written by Dr. Michael Kaye |  

Part of my responsibility as a doctor is to take a good medical history . My job is to learn the cause of the patient’s pain. Last week I must have dictated the same history of injury for 75% of my patients.

These injuries were sustained in the pursuit of the perfect garden. The weather here on the east coast has begun to change. Warmer days have a tendency to bring out the gardener in many people.

Think about this for a moment. We’ve been cooped up all winter long. If you’ve been food shopping lately, I am sure you have seen the high prices. To combat the winter blues and to save some money, many of my patients have decided they are going to grow their own veggies, herbs and even some fruits in addition to the regular garden chores of cleaning up flower beds, mowing the lawn, and picking up all the storm debris on the grounds.

All this sounds good in theory. In reality, though, many of my baby boomer patients don’t properly prepare for the task of gardening. Gardening is an activity which requires bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, lifting, reaching, squatting, and kneeling. The result of all these activities on those unaccustomed to doing them has been pain in the lower back, knees, shoulders, mid-back and neck. Some patients have even reported arm and leg pain.

My advice is to treat gardening as an athletic event. Take the time to warm up and cool down properly. I recommend walking for at least 15 minutes prior to gardening, followed by stretching movements for the spine and arms. After gardening, take 10 minutes to cool down with more walking and stretching.

Here’s an excellent gardening exercise routine :

• Warm up by taking a 15-minute walk.
• Single knee to chest stretch: Lie on your back and bring one knee to your chest; hold for 10 seconds. Return leg to floor. Repeat with the other leg.
• Double knee to chest stretch: Lie on your back and bring one knee to your chest; hold for a second while you bring the other knee to the chest. Hold both knees together towards your chest for 10 seconds. Then let one leg down at a time.
• Hamstring stretch: Lying on your back, keep leg straight and raise leg towards your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat with the other leg. Repeat this maneuver three times.
• Cobra stretch: Do this exercise only if your back can handle it. Lie on your stomach. Keeping your pelvis on the floor, push upwards ( a push-up) so your back is in extension. Repeat five times and on the fifth repetition hold for 5 seconds.
• Neck stretch: Looking straight ahead, let your head/chin fall towards your chest. Roll to one side, then to the other. Do not roll your neck all the way around. Repeat five times.
• Shoulder shrugs: Shrug your shoulders towards ears 10 times.
• Arm circles: Raise your arms away from your body. Face your palms toward the sky with your thumbs pointing back. Perform arm circles in the direction of your thumb (going back) for 10 repetitions. Then fac...