Protect Your Spine and Muscles During Fall Yardwork

Fall brings cooler weather and plenty of outdoor chores, from raking leaves to prepping the garden for winter. While these tasks are important for maintaining your home’s curb appeal, they can also put significant strain on your spine and muscles. To prevent injury and discomfort, it's essential to approach yardwork with care. Here are some key tips for protecting your body while handling fall chores.

1. Warm Up Your Body

Before diving into any strenuous activity, it's important to warm up your muscles. Light stretches can help loosen tight areas and increase flexibility, reducing the risk of injury. Focus on stretches that target your back, legs, and shoulders—like toe touches or side stretches—to get your body ready for movement.

2. Lift Properly to Protect Your Spine

Lifting heavy objects incorrectly is one of the most common causes of back pain. When lifting items such as bags of leaves or heavy tools, be sure to bend at your knees, not your waist. Engage your leg muscles to lift, keeping your spine straight to avoid unnecessary strain on your back.

3. Take Regular Breaks

Prolonged periods of raking, bending, or lifting can overwork your muscles. To prevent fatigue and injury, take short breaks every 20-30 minutes. Use this time to stretch, hydrate, and give your spine and muscles a chance to recover.

4. Use Ergonomic Tools

Using the right tools can make a big difference in protecting your spine. Choose rakes, shovels, and other tools with handles long enough to allow you to work without hunching over. Proper posture while performing repetitive tasks can prevent back pain. Don’t forget to wear sturdy shoes for proper foot and back support. Not to endorse the store or the brand, but just to give you an idea of the type of tool we like, take a look at THIS ONE.

5. Consider Chiropractic Care

If you experience soreness or discomfort after yardwork, chiropractic care may provide relief. Regular spinal adjustments help maintain alignment and support healthy movement patterns, reducing the likelihood of injury. A chiropractor can also offer personalized advice on proper body mechanics during physical tasks.

We found this great workshop put on by a physical therapist that takes a deep dive into spinal education and demonstrations. It is a bit lengthy, but it does have chapters so you can skip to the chapter that you’re most interested in and skip the rest if you like. CLICK HERE for the full workshop.

By following these guidelines, you can enjoy the benefits of a well-maintained yard without putting unnecessary stress on your spine and muscles. Take care of your body, and it will take care of you this fall!

Tips to keep from OVER-indulging on all the Halloween candy!

1. Brush your teeth more often. The minty feeling in the mouth is a natural deterrent to eating more food.

2. Let yourself have the candy, just remember the three F’s: Fresh Fiber First! Before eating a helping of candy, grab some raw fruit or vegetable and eat that first.

3. Watch THIS VIDEO for even more ideas we love!

4. If the candy monster got ahold of you, and now you’re wondering how to ease that tummy ache, you might benefit from our digestive enzyme supplement Proteo-Zyme.

Gluten Free, Non GMO Product

Nutritionally support your body’s natural response to inflammation and support your digestive system and intestinal health with Proto-Zyme.* The healthier your gastrointestinal tract is can lead to a better quality digestive health from stomach pains and other issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Proto-Zyme is a digestive enzyme supplement that provides you with more proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes help digest food, break down food, and break down proteins leading to a smoother running digestive tract.

Dietary Supplement

Caution: If you are pregnant or nursing do not take this product. Conforms to USP <2091> for weight. Meets USP <2040> disintegration for maximum bioavailability. Manufactured in an FDA Registered Facility using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Holiday Closures Coming Up

Thanksgiving: Both offices will be closed for Thanksgiving observance Thursday November 28th, and Friday November 29th.

Thanksgiving Food Drive! Remember we are collecting non-perishable food items and grocery store gift cards (or cash) at both locations. All donations are due no later than November 22, but please plan to donate as early as possible.

In Health,

The Staff at PCW: Dr. Shawn, Dr. Kayla, Maddy, Charlene, and Jo