What felt like a peaceful afternoon tending to your garden has now turned into a morning of sore knees, a stiff back, and aching shoulders. Getting out of bed is harder than usual, and you’re starting to wonder if your favorite hobby is taking more from your body than it gives.
While gardening might be therapeutic for the mind, it can be tough on the body. The bending, lifting, kneeling, and twisting—often for hours at a time—can lead to joint pain and discomfort, even in experienced gardeners. But you don’t have to give up the garden to feel good again. Chiropractic care may offer the relief and support your body needs to keep doing what you love, pain-free. So, here’s what you should know before booking that chiro appointment.
Why Does Gardening Often Cause Joint Problems?
Gardening involves a unique combination of physical demands that can challenge your body in unexpected ways. Extended periods of kneeling, bending, and reaching can create sustained stress on your spine, while repetitive motions, such as weeding and digging, can overwork specific muscle groups and joints.
The forward-bent posture required for many gardening tasks places your spine in a compromised position for extended periods. This sustained flexion can irritate spinal joints, compress discs, and create muscle tension throughout your back and neck. Add the twisting motions required for reaching across garden beds, and you have a recipe for spinal dysfunction.
Weight-bearing activities, such as carrying heavy bags of soil or pushing wheelbarrows, can further stress your joints, particularly if your body isn’t properly aligned or if you’re not using proper lifting mechanics. The uneven terrain of gardens also challenges your balance and stability, requiring constant micro-adjustments that can fatigue supporting muscles.
How to Stop Aching After Gardening?
The key to stopping post-gardening aches lies in addressing both the immediate joint dysfunction and the underlying mechanical problems that make you susceptible to garden-related pain. Simply resting until the pain subsides doesn’t usually address the root cause and often leads to recurring problems with future gardening activities.
Yet, chiropractic care offers an effective solution by restoring proper joint function and spinal alignment after gardening activities stress your musculoskeletal system. Spinal adjustments can help reverse the effects of prolonged forward bending and twisting. Additionally, extremity adjustments address joint restrictions in your hips, knees, and shoulders that commonly develop from gardening positions.
However, maintaining your ability to garden comfortably as you age requires a proactive approach to joint health that goes beyond treating pain when it occurs. Regular chiropractic care can help preserve joint mobility and function, allowing you to continue pursuing your gardening passion for years to come.
Many gardeners develop chronic joint restrictions and compensatory movement patterns that gradually worsen over time without proper treatment. These subtle changes in how your body moves and functions can eventually lead to more serious problems that significantly limit your gardening activities (and more).
Yet, your local Bessemer chiropractor can help prevent this gradual decline by maintaining optimal joint function and addressing minor dysfunctions before they become major problems. Regular treatment can help ensure that your joints remain mobile and healthy enough to handle the demands of gardening throughout your lifetime.
The sooner you address post-gardening joint dysfunction, the faster your recovery tends to be! At Premier Chiropractic Center, our team is here to help. Book your appointment with our compassionate and caring team today!
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