Spring Newsletter

As spring is upon us, many of us want to get outside and start clearing out the gardens. Concider these steps before you start to keep your back healthy. Gardening is a great way to stay active and have fun in the sun. But many people sustain injuries that could easily have been prevented with a little know how.
To “plant and rake without ache,” start by doing some stretches. Areas to concider are your sides, front and back of thighs, wrists, shoulders and back.When you are performing the strethes don’t bounce, jerk or strain. Strtches should be gentle and should not cause pain.
Refer to the link below on how to perform these stretches.

Stretches to do before gardening

The Right Moves

Alternate: The best way to keep yourself safe and injury free is to alternate between heavy and light tasks. this way your body gets a
break and there isn’t constant strain on your body.

Lift Right: Make sure your back is straight, and always bend at your knees. Carry the load close to your body, and avoid heavy lifting immediately after bending or kneeling.

Rake Right: Ease the srain on your back by putting one leg in front, the other behind. switch legs and hands from time to time.

Kneel to Plant: Use knee pads or a Kneeling mat to reduce the strain while you plant and weed. Keep you back straight and take
breaks frequently.

A Note About Knee Bursitis and Gardening

There is a small fluid filled sac situated near your knee joint which can become inflamed with frequent
and/or sustained pressure from kneeling, especially on hard sufaces. When gardening, most of us tend to
kneel directly on the ground. The ground is a hard, uneven surface and can be an irritant to the bursae. It
can cause unwanted inflammation and pain.

What can you do to help? Invest in some gardening knee pads. They are specially designed to protect
your knees by providing cushy padding between your knees and the hard ground.
Make sure when you are buying knee pads that they are: 1) comfortable thick foam that fit over the knee
2) flexible soft material that makes up the rest of the pad to avoid compression and 3) adjustable straps to
get a custom fit

What is Massage Therapy?

Massage Therapy is the assessment of soft tissue and joints of the body, the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of soft tissue and joints. By manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function or relieve pain. Massage Therapy can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic conditions for people of all ages. Massage Therapy can be used as part of a preventative care program. This includes sports training, injury prevention, ongoing stress management and more!

(RMTAO)

Make time to take care of yourself and book a massage today. Your body will thank you for it!

Massage can be benificial for (but not limited to):
Anxiety and Depession
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Headaches
Muscle Tension/Spasms
Stress and Stress related conditions
Fibromyalgia
Pregnancy and Labour Support
Strains and Sprains
Whiplash
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Tendinitis
Sports Injuries
Temporomandibular Disorders

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