Gardening is a popular hobby during the spring and summer, but it also requires a lot of bending and back-breaking work. If you are someone that already experiences lower back pain, gardening can aggravate it further. Health And Wellness Clinic wants to help avid gardeners prevent back problems and participate in their hobbies without stress. Preventing back pain while gardening is possible when you prepare and take care of your body. 

1- Start With A Warm Up

Before any exercise or strenuous activity a warm-up will prevent injury. Stretching your muscles can help stretch out your body and reduce lactic acid which can cause pain in your back. Even if you are only going to pull a few weeds while gardening, stretching will prevent pulled muscles and slipped discs by a small wrong movement. 

If you are not sure where to start when it comes to stretching, our chiropractors or your general physician about what stretches are right for you. 

2- Bend Down In A Neutral Spine Position

Back injuries are often caused because of improper bending and lifting. You should maintain the natural curves of the spine as you garden. You can bend one knee, or squat instead of bending over to prevent back pain while gardening. 

Avoid sudden movements or stretching beyond your reach and instead keep motions smooth. Proper body mechanics and ergonomics can be important to learn about if you garden frequently.

3- Use Gardening Tools To Ease The Burden

Gardening is a hobby that comes with many helpful tools to help you harvest your crop and maintain the soil. These tools can also help limit back pain by taking some of the weight off your body. 

Wheelbarrows, long-handled tools, benches, and curved-handled tools can all help prevent chronic pain. Research what tools are best for your situation including back pain, arthritis, or knee pain. 

4- Add Cushioning With Knee Pads

Another tool that can help prevent back pain while gardening is knee pads. Knee pads are a popular and useful tool for gardeners that can be purchased for a very low price and are found at most home improvement stores. Cushions can either move with you or be worn on your legs to help keep your body from seeing too much strain. Make sure you wear the correct fitting and high-quality knee pads. 

5- Take Breaks And Drink Plenty Of Water

Working out in the heat while bending and shoveling can cause dehydration and strain on the body. Dehydration affects more than just your body temperature, it also affects the lubrication of your joints. Make sure you bring a water bottle out with you into the yard to remind yourself to hydrate. If you have been in one position for a long period of time, take a break and walk around or stretch. 

If you are repeating a specific task over and over, make sure to rotate your body and complete a different task to prevent strain. 

6- Try Raised Bed Gardening

As you age, bending over to the garden while kneeling on the ground can be excruciating. Raised beds can limit how far you have to bend your back and make it easier to reach the plants. Standing while gardening can be less painful, help you better monitor your plants, and can even look decorative on a wall or stand by growing freely. Using raised beds will help limit spinal subluxations and prevent back pain while gardening.

Back Pain Relief From Health And Wellness

Our clinic provides quality chiropractic care, massage, and cryotherapy to help patients limit pain and injury. Our bodies go through a lot, so even if you do not have debilitating pain, chiropractic can help limit scar tissue and muscle soreness. Health And Wellness Clinic works with patients of varying ages and helps treat many different issues. 
No matter the cause of your back pain, our chiropractor will discuss your health and how we can help improve your symptoms. Stretches, massage, exercise, and chiropractic can all be used together to improve your mobility. Contact us by call or text at (801) 784-4807.

While many of us want to live as long as possible, we don’t take enough action to make it happen. Living longer comes from taking care of our physical, emotional, and mental health, building relationships, and giving our bodies the right nutrients. Health And Wellness Clinic wants to help patients have less bodily pain, improve mobility, and live a long healthy life. Below are tips for living longer and how you can be a more healthy adult. 

1- Keep A Consistent Sleep Schedule

Many people know the saying, “You can sleep when you’re dead” but sacrificing too much sleep could actually aid in cutting your life short. Getting quality sleep is important to keeping your body and brain healthy. Research has shown that having a consistent sleep schedule can help aid in living longer. 

Too little sleep leads to inflammation and an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. Interrupted or limited sleep can also lead to depression or undiagnosed health conditions. If you want to live longer, get 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep. 

2- Get Some Extra Vitamin D But Not Too Much Sun

There are many benefits of Vitamin D including it being linked to longevity. Getting just the right amount of Vitamin D can help your health but it is important to not only rely on sunlight for this vitamin. More time in the sun can increase the risk of skin cancer, so if you are needing extra Vitamin D, ask your doctor about supplements. 

3- Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water will help limit issues like colon cancer, bladder issues, and kidney failure. Drinking water and making sure you are hydrated will also help limit overeating. Limiting calorie intake can help reduce obesity or diabetes which can limit your chance of living longer.

4- Let Go Of Stress

Letting the stress of life and work build up can affect your mental and physical health. When you are so overwhelmed that your health is declining or you feel like you are losing control, it is time to consult a doctor. Limiting situations that trigger stress will help you become healthier. Keeping stress from building up in your shoulders, neck, and limbs will help you limit pain. Stress will cause the body to mimic symptoms of other severe illnesses once it takes over your life. Let go of grudges, limit work burnout, and practice meditation to limit your stress. 

5- Take Care Of Your Health

While all of these items involve taking better care of your health, visiting a doctor regularly, going to dental checkups, seeking therapy, or practicing meditation will help ensure that your health stays in the best shape. Living longer starts with taking action to monitor your health and follow health guidelines from doctors. 

