techniques
Part of yard work involves raking up leaves and other debris, or pulling weeds. All of the waste needs to be picked up and disposed of properly, so knowing proper lifting techniques is key. It’s essential to bend at the knees and lift with the legs while trying to pick things up to prevent back pain.
Keep the Back Straight When Mowing
Some homeowners tend to slouch when they mow the grass, or step and lean forward as they try to reach farther. Keeping the back straight and using shorter pushes is the best solution for pain-free mowing.
Space Out the Work
It isn’t the healthiest thing to get all of the yard work done in one sitting. This can put too much strain on the body and cause the muscles to become overworked and sore. Spacing out the work and planning one task at a time will help to prevent exhaustion and pain.
Lawn care can take its toll on the body no matter how many precautions are taken. Anyone feeling pain after cutting grass, pulling weeds, or handling other typical outdoor yard duties should visit The Joint Chiropractic to see if they can achieve relief.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Evans, Ga.