A Garden Variety of Problems

Gardening is a time-intensive yet rewarding hobby. Growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants takes calculation, scheduling and maintenance. However, those tasks do not just apply to gardening; it applies to your body as well! It is imperative to figure out how much time you will devote to gardening as that will determine how and when you will stretch your feet and body! If you are new to gardening, gradually increase the time you spend with the activity! After gardening, it is important to wash and survey your feet and ensure that no problems have arisen from gardening!

Like any sport, gardening is a physical activity which can cause injury if you do not condition and protect yourself! Problems that may arise from gardening may range from toenail injury to aches, cramping and swelling!

Toenail injuries like bruising and ingrown toenails can be due to a variety of causes.
-Dropping a heavy object on your toes such a shovel or rake will cause bruising of the nail
-Wearing a shoe with a narrow toe box cramps your toes and causes ingrown toenails and/or bruising

Aching feet after gardening may be due to
-Lacking a warm-up routine or incomplete stretching before starting the activity will cause pain in the muscle groups not accustomed to gardening
-Using run-down, ill-fitting shoes to garden will cause achiness because you have confined your toes into an uncomfortable position

The sensation of cramping pain could be caused by
-Wearing socks that fit too tightly around your leg, reducing circulation to your feet stopping oxygen from reaching your muscles and lead to cramps
-Using a small size shoe to garden and thus jamming your feet into a narrow space will cause cramps
-Kneeling or squatting for extended bouts of time will diminish blood flow to the feet leading to a lack of oxygen to your muscles
-Not taking numerous breaks to walk around will lead to cramps, your muscles should not stay in one position for too long – so walking them out allows blood flow to go back to the places it may not have been able to before

Swelling
-Standing or sitting for too long results in gravity pulling body fluids (lymph and blood) to your feet and ankles, so be sure to change your position frequently
-Wearing socks that compress your leg too tightly blocks blood and lymph from returning upwards causing swelling

If you encounter any of these problems, seek your podiatrist to help you manage them!

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Growing Pains!

When foot or leg pain strikes, the first idea that comes to mind when determining its cause is inquiring about recent strenuous activity such as running, swimming, skiing or other high-motion sport. However, did you ever stop to think that under-the-radar activities can contribute to or be the source of lower extremity pain? Gardening is a commonly overlooked activity that requires the manipulation of the body to bend, crouch, and kneel and involves the movement of the foot, leg, thigh, and back! With the height of summer upon us – many gardeners are probably feeling the effects of their seasonal toil!

Gardening is a labor-intensive, weight-bearing hobby and like any strenuous activity, should involve warm-up and adequate protection to protect the enthusiast. Your feet play a variety of roles when it comes to the body: they are essential for mobility, help with preserving balance, bear the full body weight, and act as shock absorbers. Gardening requires all the above foot functions when it comes to bending and kneeling to plant seeds, crouching and squatting to weed, and standing to mulch, fertilize and water your vegetation. Gardening is intense exercise and coupled with the sun and the lifting of various tools such as shovels and hoses, you will burn serious calories!

What can you do to make sure that you have a comfortable, pain-free gardening experience?

- Stretch your feet and body completely before starting to garden

- Wear socks made of acrylic or a cotton/lycra blend - they work to wick sweat off your feet and keep your feet from rubbing inside your shoes

- Choose to wear loose-fitting socks – this allows blood flow to your feet without restriction

- Buy gardening shoes or boots with rubber soles for shock absorption – this reduces the risk of heel bruising when walking on stones or undergrowth

- Ensure that your gardening shoes are close-toed and have a deep, round toe box – this will prevent the formation of corns and bunions, ingrown toenails and blisters

- Use a gardening pad to cushion your knees when kneeling

- Thoroughly wash and dry your feet after gardening and carefully inspect them for red, swollen or inflamed areas

Talk to your podiatrist at Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center about the best way to approach gardening – they will show you the correct way to stretch your muscles to prevent aches and pains. If you happen to find a problem after gardening, your podiatrist will take the right measures to treat your problem and make recommendations for preventing its reoccurrence!
Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com