Autumn and Winter Collide!

Dr. Doug - Chiropractor in Brampton - Voted Best Chiropractor 2024

Read Dr. Doug's health tips blog about how to avoid injury when raking or shovelling or both!

Injury Prevention Tips for Raking And Shovelling

Rake Safely Tips... Wait... No Shovel! We are having a strange flip-flopping of autumn and winter. Both come with specific outdoor work challenges. Here are Dr. Doug's Injury Prevention Tips For When Autumn and Winter Collide!

Stretch before AND after raking or shovelling. This suggestion works for any type of exertion. Getting the body ready for outdoor work will help to reduce pain later.

1. Upper Body - Raise one arm overhead and bend to the opposite side from your waist.  

   Switch hands and go the other way. Repeat 5 times each side

2. Low Back - When seated, bend forward from your hips and reach to the ground.

   Repeat 5 times 

3. Thighs - Hold onto something for support with one hand, grab the opposite ankle in

   the other hand. If you are able, pull your heel toward your buttock. Hold 15 seconds

   and repeat on the other side

4.  Hamstrings (back of thighs) - Bend at your hips and try to touch your toes. If you can’t

   get close to the ground with your finger tips, do in front of a chair, supporting your

   upper body with your hands on the chair seat. Hold 15 seconds.

Gardening “Dos”

1. Change your body position frequently. If you are raking, switch hands and rake in the other direction.

2. Alternate between light and heavy activities.

3. Take breaks. Our first impulse is to “push through” but that comes with increased stiffness and soreness afterward.

4. Bend at your knees, not at the waist. Keeping your back more upright reduces the stress on the low back… the most vulnerable part of our body.

Snow Shovelling “Dos”

1. Dress warmly in layers and wear slip proof footwear. Cold muscles are more likely to “cramp up.”

2. Push it, don’t throw it. Avoiding lifting and throwing snow lessens injuries. If you do have to lift, bend your knees. Also, don’t twist to put the snow on a pile… turn your whole body. 

3. Beware of ice. Especially at this time of year where we get snow, and then it warms up, icy and slippery snow can be under foot. If you are paying attention to this fact, you can prevent a sudden and potentially painful fall

Hopefully "Dr. Doug's Injury Prevention Tips For When Autumn and Winter Collide" has helped you get through the season without injury! But, if soreness from raking and shovelling is not going away, book a chiropractic appointment with Dr. Doug today!

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