Who else will be spending the next couple of weekends doing the same thing that I will? We will all be RAKING! I know that this message may be coming a little late for a lot of you, but I tend to get a late start with my raking, because the tree that drops the most leaves on my property is a Bradford Pear, which seems to wait until it is freezing outside to drop all of its leaves(I think that it might have some unresolved issue with me...). So the idea of raking is one that I tend to try to ignore for as long as possible. Typically, when I get started many of you have already been in the trenches for a couple of weeks! I guess that I am one of the lucky ones who gets to go outside on beautiful, blustery, and bone-chilling weekends to rake those leaves, rather than doing it earlier in the season when the weather is usually considerably nicer.
There are a couple of problems with having to wait... First, I have to go outside in the cold to rake, and secondly, my daughters need to brave the cold to jump into the leaf pile, and of course, subsequently make more work for their daddy!
So Although these may be a little late for some of you, here are a couple of tips for those of you who have not finished your raking as winter approaches!
1) Warm up BEFORE you rake. Take a short walk or do some bodyweight squats to get your body ready to move.
2) Always bend with your hips and knees to avoid bending with your lumbar spine, and putting pressure on your lower back.
3) Avoid twisting when raking. Always move your feet instead!
4) Engage your Core!!!
5) Try to switch hands to evenly distribute the stresses placed on the spine and the rest of your body.
6) Don't stay outside for too long! Be sure to take frequent breaks, if necessary, to stay warm.
7) When you are done be sure to cool off a little before sitting down and don't forget to rehydrate!
When you feel your raking aches and pains, know that we are here to help!
There are a couple of problems with having to wait... First, I have to go outside in the cold to rake, and secondly, my daughters need to brave the cold to jump into the leaf pile, and of course, subsequently make more work for their daddy!
So Although these may be a little late for some of you, here are a couple of tips for those of you who have not finished your raking as winter approaches!
1) Warm up BEFORE you rake. Take a short walk or do some bodyweight squats to get your body ready to move.
2) Always bend with your hips and knees to avoid bending with your lumbar spine, and putting pressure on your lower back.
3) Avoid twisting when raking. Always move your feet instead!
4) Engage your Core!!!
5) Try to switch hands to evenly distribute the stresses placed on the spine and the rest of your body.
6) Don't stay outside for too long! Be sure to take frequent breaks, if necessary, to stay warm.
7) When you are done be sure to cool off a little before sitting down and don't forget to rehydrate!
When you feel your raking aches and pains, know that we are here to help!
Movement is my Medicine,
