We’ve Got Your Back in the Garden!

The season is upon us! The sun is shining and the days are getting longer, the air is filled with the smell of fresh cut grass, barbeques and the sound of children playing.

For many of us, it is a chance to get back into the garden and prepare it for the joys of summer ahead. This normally involves a lot of digging, weeding and bending!
With so much to do and such good weather we tend to get carried away, and come Monday morning our back is twinging again!

As the years go by these twinges have the tendency to last longer and become a little more severe. If you have been unfortunate, it can even be enough to prevent the gardening and possibly lead to taking time off work.

The good news is, it is never too late to do something. At Epoch we specialise in Spinal and Nervous system health, and with that we understand how important it is to maintain the health of our spine.
Many of us see back pain as an ‘inconvenience’ and don’t question what other, potentially serious consequences it may have.

As we all know the spine is protecting the spinal cord, essentially an extension of our brain and the most vital part of our body. The brain is responsible for the control of everything, from the heart to the lungs and immune system to the digestive system.
If we have ‘back pain’ or discomfort from our spine, the potential is that we are causing damage that may have a knock on affect to the health of our organs and our general health and wellbeing.

At Epoch Lincoln we are able to determine the extent of this with very specific tests and examinations. We also know that a lot of this can be prevented, so here are Epoch’s top 3 tips to protect your spine whilst gardening this year.

1. Warm up – take 5 – 10 minutes to walk around, do some squats and lunges and prepare your body for the movements you will likely perform whilst gardening.

2. Drink water – it is easy to spend all day in the garden without drinking water once, make sure you drink at least one glass or water per hour whilst gardening.

3. Take your time – temptation leads us to rush and lift all the heavy stuff in one go. Don’t risk an injury, and take your time to move smaller amounts over a longer time.

If you know anyone who is suffering and should get their spine checked, please call our team today.