Gardening Counts As Exercise

This time of year, more people are going outside to do yard work or to start their gardens. Whether you're mowing the grass, weeding, or planting new flowers; you can get some great exercise. However, because injury is possible with any physical activity, we must take the proper precautions to avoid injury while working in the yard or garden. Here are some tips that I try to keep in mind whenever I am out in my backyard.

Stay Hydrated

Whether you keep a water bottle outside with you or if you take frequent breaks to go inside to get a drink of water, you need to make sure you stay cool and hydrated, even if it doesn't feel that hot outside. If you struggle with muscle cramps, you may want to drink something with electrolytes.

Use Knee Pads

If you're going to be down on your knees in your flowerbeds, you may want to invest in high quality knee pads or a knee mat. However, if you still experience knee pain afterward, be sure to ice your knees. For tips on safe ways to ice, check out a previous blog, "Ice vs Heat."

Avoid Twisting

If you are planning to be weeding or hoeing,  it can feel natural to twist in order to reach more area. However, twisting can cause injury to your back. Instead, move your whole body so you can reach the area easier without twisting. Again, if you find you twisted without realizing and have injured your back muscles while working outside, be sure to stop to ice your back.


Yard work and gardening can bring great satisfaction as well as great exercise. Just be sure you stay hydrated and avoid injury.

Exercise through Volunteering

When you volunteer to walk or run for a 5K, you know that you will also personally benefit from the physical activity. Yet, there are more ways that just walking or running to get a little exercise while volunteering. You may be able volunteer at a local kitchen to wash dishes, serve meals, and organize the pantry, all of which fight our sedentary habits. Other organizations may need help with landscaping or janitorial cleaning. Even something as simple as sweeping can give you a decent workout.

A few things to be aware of while doing manual labor to reduce the risk of injury:

1. Lifting heavy objects. Squat down to lift heavy objects. Read Kelly's blog for more information about Lifting Properly to avoid injury.
   
2. Refrain from twisting. It's easy to injure your back by twisting quickly while doing manual labor. Instead of twisting, try to turn your whole body, whether you're moving a box or sweeping.
3. Take breaks. Even though you're volunteering, you still need to be able to take breaks. Be sure to use that time to stay hydrated.

If you ever experience pain, stop whatever you're doing to prevent further injury. I suggest using ice on the injured area as soon as possible. For more tips on how to properly use ice on an injury (and when to use heat instead), check out our blog Heat vs Ice.

To add variety to your exercise routine, look for volunteer opportunities and get exercise at the same time.

Walking on Ice

I remember one winter I slipped on the ice and landed on my elbow. Oh, did it hurt!

Going out after a winter storm can be dangerous, and falling on ice can cause a more serious injury than just a sore elbow. After my slip on the ice, I wanted to share precautions I take when walking on ice. Although these tips may help prevent you from falling and hurting yourself, they cannot guarantee you won't slip or fall. My best advice is to just stay home until the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots are cleared; that's the safest way to keep yourself from a fall and possible injury. I also recommend keeping a pair of ice cleats in your car or in your home so that you have extra traction on your shoes if you have to go out.

If you find you have to go out on the icy roads, remember the following tips when walking on ice.

• Take small steps.
• Keep your center of gravity above your feet.
• Don’t accelerate quickly. Walking at a steady pace allows you to maintain your balance if you begin to slip or fall.
• Avoid slopes where you can lose your balance easily.
• Never slide your feet. If your foot should catch on a rock or other object, it could cause you to stumble and fall.

Whenever you're about to step out of a car or out of the house, try testing the ground to see if it's slick. Hold onto something to keep yourself secure as you check if the ground is slick.

To summarize, stay inside if at all possible. If you have to go out, put on a pair of ice cleats and keep the above tips in mind.

Heat Vs Ice

I have patients frequently asking me when they should use heat and when they should use ice. It really is a great question!

In general, if you have pain, use ice. If you have stiffness or soreness, use heat.

If you use heat at an improper time, it may feel good at first, but in the long run, you can actually worsen your symptoms. However, if you use heat at the proper time, I need to warn against lying on a heat pad or pack. It can actually capture heat underneath you and end up burning you.

Similarly, if you overuse ice, you can actually develop frostbite. Stop using ice if you start noticing the following symptoms:
1. You start experiencing numbness where you have iced
2. The skin underneath the ice begins to thicken
3. The skin you've iced starts to turn white

In the video below, I show you how I use ice packs and ice cups. I also explain when I prefer using an ice massage on the painful location, and I show how I do it.