GEARING UP FOR SPRING

    With the arrival of Spring, comes warmer weather, longer days, and for many
the urge to become more active participating in either recreational
activities or just spending a few hours gardening. So we would like to share
a few tips for those weekend warriors or for those planning to beautify
their landscape at home to hopefully avoid any unnecessary injuries.

     While it is encouraged to maintain an active lifestyle and I applaud those of you
who are doing so, many of us go about doing so in a manner that often times
leads to injury. For many, who have not maintained a consistent level of
activity or who may have not performed a specific activity in a long period
of time, resuming such activity without proper preparation may lead to an
unnecessary sprain of a ligament or strain of a muscle. Whether the activity
may require bending over for a prolonged period of time (i.e. gardening) or
repetitive motion (i.e. golf, tennis), taking a few precautions may prevent
you from having to make a trip to the M.D.
    It has long been recommended to stretch prior to engaging in physical
activity. While stretching is very important in preparing the muscles and
surrounding soft tissue for activity in an effort to avoid injury, there has
been debate as to when and how to perform these stretches appropriately. For
those who will be participating in recreational activities, research has
shown that actually spending a few minutes to warm up (i.e. stationary bike,
jog, brisk walk), better prepares the muscles to be stretched. Therefore, it is now
recommended to warm up briefly prior to stretching to maximize the benefits
of stretching.
    There has also been a debate as to how long to hold each stretch. We as
physical therapists are often asked this by our patients. Before giving our
recommendation, let’s first revisit the purpose and benefits of stretching.
Without getting too technical, the purpose of stretching is to gradually
lengthen muscle and its surrounding tissue. However, what we often see are
people who don’t hold the stretch long enough to achieve proper lengthening.
While you may see many different suggestions for how long to hold a stretch,
we suggest holding each stretch for 20-30 seconds. There is also concern in
how to perform the stretch. Each stretch should be performed in a slow,
controlled manner. So avoid bouncing while performing stretch.
    I have not forgotten about those of you who spend your weekend gardening.
It is important to be conscious of your posture while spending long
periods of time in a kneeling position. While it is pretty much impossible to
eliminate strain on your lower back while planting those Petunias, it will
be important for you to frequently stand and take a few steps to minimize
strain and reduce stiffness. Maintaining good body mechanics are vital in
preventing injury, however for the sake of time, we will cover body
mechanics in greater detail at a later date.
     So remember to take occasional rest breaks when planning your next
landscaping venture and to take a few moments to stretch prior to engaging
in vigorous physical activity. By following these simple steps, we hope that
you may avoid requiring our services.