As we move into warmer weather and start our spring cleaning projects whether inside the house or in our yards, we want to ensure that we minimize our risk of injuries.  Two of the main injury potentials we want to watch for are our overuse injuries and bending and twisting injuries.

When we come out of the winter months, where we have been a little more sedentary, we want to slowly increase our activities and should avoid an all day clean up and should start with just a few hours at a time.  After even a couple of weeks of reduced activity and movement we lose some of our strength and endurance so if we have several months of reduced activity, it becomes important not to think we can resume our activities at the same level.  My recommendation is to start with a couple of hours of activity followed by at least a 30-minute break to see how your body feels.  If you start to feel a lot of muscle stiffness, give your body more time to recover because you will not be able to recruit as many muscles to your task and you may increase your likelihood of injury.  This is your overuse injury where you have pushed your body too hard and strained your muscles.  

Have you ever met a health nut? Are you a health nut? You know who i’m talking about. It’s the type of person who eats super healthy and exercises just for the sake of eating super clean and exercising. 

They aren’t doing it because of health problems. They aren’t overweight, they aren’t in pain. They aren’t training for an upcoming event. They just exercise and eat healthy because they want to be healthy and be at their best.

Part 1 in a series of articles featuring recommended stretches by our Chiropractors. 

For our folks suffering from chronic muscle tension in the neck and shoulders or are trying to improve their posture, these are the stretches for you! Whether we are sitting behind a screen all day, driving, or studying, we find ourselves constantly rounded forward creating a lot of tension in the upper body. This poor posture can lead to muscle tightness and even headaches. It is also very common for us to carry our stress in our shoulders, causing them to rise up towards our ears. Below you will find some great options to help bring the head back over the shoulders and relieve muscle tension throughout the day. 

Please contact our Chiropractors if you have any questions about the best stretches for you.