An adequate warm-up should be an essential component of any physical activity. This includes daily chores as well as any exercise you do. Personally, I am a big fan of relatively long warm-ups (15-20 minutes or more) – especially for those of us who are older or who have not exercised for a while. Although this is recommended as preparation for physical activity at any time of year, it is especially true at this time of year when it is cold outside and maintaining motivation can be difficult. Today was a perfect example. This morning when I left my house for my usual walk/jog the frozen fog and absence of sun made it feel really cold and inhospitable. But I was dressed appropriately so I just kept moving, gradually increasing speed and intensity. After about 20 minutes I noticed that I was feeling much more comfortable despite the fact that the ambient temperature had barely budged. Once I felt more comfortable I was actually able to enjoy the beauty of the stark environment and frost-laden trees. Warming up made a big difference in my attitude as well as my enjoyment of my workout.
A good warm-up not only prepares your body for exercise, both mentally and physically, but also may help you avoid injury. The purpose of the warm-up is to increase the body’s core temperature. An effective warm-up also should increase both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This improves blood flow, which in turn facilitates the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles and tendons for more strenuous activity. This will then enable your muscles to move more easily and efficiently. Then whatever activity you do after your warm-up should feel easier. Many people feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable when they first get going. If you ease into your activity with a brisk warm-up, you will probably notice that stiffness passes. You will find the activity - whatever it is - flows much more smoothly and probably feels easier if you take the time to get your body ready.
So what is an effective warm-up? No matter what form it takes, you should start easily and build up to more energetic components. Personally, I believe in warming up the entire body with light aerobic exercise regardless of the activity planned. This means getting arms and legs moving and then gradually increasing the work load on the muscles. Start by working large muscles first then move to smaller muscles. The muscles in your legs are large so start there. Simply marching in place will get your legs moving. If you are preparing to shovel snow, try walking up and down your driveway a few times first. If the snow is deep, take it slow. Get out to the street and walk a bit in the tire treads. Even if your street has not been plowed there is almost always someone who has already driven through and created tire tracks. If you are planning to vacuum or do some other form of housework, march around your house a few times, changing direction if you go in circles.
Work into more complex moves as the warm-up progresses. Such moves might include stepping side to side or kicking front and back. Music is a great motivational resource. Get an MP3 player and listen to your favorite tunes. Gradually, add arm movements starting small. Pushing/pulling movements in various directions (to the front, side and overhead) or bicep curls without weights are good choices. As your heart rate increases and you start to feel more energetic, begin to make the movements larger and more expansive. Swing your arms around in big circles. Now you might want to incorporate squats and lunges which will continue to work the large muscles of your legs. Some of you who have taken my Pilates classes will recognize this method of warming up. Hopefully you will agree that it is effective.
Warming up is not just terminology. It should actually make you feel warm. So keep the movements going for as long as you need to begin to feel warm. Don’t forget to drink water. Housework and yard work are strenuous. Stay hydrated. Drinking frequently will also help fuel your muscles.
Now for some specific tips for avoiding injury during everyday activities.
The following tip is courtesy of Dr. Thomas Keller, from Racine , Wisconsin
“The housekeeping motion that gets most people with back problems into trouble is vacuuming. This is because of the twisting movement that is automatic when you work the vacuum with one hand only.
Activities that employ the same motions as vacuuming (for example, raking) will affect the back in similar ways. So any motion that causes the spine to twist will tend to exacerbate symptoms.
In the case of vacuuming, if you can retrain yourself to use both hands, you can avoid most of the twisting motion in both upper and lower back. Mind you, this will not prevent problems in persons with existing conditions, but it will minimize aggravation of symptoms.”
“The housekeeping motion that gets most people with back problems into trouble is vacuuming. This is because of the twisting movement that is automatic when you work the vacuum with one hand only.
Activities that employ the same motions as vacuuming (for example, raking) will affect the back in similar ways. So any motion that causes the spine to twist will tend to exacerbate symptoms.
In the case of vacuuming, if you can retrain yourself to use both hands, you can avoid most of the twisting motion in both upper and lower back. Mind you, this will not prevent problems in persons with existing conditions, but it will minimize aggravation of symptoms.”
Similar tips can help you with chores like shoveling – whether it’s snow or dirt:
1) To begin stand with good posture, shoulders over hips, weight distributed evenly over both feet and from the front of your feet (toes) to the back of your feet (heels). Position the shovel directly in front of you with the shovel's blade level – that is, parallel to the ground or if the ground is not level, parallel to your hips or waist.
2) If you need to provide some leverage (for digging something heavy like dirt or wet snow), step forward with one foot and anchor the back foot for stability before placing the front foot on the shovel.
3) Lean your weight forward onto the shovel. Let the weight of your body sink the shovel into the ground. Leveraging the dirt or snow in this way will help you avoid muscle strain associated with digging or shoveling.
4) Bend at the knees and hips before lifting. Use the large muscles of your legs to lift – not your back. Try to keep your back flat and straight from shoulders to hips.
5) Don’t overload the shovel. Lift small amounts to avoid strain.
6) Instead of throwing the snow or dirt, walk with the shovel to the point where you want to deposit its contents. Then simply tilt the shovel forward and release the contents.
Here is a link to a more detailed description of this process that includes photos:
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