As the weather starts to turn, more and more of us will be cleaning up our yards and getting ready for (*cough*) winter. Typically, fall is a classic season for acute (aka recent) aches and pains, particularly in the lower back. Why does this happen?
There are several reasons!
1. Things get stored and put away for the winter. This includes patio chairs, sectionals, dining furniture, kid’s toys, etc.
2. Leaf raking, leaf blowing, cleaning out eavestroughs, etc. All of the pesky fall chores that involve significant twisting/bending/straining.
3. Getting those last couple (or maybe more) rounds of golf in.
Do any of the above sound familiar?
As with anything, some prevention can be worth its weight in gold. Here are several things you can do to ease the discomfort and stress the fall season can sometimes bring:
1. Plan ahead. Schedule things in blocks and take frequent breaks. For some, this looks like raking for 20 minutes, then spending 5-10 minutes doing some forward bends/back bends/marching in place.
2. Go for a 5-10 minute walk prior to starting your outdoor work. This allows your body time to acclimate to the cooler temperatures and warm up the spine/back prior to moving in several awkward positions.
3. Schedule an adjustment prior to the weekend! Being preventative instead of proactive can help reduce aches and pains before they start.
4. Drink plenty of warmer liquids in the coming weeks (think warm water with lemon, tea, bone broth, soup). This tip is good for any time of year, but it’s usually easier to enforce as the temperatures dip outside.
For those who have not seen our Facebook and Instagram posts, we will be OPEN on Friday, September 30th. We will be wearing orange and encourage you to do the same in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Yours in health,
Arora Family Chiropractic Team.
