Winter isn’t coming anymore. Summer is here. And for many of us, that means lots of time spent outdoors. Whether you’re spending the day planting some romanesco broccoli, churning your compost piles, or kayaking Horsetooth reservoir, you’re going to be spending plenty of time bending and twisting those back muscles.
Seemingly innocuous tasks like gardening are one of the leading causes of back injuries. We wrote about good gardening practices in a previous post. Revelation Chiropractic has the tips you need to keep your back (and body and soul!) happy and healthy all summer long. Follow these three tips to stay safe this summer. Contact your Fort Collins chiropractor for more information.
1. Stretch, Stretch, Stretch!
Jumping directly into strenuous movement and taxing activities can be a quick route to injury. It’s always good practice to warm up your muscles in order to minimize risk. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and strong. Without good stretching techniques, muscles are more likely to shorten and weaken, increasing the odds of injury. Summer staples like gardening involve a good deal of lifting and bending over. These types of movements are high-risk — and especially so without the appropriate types of warm-ups.
You can try a variety of helpful back stretching techniques, including a classic spine stretch or supine cross-leg spinal twist. Regardless of what kind of stretches you choose for warming up, just keep in mind that form is extremely important. As important as stretching is for preventing injury, if you don’t utilize appropriate form, then this, too, could lead to injury. Contact Revelation Chiropractic in Fort Collins for more information on healthy stretching techniques and advice on appropriate form from a chiropractor.
2. Stay Hydrated
There’s a reason why taking some big gulps of water after spending time in the summer heat can feel so refreshing: our bodies need it! Summertime can increase the risk of dehydration. The combination of heat and physical activity means we are losing a lot of moisture through sweating. When we are losing more fluid than we are taking in, that’s when we are technically dehydrated.
Dehydration can occur rapidly and can lead to struggles for our body to function normally. Extreme dehydration is very dangerous and can lead to fevers, fainting, and even death. But even low-level dehydration can adversely affect your health, especially if it’s chronic. So, be sure to carry a water bottle around with you this summer. This also holds true for your pets, in case you’re bringing them along for hikes and walks in the summer sun!
3. Contact Your Fort Collins Chiropractor
Stretching isn’t the only way to increase flexibility and stay healthy. You can visit our chiropractor for massage therapy services, including deep tissue and Swedish massage. Massage therapy can assist in increasing flexibility (as well as joint mobility, blood circulation, and a whole lot more!) in order to make your summer activities fun and safe.
Revelation Chiropractic offers a variety of chiropractor services in Fort Collins and the northern Colorado area. Visit us for an alignment, a massage, or to get all the information you need for summer to start off on the right foot. Contact us today to learn more!
