Sore From Gardening?

As spring is quickly turning into summer this year, lots of people have been enjoying the outdoors and have been working hard on their lawns and gardens. Gardening may seem like a silly cause for sore muscles, but when it’s been months since you’ve weeded your flower bed, it’s nothing to shake your head at or dismiss. Saving your body from pain is just as important when planting flowers as it is when you are running or cycling so, when your muscles aren’t used to the work you are putting on them, injury and strain can easily happen.

This spring has been incredibly hot and most individuals are more inclined to head outdoors into the sun than they would be during cool or rainy weather. Just remember that when you garden, you are likely to spend more time outside than you probably should in extreme heat. Keep a water bottle handy to stay hydrated, wear a hat, and apply sunscreen several times during your work. It is also important to remind yourself to take breaks to avoid heat exhaustion.

Posture is also important, even when you’re digging holes. If possible, don’t kneel for long periods of time; kneeling puts a huge amount of strain on the low back and legs. When you prepare any flowers before putting them into your garden, do everything you need to do in a standing position. If you do need to kneel, don’t have your toes flat on the ground; this can cause tightness and spasms in your calves. Lastly, when lifting anything heavy, lift with your legs, not your low back so as not to put extra strain on the low back.

I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine we’ve been having. Enjoy the rest of the springtime this year and remember to book a massage to keep those muscles in check since we are all more active in warmer weather and our muscles need the extra attention.

COVID-19 Update

Due to the State of Emergency announced in Waterloo Region this past week and the mandate put forth by PHA and my governing college (CMTO), I will be temporarily keeping my Massage Therapy Clinic closed at this time. As I am unsure as to when it will be safe to reopen, I will be contacting clients on a weekly basis who have an upcoming appointment to cancel their treatments and will be placing them on a rebook list for when this outbreak has passed.