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Rebuilding your health with skill, experience and compassion Gardening for Health The coming of spring brings with it the appeal of sun, warm weather, and fresh air. For many, spring also means that it is time to start planting their gardens. While there are different reasons that people like to garden, one advantage for everyone is that gardening can have many benefits for improved health and wellbeing. When we care for plants we also have an opportunity to care for our own physical health. If we consider what our plants need we can use the basis for what our bodies need as well. So what do plants need? One crucial part of a plant’s survival is stability. A plant’s roots provide both nutrition and the ability for the plant to stay upright against the forces of nature, such as wind and heavy rain. People need stability as well. While we don’t have roots, we do have feet that benefit greatly from stable support. Many people wear old, worn out sneakers for gardening. This is something to avoid. Worn out shoes can contribute to foot and other joint pain. Consider using a pair of dedicated garden shoes/boots with laces and good arch support purchased specifically for your outdoor activities. Another way plants remain stable is through the strong fibrous material in their stems. Similarly, people remain stable through the core muscular structure of the trunk, most notably the deep abdominal muscles and diaphragm muscle. One great way to work on these stability muscles while gardening is squatting. Squatting promotes deep abdominal muscle activity while providing a gentle stretch to tight back muscles. For those who can’t tolerate squatting, a low garden chair can provide similar benefits while minimizing knee stress. Volume 2, Number 2 place a significant amount of stress on the lumbar spine. Often this type of movement is responsible for aching joints and muscle strains. Lastly, and potentially most importantly, both plants and humans need air. Gardening can be a great time to work on our ability to breathe more efficiently. Our diaphragm is a large muscle that allows us to breathe. This muscle is also an important part of our core stability. An excellent exercise for wellness would be to sit with knees close together on your garden stool or squat while focusing on breathing in at your normal pace. Next, breathe out fully and think of exhaling all of the air in your lungs. Pause for a few seconds before breathing in comfortably again. A similar exercise can also be done in an “all fours position” as well. In this position, focus on keeping your back round while inhaling into your upper back. As you exhale, lift your belly using your abdominal muscles. Both of these exercises allow your diaphragm muscle to work more efficiently which can be part of a larger picture of improving energy levels and reducing tension. Gardening certainly requires a good of deal investment through the physical effort of planting, weeding, pruning, etc. Eventually in return, the plants that we care for will return our investment through benefits such as nutrition, oxygen, and reduced stress, and in the process, better health as well. PT News Corner In December, Amy Kinneston, PT and Wayne Villeneuve, PT traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska for advanced training in Postural Restoration™. One position to avoid if possible is bending over at the waist while planting or pulling weeds. This is a position that can Cornerstone PT 277 Blair Park Rd, Suite 110 Williston, VT 05495 Phone: (802) 878-3600 Now offering free postural & footwear screenings! Call for further details. In April, Holly Spence, PT, PRC attended the Interdisciplinary Integration conference which focused on athletic rehabilitation, including a lecture from the head Athletic Trainer of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Michelin Carroll PT, ATC is coaching the Nordic U11 girls soccer team. She is incorporating Postural Restoration™ stability work into practices for injury prevention and performance enhancement.