The leaves have fallen, and the snow will be here soon. Your yard work may include raking leaves or shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, or hanging lights. Raking and shoveling can be a strenuous activity that you might have yet to do. As you prepare your yard and house for the change in weather, remember these tips to prevent injury.
Take a quick walk around your yard and perform several quick, dynamic stretches to warm up your arms and back prior to beginning your yard work. Examples of dynamic stretches can include arm circles, trunk twists, and leg lunges.
Wear supportive tennis shoes or snow boots. Wear clothing that you can move your arms and legs fully and is not too tight or too baggy. Gloves can protect your hands from blisters when raking leaves, and gloves should be worn when dealing with snow to prevent any cold weather injury.
The more people you have helping, the more you can divide the work and decrease the risk of overwork. A partner can also help hold a ladder if you are cleaning gutters.
Perform cool-down stretches at the end of your work. Some light stretches for the arms and back afterward can help decrease soreness after yard work.
If you experience aches or pains after performing yardwork, consider contacting an Athletico expert to assess your pain – for free. Free assessments are available in-clinic or virtually through our telehealth platform.
*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.