Now that the weather is finally getting nice outside, many of you might be wanting to get outside, to clean out your garage, cars, and backyards. Although this time of year springs many of us into action to tackle the many chores we have neglected all throughout winter it can also put you at higher risk for injuries if these tasks are not completed with care. Here are some helpful tips you can try at home before you decide to go on a spring-cleaning frenzy along with coming in to get regularly adjusted at the Oakville Chiropractic Centre!
1. Stretch before Starting
In order to prevent injuries before any strenuous activity it is important to warm up those muscles. Before you start a day of spring cleaning consider stretching or taking a walk around the neighbourhood before you begin. This will prepare your body for the activities ahead.
2. Divide up heavy loads
This is a big one and I know that I need to take this advice myself, since I am never wanting to make an extra trip to the car. Dividing up your loads when carrying bags can significantly reduce your risk for injury as it puts less stress on the muscles and joints of your body. If you do have to take in many bags, try making multiple trips or using a cart or wheelbarrow to transport them from one place to another.
3. Pace yourself
Are you the type of person that likes to get all your chores done as soon as you have some time off? If you are then you should consider breaking up your tasks to 30 minutes every day this will put less stress on your body and in return prevent injuries. Also completing tasks in smaller increments will make the cleaning process not seem like a chore, allowing for more free time to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.
4. Maintain a proper posture
During spring cleaning, we often engage in activities such as vacuuming and mopping which can be very strenuous on our bodies as these activities involve motions such as bending, twisting, and reaching. Something to consider when doing these activities is to bring the mop or vacuum closer to your body this will avoid the need to bend at the waist and reaching out forward with your arms. Always make sure to have a relaxed and neutral spine when doing chores and avoid twisting when possible. Trust me your spine will thank you for maintain a good posture in the future.
5. Use both sides of your body equally
When doing activities especially cleaning, we often tend to use the side of our body that is more dominant, however this puts more stress on one side of the body versus the other leading to increased risk of injuries. When you do decide to start cleaning this spring make it a conscious effort to give the dominant side of your body a break and try dusting or wiping with your non-dominant hand.
For more information on stretching, please call us at 905-845-2291!
Dr. Nishma Appanna, D.C.
Newsletter Sign Up
Leave a Reply