Yardwork

Just rake it!

in Chiropractor  by May 5, 2021 0 comments

It is time to clean up the last of winter and get ready for summer.  Which just means mowing your lawn but it has to be done.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some tips to safely get that yardwork done.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.


Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Time to rake!

in Chiropractor  by April 14, 2017 0 comments

Well it looks like all the excuses have to end soon.  Time to clean up all those old leaves.  You know the ones you hoped would blow into your neighbor’s yard.  Warm weather is here, so unless you want dead patches of grass or mold allergies on overtime, it is time to get that rake.  The problem is leaf raking takes longer than you think and it is more physical than it looks.   As your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I have to warn you against just getting up and doing it.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.

Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Leaf Raking Season

in Chiropractor  by September 30, 2016 0 comments

Well it looks like winter has finally beaten back the miserably hot summer we had.  That is the good news.  The bad news is the miserably hot summer made everything grow and now it will die.  Meaning it is now all over your front yard.  Of course you can wait until the end of winter but that only kills your grass making more work come spring (not that I don’t do that every year).  So it is time to brush off the rake and get out there.  You just have to be careful because yard work and raking use completely different muscles than sitting and watching football.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has a few tips to help you do it safely.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.

Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Yard work injury prevention

in Chiropractor  by March 31, 2015 0 comments

There are so many potential ways to get injured this time of year.  Getting the yard ready for the season involves a lot of bending, twisting, lifting and pulling.  You need to be careful when getting out there.  Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area wants to give you a few tips to avoid injury.

The state-of-the-art equipment available today for lawn and leaf management can help turn the average homeowner into a lawn specialist overnight. But the use of weed trimmers, leaf blowers and hedge clippers has also been sending many aspiring landscapers to the office of their local doctor of chiropractic.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) warns that using this equipment can result in back and neck pain, as well as more serious muscular strains and tears if not used properly.

“The repetitive motion that your body undergoes when using such equipment can bring on a whole host of mechanical problems within the body,” says ACA President Dr. Richard Brassard. “It is essential to operate your equipment properly. If you do not, the pounding your body endures may be multiplied.”


Tips On Safely Using Your Outdoor Equipment

Dr. Brassard offers the following tips to help you safely enjoy a productive day in the yard:

Regardless of what piece of equipment you are using, make sure it has a strap-and that you use it. Place the strap over your head on the shoulder on the opposite side of your body from the device. This will help normalize your center of gravity.

Be sure to switch the side on which you are operating the equipment as often as possible, and to balance the muscles being used, alternate your stance and motion frequently.

Take frequent breaks from the activity of the day. Muscle fatigue may be felt when using any of these devices for an extended period of time.

Consider electric-powered items, especially if you experience back or neck pain, as they tend to be much lighter than their engine-powered counterparts.

When picking up or putting down your equipment, be sure to bend from the knees, not at the waist. Keep the object close to your body as you lift, not at arm’s length.

“While it is critical that you operate your yard equipment safely, it is equally important that you prepare your body for the work you are about to do,” explains Dr. Brassard. “Be sure to include a warm-up/cool-down period that involves stretching to help avoid injury.”

Simple Stretches For Everybody

Before stretching, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Breathe in and out slowly throughout each stretching exercise until the muscle is stretched to its furthest point. At that point, hold your breath in. When you relax, breathe out. Stretch gently and smoothly. Do not bounce or jerk your body in any way and stretch as far as you can comfortably. You should not feel pain.

Following are a few easy stretches Dr. Brassard recommends for getting the most out of the time you spend in the yard:

Stand up and prop your heel on a back door step or stool with your knee slightly bent. Bend forward until you feel a slight pull at the back of the thigh, called the hamstring. You may need to stabilize yourself by holding onto a garage door handle or sturdy tree branch. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then relax. Do it once more, then repeat with the other leg.

Stand up and put your right hand against a wall or other stable surface. Bend your left knee and grab your ankle with your left hand. Pull your heel toward your buttocks to stretch the quadricep muscle at the front of your thigh. Hold that position for 20 seconds, relax and do it again. Repeat with the other leg.

Weave your fingers together above your head with your palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds to stretch the side of your upper body, then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

“Hug your best friend”: Wrap your arms around yourself after letting your breath out and rotate to one side, as far as you can go. Hold it for 10 seconds. Then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Chiropractic Care Can Help

If you experience pain or discomfort resulting from outdoor equipment misuse, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, and can help people lead healthier lives by focusing on wellness and prevention.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Yard work doesn’t have to be a pain in the back.

in Chiropractor  by July 17, 2014 0 comments

Summer is in full swing and if you haven’t finished off your yard work here are a few tips from Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA.

Muscles that have had very little activity during the winter months are suddenly called upon to stretch and twist over and over again.   This repetitive motion often causes muscle strain in the lower back.   Activities such as bending, raking, pulling weeds and lifting often causes generalized back pain.  Our chiropractic patients describe it as a sore or achy lower back.  Sadly it happens in the middle of your project and you feel the need to just finish it.  Sometimes that can be the worst thing you can do.  It is better to stop and ice your back rather than finish the project.  If the ice helps you can probably get back out there tomorrow.  Once the project is finished make sure you go to your chiropractor.

Here are some tips to use to hopefully prevent an injury to begin with:

Stretch Before You Work

Without bouncing, for 10 to 15 minutes, do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with your hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.  This will protect your back by warming up the muscles before and after you use them.

Pull Weeds While Seated

As a back specialist Overland Park KS, we often instruct patients who enjoy gardening to sit on a bucket while pulling weeds.  This takes the pressure off of your lower back.  By leaning forward onto your elbow (which is resting on the inside of your knee) you can still reach the ground.

Mulch

Mulching is covering your garden with weed mats, rocks, tree bark and other man-made products that block the light and moisture that weeds need to grow.  Pour mulch 4-6 inches deep around the areas of your garden that you decide not to plant and plan to add a little each year.    Weeds that never grow, don’t need to be pulled.

Raking

When raking, use ‘scissors’ stance: right foot forward and left foot back, reverse after a few minutes, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.  You also want to keep your head up as you rake so you don’t get a kink in your neck.

Mowing

When mowing, you want to use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than your arms and back.  Try to stand up as straight as possible and keep the handlebar close to your stomach.  You don’t want to be bending over at the waist and pushing the mower with your arms extended straight out in front of you.  If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.  Also, keep your head up as your mow.

Build a raised garden bed can bring your garden to you!

By elevating the beds you can work at them seated and significantly decrease the bending and stress on your low back.

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link