Calling All “Crazy Flower Ladies”

By Chloe Sandberg – CC’s Staff

Calling all “Crazy Flower Ladies”.

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     I think we all know the group of people COVID can’t stop this spring – all the self-proclaimed crazy flower ladies! With the weather starting to warm up and people feeling they’ve been cooped up long enough, it’s not surprising folks are starting to get their yards cleaned up. Springtime brings an increase in what we PTs may call increased functional demands – or more commonly known as YARD WORK. This usually includes hours of raking, pruning, digging, mulching, planting, and much more.

     This is your yearly springtime reminder to pay attention to yourself and your body when doing yard work tasks! It has been multiple months since our bodies have experienced these types of functional demands and physical tasks, so while it is invigorating to FINALLY get outside in the sunshine and work, work, work, all you crazy flower ladies (and guys!) do need to pace yourselves. Here are a few tips I would just like to pass along to help keep your body healthy while you get your yard looking pretty:

1. Pace yourself! I completely understand the notion of “once I get going I just want to get it all done”, but if you are someone who had had an injury in the past, namely any kind of back injury, please try to space your tasks out over at least a few days, if not a few weekends.
2. Take frequent breaks! Again, I completely get it – once you get started it is hard to quit. But I assure you your body will thank you if every 5 to 10 minutes you gently remind yourself to “Stand up straight – stretch out a bit – raise my arms overhead” after being bent over a flower bed for 2 hours straight.
3. Drink enough water! This is just a must – do it and quit making excuses to why you don’t drink enough daily! When you increase your physical activity, including with things like yard work, you are increasing your need for hydration.

      My tips might seem rather rudimentary, but it never hurts to hear them again and again and again, year after year in the hopes you will remember them and do them! 😊 If after a weekend full of yard work you find yourself with an ache or pain that just doesn’t seem to want to calm down, please call and get onto one of our schedule!