6- Avoid Smoking

Smoking is really damaging to your lungs and body. Cigarette smoking accounts for 80 percent of all lung cancer deaths. Smoking is often used in times of stress, so limiting stress and cutting down on smoking can add years to your life. Adjusting your overall lifestyle can be hard, but it will be worth the cost. Reducing smoking will help you feel more energetic and be able to stay physically active. 

7- Build A Strong Social Circle

Social support from friends and family is essential for humans. A strong social circle can help reduce stress, limit your risky behaviors, and keep you motivated to stay healthy. Those who interact with others in meaningful ways tend to have more of a purpose and are known for living longer. Loneliness can lead to heart problems, stroke, obesity, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. 

Live A Better Life With Chiropractic Care

Health And Wellness Clinic offers manual therapies to help people feel their best. Our chiropractors can help you heal from the pain that has occurred from injury or inflammation. We also offer massage therapy that can help limit stress and soft tissue injuries. We discuss your past health history, your goals, and what your lifestyle looks like. We make a customized treatment plans for each patient because everyone has unique needs. 

If you want to have better mobility and flexibility and are looking for tips for living longer, Health And Wellness Clinic can help. Even if you are not currently experiencing symptoms, chiropractic care can still improve your life. Contact us to schedule your first appointment now!

More and more people are working desk jobs or less intensive jobs that can affect your back, neck, and spine. Sitting all day at a desk can affect your posture and lead to aches and pains throughout your body. Health and Wellness Clinic recommends chiropractic care and desk stretches together in order to limit common symptoms of back pain. Here are some stretches that can be done while sitting at your desk to help gain more blood flow in your muscles and wake you up for the rest of your work day. 

Benefits Of Stretching

Taking some time out of your work day to complete some desk stretches or take a walk can give you benefits for the rest of your work week. Stretching helps to increase blood flow to your extremities which can help limit the risk of blood clots and pain. 

Stretching during the middle of the work day can make you less tired by increasing heart rate and blood flow. Proper stretching will give you a more revitalized mind. 

1- Chest Stretch

A lot of us start to hunch forward and lean while working at our desks which can lead to bad posture and spinal issues. The chest stretch can help improve your posture and helps with shoulder problems.

To complete the stretch, you will need to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or be seated in your chair with your feet still spread apart. Move both of your arms behind you and lace your finger together and lift the arms gently. You should feel the stretch in your chest and then hold for 10-30 seconds. 

You can complete this stretch 5 to 10 times or use a resistance band to help you increase the stretch you feel. 

2- Upper Back Stretch

Upper back desk stretches will help move the muscles and get the blood flowing through the shoulder blades and traps. Start by sitting straight up in your desk chair, and stretch your arms straight out in front of you with both your palms facing away from each other. Next, cross your arms so your palms are pressed together. Contract the abs and round the back, reach away with your arms as your head relaxes. Imagine you’re curving up and over an exercise ball. 

3- Spinal Twist

This is a great stretch to do at your desk if you feel a lot of lower back pain. The twisting motion can be a gentle way to work out some of that tension and strengthen your core. 

Start with your feet flat on the floor and contract the abs gently while you rotate your torso to the right. You can brace yourself on the back of your chair to help deepen the stretch as well. Only twist to where it feels comfortable. Keep your back straight while you stretch and hold the twisted position for 30 seconds. Then repeat on the left side. 

4- One Arm Hug

Take one arm and hold it across your body (holding it at your shoulder). Use your other arm to push your arm back at the elbow. You should feel a pull on the outside of your bicep. Hold for around 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times for each arm.

Using these stretches is great for workers who do a lot of typing. It is also a small stretch that will not be as noticeable by surrounding co-workers. 

5- Wrist Stretch

The wrist stretch is another good option for writers or workers that do a lot of typing and don’t have proper ergonomics. You can complete the stretch while sitting at your desk by pressing your palms together in front of your chest and holding for 15 seconds. Apply slight pressure to feel more of a stretch. Then put the back of your hands together for a stretch on the other side of your wrist. Hold both positions for 15 seconds and repeat it up to 5 times. 

6- Hamstring Chair Stretch

This stretch will require a little more room but is completed while sitting in your office chair. Put your legs straight in front of you with your heels touching the ground and your toes pointed up. Bend at your hips and fold your body toward your toes. Keep your back straight while you bend and hold for 30 seconds when you can not bend any farther. 

7- Neck Stretch

Looking at a computer screen all day can cause neck tension in many adults. Over multiple days or weeks, you may start to feel tension more often and even get headaches. The neck stretch is done by keeping your back and shoulder straight and grabbing the sides of your chair. Then gentle pull while you tilt your head to the left and the right. You should feel a slight pull on the sides of your neck. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds and repeat up to 10 times on each side. 

Chiropractic Care From Health And Wellness Clinic

Our team wants to help improve a variety of issues and help you heal from injuries. No matter what symptoms you are experiencing, we offer chiropractic adjustment, exercise rehab, and pediatric care. Our clinic also now offers massage and cryotherapy for patients who have not found enough relief through chiropractic alone. Stretches can help you keep the progress you are making in chiropractic adjustment and improve your posture. Contact us through call or text at (801) 784-4807 to learn more about scheduling an appointment.