You might think that winter is the most dangerous season for falls and slips, but autumn can be every bit as hazardous. Autumn clean-up work can send an unsuspecting person to a Chino urgent care center for back issues and other injuries to the muscles and bones. This is especially true when you’re raking leaves, where various strenuous maneuvers like reaching, bending, lifting, and twisting are employed.
Fortunately, back injuries from raking leaves can easily be avoided by following some simple preventive measures.
Warm Up
Do some light exercises to stretch out your muscles and loosen them up. A few great exercises to do before raking leaves are arm circles, squats, and hip bends. Make sure to do this for about 10 minutes to avoid putting strain on your back.
Use the Right Rake
Your rake should be comfortable for your strength and height. If it’s too heavy, for instance, you can injure your back as you struggle to lift the rake while cleaning up leaves. In addition, wear gloves so you can get a good grip on your rake.
Vary Your Moves
Alternate your arm and leg positions as often as you can to avoid cramps and overworked muscles. Protect your back by bending at the knees, instead of the waist, when you pick up leaves, and maintain proper posture during the task.
Wear Slip-Resistant Soles
Many back injuries during autumn happen due to slips and falls due to wet leaves. They can be extremely slippery, so wear boots or shoes with slip-resistant soles to maintain solid footing while raking leaves.
Avoid Twisting Motions
Some people throw leaves over to the side or over their shoulder when raking, and this increases the risk for back injuries. The twisting motion required for this maneuver places tremendous strain and pressure on the back, so avoid this technique.
Don’t Overfill Your Bags
Finally, never overfill your leaf bags, particularly with wet leaves. Make sure you’re comfortable with the weight of the bags before carrying them to prevent placing undue stress on your back.
Applying these tips as you rake leaves is an excellent way to keep your back healthy while keeping your yard clean. Accidents, however, can still happen even when you observe every preventive measure. Therefore, keep the address of an urgent care center in Chino on hand if your back feels unusually sore or if you encounter any injury after cleaning up your leaves.
Sources
15 SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT A BACK INJURY DURING YOUR FALL CLEAN UP, morganmassage.com
Raking leaves: A cautionary tale, consumerreports.org
U.S. HealthWorks Chino 