Tidying Up Without The Strain

 

11 million Canadians suffer from disorders of the musculoskeletal system. 🍁 When we overuse our joints, muscles, and tendons, injuries can develop. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk and strengthen your body while you tidy up around the house. 🏠

✅ WARM UP

Before you start cleaning or organizing, walk around the house or do some simple stretches to help prevent injury. 🚶‍♂️

✅ BREAK UP HEAVY LOADS

Instead of carrying all of the grocery bags into the house at once, take the extra few minutes and only carry a few bags at once. Don’t drive? Consider investing in a cart or buggy rather than carrying heavy bags. 🛒

✅ DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Dedicating 30 minutes every day to your household tasks can decrease your stress and risk of injury or fatigue. Plus, getting a little bit done each day allows you to have more time on the weekends to spend with family and friends. ⏲

✅ MAINTAIN PROPER POSTURE

Vacuuming and mopping the floors often require excessive bending, reaching, and twisting. Avoid stretching out your arms and bending at the waist. Instead, hold the vacuum or mop handle close to your body and walk back and forth with it. Keep your spine relaxed and neutral while doing these chores. Your back will thank you! 🧽🧹

✅ SWITCH IT UP

Prevent unwanted strain on your shoulders, neck, and back and use both sides of your body when cleaning. Occasionally, consider cleaning with your non-dominant hand. 🖐

✨ BONUS TIP: Use proper lumbar supports if you find yourself sitting for long spells. Every 20-30 minutes stand up and stretch out your spine.

With these tips, you can feel confident in tackling your to-do list safely and effectively. However, if an injury does occur, visit one of our Chiropractors to get your spine back in working order. 👍

#cleaning #chores #springcleaning #backpain #injuryprevention #posture #lifting #warmup #strengthen #chiropractic #chiropractor #health #wellness #wecanhelp #wilmot #newhamburg #baden #tavistock #wellesley #waterlooregion

Tidying Up Without The Strain

 

If you are reading this blog post, you may have pain in your spine, muscles, tendons, or joints. Now think about your daily activities over the past few months: have you been sitting for longer periods of time? Or maybe perhaps you have been doing more household tasks that require bending and lifting.

 

11 million Canadians suffer from disorders of the musculoskeletal system, including injuries such as sprains and strains, chronic or acute low back and neck pain, arthritis, as well as other congenital or acquired disorders.

 

When we overuse our joints, muscles, and tendons, injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can develop. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk and strengthen your body while you tidy up around the house.

 

Warm up

With any type of physical activity, it is very important to warm up. Before you start cleaning or organizing, walk around the house or do some simple stretches to help prevent injury.

Break up heavy loads

Think back to the last time you did groceries. Did you carry all the bags into the house at once instead of taking multiple trips to the car? We know how tempting it is to make fewer trips, but you may be risking an injury. Take the extra few minutes and only carry a few bags at once. Don’t drive? Consider investing in a cart or buggy rather than carrying heavy bags.

 

Divide and conquer

Do you save chores for your day off and power through your list? Dedicating 30 minutes every day to your household tasks can decrease your stress and risk of injury or fatigue.

Plus, getting a little bit done each day allows you to have more time on the weekends to spend with family and friends.

 

Maintain proper posture

Vacuuming and mopping the floors often require excessive bending, reaching, and twisting. Avoid stretching out your arms and bending at the waist. Instead, hold the vacuum or mop handle close to your body and walk back and forth with it. Keep your spine relaxed and neutral while doing these chores. Your back will thank you!

 

Switch it up

Prevent unwanted strain on your shoulders, neck, and back and use both sides of your body when cleaning. Occasionally, consider cleaning the bathroom tiles or washing dishes with your non-dominant hand.

 

Bonus Tip: Use proper lumbar supports if you find yourself sitting for long spells. Every 20-30 minutes stand up and stretch out your spine.

 

With these tips, you can feel confident in tackling your to-do list safely and effectively. However, if an injury does occur, visit one of our Chiropractors to get your spine back in working order.

#cleaning #housework #posture #physcialactivity #musclestrain #chiropracticcare #chiropractor #musculoskeletal #newhamburgchiropractic #newhamburgmassage #newhamburgphysiotherapy #newhamburgorthotics #newhamburgwellness #chiropractic #massage #physiotherapy #customorthotics #exercise #rehabilitativeexercise #wecanhelp #recordreaderaward2020 #newpatientswelcome #newhamburg #wilmot

13 Ways To Turn Spring Cleaning Into A Workout

Spring cleaning is a great way to add a bit more activity into your day.

Here are a few tips to transform your chores into a fun way to get your body moving.

1. Put on some tunes that make you want to move

Pick some tunes that will help you pick up the pace as you clean and put a little pep in your step. This adds a cardiovascular element to your cleaning that’s good for your heart.

2. Tighten those abs

Just thinking about your abs and keeping them flexed while you work can help build and tone abdominal muscles. It also helps to keep your back supported and prevents you from slouching.

3. Extend and lengthen typical movements

Make every movement as large as possible (up-down, left-right or in circles).

4. Add stairs

Take the stairs to carry laundry and supplies between floors (if you have the ability to). If you don’t have stairs, or have limited mobility, try to find little ways to add more steps or movement to your regular cleaning routine.

5. Be thorough

Don’t forget to mop, dust, or sweep below or behind furniture for your annual spring clean. Adding this extra movement helps you get to the corners you might skim over the rest of the year.

6. Squat!

Whether you’re cleaning a full-length mirror or scrubbing a shower wall, bathtub, or toilet, squat while you do so to help work your legs and glutes. With any body movement, if you focus on how you do it with proper form, not only are you getting a workout, you’re better-supporting your back.

7. Mop with the top

When you mop with your hand on top of the mop handle, it helps keep your back straight, and tones the arm muscles as you clean. Make sure you use a mop that suits your height to make sure you’re not over-extending your arms, neck, and shoulders.

8. Lunge while vacuuming

Adding a few lunges in with each movement of the vacuum handle adds some much-needed lower-body strength training to your routine. Keep your toes pointed straight ahead, and don’t bend your knees beyond a 90 degree angle.

9. Lunge while weeding

That’s right, lunging isn’t just for indoors: when doing outdoor chores and gardening, you can get your lunges in while pulling weeds too.

10. Prune from the top down

Pruning helps strengthen the forearms. It also involves reaching for top branches by getting on your toes, just like a calf raise.

11. Use your legs, not your back

Time for more low-back supporting squats. As you pour mulch or fertilizer on your lawn and garden, use your legs, not your back.

12. Let your weed-eater machine do the work.

Hold your abs tight and focus on your form as you lean forward to nip those weeds in the bud.

13. Bend from the knees

Whenever you need to lift something, never lean over; always bend from your knees. This includes cleaning toilets: squat or kneel on one knee instead. Not only is this smart for your back, it works your lower body. 

That’s a lot for one person in one day, but if you have family members or friends in your household, dividing those tasks and challenging each other can help you enjoy a cleaner home, a better workout, and some bonding time with those you spend time with the most.

 

Not all those motions or activities are for everyone. For ability-friendly modifications, you can always consult your chiropractor for guidance.

 

HAPPY CLEANING!

 

#CCA #springcleaning #spring #activity #workout #spinalhealth #posture #properlifting #properbending #newhamburgchiropractic #newhamburgmassage #newhamburgphysiotherapy #newhamburgwellness #chiropractic #massage #physiotherapy #rehabilitativeexercise #wecanhelp #recordreaderaward2020 #newpatientswelcome #newhamburg #wilmot