Gardening is a matter of your
enthusiasm holding up until your back gets used to it
~Author Unknown
Massage for Gardeners
As spring has arrived, many of us love to get out and play in the dirt. One friend said to me, “gardening is my yoga.” For many of us, working in the garden takes on a Zen-like state of relaxation, a chance to be creative, and a way to enjoy the
outdoors while being active.
In fact, gardening, Zen or not, can also be so strenuous at times as to feel like an athletic event. We squat to pick up lawn debris, bend to pluck weeds, lift bags of compost, shovel mulch into barrels, kneel over tiny plants, and walk back and forth on our property to admire our work.
After the long winter months and time off from your gardening ‘conditioning' you likely will feel lower back, neck, and shoulder pain. Your hands, forearms, and gluts may also get a workout.
Getting a massage both before and after your “big” gardening days can help ward off soreness, stiffness, and pain. Massage before gardening boosts your circulation and loosens up muscles and joints to reduce strain to already tight areas.
Massage after activity “is more effective at relieving soreness and stiffness than stationary rest for the same duration. It normally takes a muscle that has been stressed to the point of fatigue 48-72 hours to rest, adapt and recuperate. Massage tailored for gardening and other strenuous activity can reduce your recuperation time by as much as 50 percent.” (FiftyPlus magazine, Sept. 2004.)
-excerpt from News for You!, Karen Peck Massage & BodyworkTo subscribe to News for You! visit www.karenpeckmassage.com
