How To Enjoy Outdoor Activities Without Back Pain

Outdoor activities are a healthy and enjoyable way to live an active lifestyle; when the weather is nice, the outdoors are hard to resist. Here in California we are lucky, even though summer is officially “over” the summer weather will continue for many more months!

A reduction in activity leads to a decrease in physical conditioning and as a result when the weather is nice, people tend to overestimate their physical abilities. Low back pain from gardening or aches in the shoulders, neck, and knee joints from cleaning the garage are quite common.

When the body engages in a strenuous activity, combined with uncomfortable and awkward positions, it responds with pain and even injury. The most common cause is an insufficient warm-up and the absence of a regular stretching routine. Yard work is an example: Awkward body positions during mowing, trimming, seeding and raking are un-natural for the body. When performed over an extended period, a chronic, painful, overuse conditions can emerge.

The biggest mistake made by most people is to ‘wait until you need help’. The problem with waiting is the injury gets worse the longer you wait. The best time to seek the help of a physical therapy is when you don’t have these annoying aches and pains. Your physical therapist can evaluate your home and work environment and recommend adaptations to ease stress and strain on your joints. These adjustments help prevent overuse injuries, strains, and sprains. The therapist can also advise you on the most efficient and biomechanically correct ways to sit, stand, lift and even get in and out of a car.

Outdoor activities help you stay healthy and happy and with a physical therapist at your side will help you safely do the things you enjoy, without having to worry about injuries. Do you want help before those nagging pains become unbearable? Click Here for to schedule your consultation.

Author
Recent Posts

Andrew Vertson

Physical Therapist at Intecore Physical Therapy

Andrew received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from California State University, Fresno in 1991. He then earned his Master’s degree of Physical Therapy in 1996 and his Doctorate degree of Physical Therapy in 2002 from Loma Linda University. In 1996 he also earned his Certification as an Athletic Trainer. He has also completed extensive post-graduate course work in orthopedic manual therapy through Kaiser-West Los Angeles and the Ola Grimsby Institute.

Latest posts by Andrew Vertson (see all)