Gardening Tips for a Healthy Spine

        Summer time in Alberta is a great time to get out and plant flowers, vegetables and fruits in your yard and garden. It is a great experience to get out of the house and enjoy new life, the sunshine and God’s creation. It improves your mood as well as giving you exercise while enjoying the birds chirping and kids playing outside with each other.Before bending down and kneeling to remove debris and till the soil, here are a few tips to help keep your day enjoyable:

Warm up your body- Go for a short walk, do some lunges, arm circles and squats to warm up you muscles

Stretch – Some simple stretching of your legs, back, arms, shoulders and wrists will help to avoid injury or severe muscle stiffness later. Some muscle soreness is normal as you probably have not used all the same muscle groups for other activities during the winter. This will generally subside in a couple of days as your body gets used to this new activity.

Take your time – Going too fast too soon increases the risk of injury so enjoy your time outdoors and pace yourself. Take a few days if you have a large garden or yard. Alternate your tasks between kneeling, standing, digging and planting.

Use the Right Equipment – Use a wheelbarrow to transport smaller loads of dirt or planters. Use a kneeling pad to protect your knees. Use ergonomic tools while working the soil.

Include your children and family and HAVE FUN- Work doesn’t have to be a chore, you can incorporate fun as you weed, pick flowers and water the garden- an old fashioned water fight will be remembered by your kids for a long time!

Visit your Chiropractor and Massage Therapist – Regular chiropractic adjustments and muscle therapy will help to keep your spine aligned and reduce back and joint pain while maintaining flexibility.

Enjoy the fruits of your gardening! There is nothing like healthy fresh fruits and vegetables straight from your own garden.

Happy Gardening!!

Call Dr. Joelle Johnson at Family First Chiropractic & Wellness at 403-347-3261 to book your appointment www.family1stchiro.ca, look for us on FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram for more great information on your health. 

Water Sports, Kids, and Injuries

Water Sports, Kids and Injuries

Summer time is here! Kids love to enjoy the hot weather near water whether it’s in the backyard on a slip and slide, at the pool, spray park or down by the lake or near the river. Along with the fun enjoyed by the youngsters comes slips and falls and the resulting injuries can include head and neck pain, lowback pain  and whiplash.

Many of these injuries are preventable by avoiding running near wet poolsides or on diving boards, for example. Surfaces that are constantly wet should have a gritty texture to improve traction.

Inevitably, kids will be kids and their enthusiasm will ultimately lead to injuries from time to time. Your friendly chiropractor can help your child get back to enjoying the pool and warm sun by adjusting your child’s neck and back to alleviate any spinal problems incurred by slips and falls. Dr. Joelle Johnson of Family First chiropractic and wellness has extensive training in pediatric chiropractic and is a member if the ICPA. The clinic is located at 142 Erickson drive, Red Deer 403-347-3261 to book your children in today. www.family1stchiro.ca