Avoid Autumn Accidents
Autumn is a beautiful season and a great time of year to get out and enjoy the changing colours and autumn sunlight.
Make sure you avoid some of the most common autumn injuries by following these tips:
Staying Safe in the Garden
- For anyone with a garden, autumn is a key time in the year to get out and tidy up the beds for winter and clear away fallen leaves.
- Make sure you do some simple stretches such as cat/cow, childs pose and gentle lunges before and after gardening to prepare your body for activities like digging and raking. Ask one of the chiropractors in clinic for more details on appropriate exercises for you.
- The cooler air can mean that muscles tend to tighten up so keep the spine well covered with a long vest or scarf.
- When doing a repetitive job such a raking up leaves or digging, try to vary your posture frequently and swap the side you use the rake or spade. Alternate jobs regularly so you aren’t putting your body under the same stress for hours and hours.
- If there are heavy jobs to do in the garden, ensure you bend your knees when you lift, maintain a straight spine and don’t try to carry too much in one go.
Out and About
- An autumn walk is a great way to stay active during the change of seasons and a mindful walk can help ease stress and anxiety.
- However, lots of fallen leaves and damp mornings can leave the ground slippery so it is important to wear supportive shoes with decent grip. If you are going into the woods to enjoy the seasonal colours, wear hiking boots if possible as they will also support your ankles if you happen to find a hidden tree root!
- Even when the days get shorter and colder, try to maintain a gentle series of movement exercises in the day. Try lying down and hugging your knees to your chest, cat cow and some gentle spinal twists to keep the spinal joints mobile and prevent things stiffening up.
Stay Hydrated
As the days get cooler, many people swap an ice cold glass of water for a warming drink like tea or coffee. It is important to remember that caffeinated drinks don’t hydrate the body (in fact they act as a diuretic, making you go to loo more frequently and can therefore have the opposite effect). Ensure that you stay hydrated by continuing to drink plenty of water and if its very chilly – why not just have a mug of hot water? Or add a slice of lemon?
Vitamin D
In the UK, we only make vitamin D from sun exposure between the months of April and September (due to the angle of the sun in the sky). 87% of the UK population are deficient or insufficient in blood levels of Vit D in winter. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to persistent pain, mood and behavioural problems and fatigue. Consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement from the start of October.
Take a look at this video for more information: https://inhealthsupplements.co.uk/education/
Want to book?
If you do have any pain or suffer from a fall or injury, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Martin or Verity and we will be delighted to help.
Photo Credits
Stretches
Physitrack - the online platform we use for personalised exercise programmes
Vitamin D3
INHealth Supplements ( see link in Vit D section)