Summer is here in Edmonton which means gardening season is upon us! While it might seem like a casual warm-weather pastime, gardening can be a lot of hard work. In addition to lifting and consistently bending over for hours at a time, gardening can also mean bending your body in new and unfamiliar ways. All of these actions can reignite old injuries or cause consistent aches and pains - especially if you already suffer from conditions like arthritis and tendonitis.
Common Pain Experienced By Gardeners
Like with any repetitive activity, muscles can begin to become fatigued over time. For example, if you spend a lot of time in your garden each day, chances are you are bent over a majority of the time. That can cause a dull pain in your lower back which, left unchecked, can become more intense and severe as the season progresses.
Gardening can also become particularly problematic for people suffering from arthritis. After a few hours spent in the garden, your joints can begin to feel sharp and aching. And, in severe cases, they might even start swelling. Tendonitis can also become an issue, especially if your gardening activities are repetitive. You will start to feel pain when you start gardening and it will carry on throughout the day.
How Can Massage Therapy Treat Gardening Pains?
After a few long days in the garden, your muscles might be feeling tight and sore. When your muscles become fatigued and overused, even sleeping can become uncomfortable. Massage therapy is a great way to loosen your tense muscles and alleviate pain. In fact, some of my patients who are seasoned gardeners use massage therapy as a preventative measure, getting relaxed and limber before a long weekend of green thumbing.
Here Are Some Ways Massage Therapy Can Help With Your Gardening Routine
Pain Management: By slowly working through your trigger points, we can release tension in your muscles and joints and lessen your pain symptoms. Through techniques like deep and soft tissue and Thai massage, we can improve blood circulation to the impacted areas and relax your muscles, tissues, and ligaments.
Muscle Maintenance: Regular massage therapy is an effective way to keep the muscles stretched, limber, and relaxed. Your muscles and joints should be maintained in between appointments as well. That’s why I like to send my patients home with different stretching techniques, yoga poses, and pain management techniques they can use on their own time. This way you can maintain pain-free and healthy muscles and keep feeling relaxed throughout the month.
Book a Massage Today
Gardening is an amazing way to spend a day outdoors in nature. Not only is it relaxing, but it can also be a therapeutic and highly rewarding experience watching the fruits of your labour bloom all season long. Chronic pain should not stop you from enjoying the things you love, like getting your hands in the dirt.
Some of my patients have found massage to be an important part of their self-care routine. Massage can also be used as a preventive measure, getting your body relaxed and ready for the gardening season. I love being able to help my patients live their best lives. Together, we can develop a plan that works for your body and keeps you feeling fresh and pain-free this summer season.
My clinic is located on the west side of Edmonton and I offer direct billing to most major insurance companies. As a holistic health practitioner, my aim is to help you improve your quality of life through healthier choices and alternative therapy. That also means being able to spend hours of uninterrupted time doing what you love most - tending to your garden.
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