With the weather getting warmer, we often find ourselves motivated to get more active, which is important for our overall health. Whether taking walks, swimming, or exercising at home, the warm weather can bring it out in us.
Unfortunately, many of us also work demanding jobs in addition to having other responsibilities that can get in the way of being active. And on top of that, many of us also need a goal to stay active. That goal can sometimes be accomplishing tasks at home, such as cleaning and rearranging. But what about gardening as exercise?
What Are the Benefits of Gardening as Exercise?
You may not have thought about it this way before, but gardening is great exercise. More and more people are catching on, which has led to gardening becoming a fitness trend recently.
Gardening involves low to moderate-intensity physical activity that can help strengthen muscles. Spending an average of two hours a week gardening has been shown to have positive effects on our mental and emotional health. Additionally, spending time outside helps your body take in vitamin D.
Is Gardening Better Than Walking or Biking?
It isn’t that gardening is necessarily better for you than walking or biking, but it can cultivate trends in your weekly exercise routine that lead to you exercising more. Studies have shown that those who take up gardening as their primary form of moderate-intensity exercise end up exercising close to an hour longer a week than those who choose walking or biking. That happens in large part because gardening isn’t something you can always just stop working on in the middle of, whereas when we choose to walk or bike, we tend to have a fixed time or route we take that leads to a more predictable start and stop time and often an overall shorter amount of time exercising in the week.
Is Gardening Good for Lower Back Pain?
Gardening can help ease chronic pain and reduce stress. That said, it can only do so if you use your back and muscles correctly and warm up properly beforehand. If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, consulting with a professional can help reduce chronic pain more effectively. And if chronic back pain has been keeping you from taking up gardening, it could help give you the boost you need to get started.
Total Chiropractic Care Can Treat Your Chronic Pain and Give You Lifestyle Advice to Help Keep the Pain at Bay
Staying active at home through gardening and other low-impact methods can help you maintain a baseline level of fitness that becomes more important as you get older. However, chronic pain and spinal misalignment can happen regardless due to events out of our control. Whether you’re dealing with problems related to scoliosis or any other back issues and chronic pain, Total Chiropractic Care is here to help. Our wellness professionals are here to design a treatment plan to fit your needs. You can improve your quality of life and get more out of it daily. Get started now by reaching out to us to set up an appointment.