Advice Sheets     Advice available: Gardening, household and domestic chores and tips for manual workers and Exercise Sheets for Neck and Low back     1-GARDENING TIPS   Here are a few suggestions to bear in mind, which may prevent a lot of discomfort when you are gardening   1. ”    PREPARATION - ensure you are fit enough to do what you want to do - Gentle warm up exercises.   2. ”    Wear appropriate clothing and use supports where necessary.   3. ”    Do not spend more than 20 minutes doing any one thing.  Take your kitchen timer out with you.   4. ”    Be aware of your own limitation, e.g. Consider the weight and size of things before lifting.   5. ”    Be prepared to change your habits, or / and get some help where necessary.   6. ”    Do not dig if the soil is too dry or too wet; find out whether your soil is best suited to a fork or a spade.   7. ”    Kneel rather than bend and use a kneeling pad, or a small stool may also be useful.   8. ”    Look out for suitably adapted tools to make your life easier.   9. ”    Do not over-reach.  Take care with strimmers and flymo’s - so you do not twist when using them.   10. ”  Clear rubbish into small bags as you work, so you don’t have to lift a lot at the end.   11. ”   Use a stable wheelbarrow and don’t overfill.   12. ”  Use a hose, rather than a watering can, or only half fill the watering can.   13. ”  Plan your garden for the future; e.g. raised beds - low maintenance shrubs.   14. ”   Remember PAIN or discomfort is a warning sign do not ignore it - see your osteopath if in doubt.         2-HOUSEHOLD  AND  DOMESTIC  CHORES Below is a list of general advice given to people doing domestic/household chores from your osteopath.   1. Remember to take care when lifting, bend your knees and keep a straight back.  2. When washing up, wear a full length plastic apron so you can lean against the sink to wash up, if needed.  3.When standing in the kitchen cooking etc. Make sure you have comfortable, shock absorbent shoes so your feet / knees don’t ache.  e.g. training shoes.  4. If possible sit down to iron, making sure the ironing board is at the correct height.  5. If preparing food, etc.  Preferably sit rather than stand, or use a perching stool.  6. When making beds, kneel rather than bend.  7. When hoovering try not to swing the hoover around, use smaller movement and try not to bend forwards too much.  8.Remember to kneel or crouch (no bending) when loading the dishwasher, washing machine or getting into a low cupboard.  9.Try not to hoover or clean the house all in one go,  vary your work.  10.Take regular breaks.  11.Be prepared to wait  until you  have assistance when tackling heavy chores e.g. hanging curtains or  moving furniture - know your limitations. 12. Be ambidextrous where possible, use alternate hands for jobs, e.g dusting & polishing. 13. Wear supports where necessary. 14. Be aware that when doing any household or domestic chores whilst on pain relieving medication, this can mask your symptoms and you may cause more damage. 15. Try not to do one chore for longer than 20 mins. at a time.   3 - MANUAL  LABOURERS Below is a list of general advice given to manual labourers from your osteopath 1.When lifting, where possible face the object square on, bend the knees, and  keep your back straight. 2. Where possible lift objects close to your own body, rather than at arms length. 3. Be aware of your own limitations - seek assistance if an object is too large / heavy to lift by yourself. 4. Be prepared to change your habits. 5. Work at a sensible height (long handled tools where necessary) 6. Try to change your position of work regularly, every  20 mins. max 7.Take regular breaks. 8.Try to maintain a level of personal fitness  and mobility for the job you do (an exercise plan)  Warm up where possible. 9.Wear appropriate clothing for your job  - warm in winter. 10.Use of back/ joint supports where necessary. 11. Make sure you take in enough to eat and drink during the day. 12.Delegate certain jobs to other people where possible. 13.Remember PAIN is a warning sign - don’t ignore it. 14.Be aware that if you do any manual work whilst on pain relieving medication, this can mask your symptoms and you may cause more damage. 15. When in doubt seek advice from your osteopath.   Exercise Sheets Exercise Sheet for Neck   These Exercises should be carried out with you sitting in a relaxed but upright posture.  Keep your eyes open, do all movements SLOWLY.  If you experience any dizziness or excess pain, stop immediately and speak to your Osteopath.       1.      Shoulder Shrugs   Shrug both shoulders up to your ears; hold for 2 seconds, then slowly release, letting them drop right down, hold for 2 seconds.  Repeat this 5 times.     2.      Shoulder Rolls   Keeping your right elbow close to your side at all times, rotate your right shoulder joint slowly backwards.  Repeat this 5 times and then repeat with the left shoulder 5 times.     3.      Neck Flexion and Levator scapulae stretch   Slowly drop your chin to your chest, hold for 2 seconds and return to neutral position.  Turn your head approximately 10º to the right, drop your chin in this position to stretch the opposite side, and hold for 2 seconds, return to neutral position.  Repeat to the left.  Repeat this exercise slowly 5 times.   Exercise Sheet For Low Back     These exercises should be carried out with you lying on your back with a pillow under your neck and both knees bent.  If these exercises cause any acute pain during or after the exercise, then stop and speak to your Osteopath.  Do all exercises SLOWLY.     1.      Hugging individual knees to chest   Starting in the above mentioned position hold on to one knee with both hands and gently bring it up to your chest as far as it comfortably goes.  Hold for 2 seconds.  Return back to the held position where the arms are straight.  Repeat 5 times. Repeat the exercise with the other leg 5 times.     2.      Hugging both knees to chest   Starting in the above mentioned position, hold your right knee with your right hand, left knee with your left hand, feet off the floor, separate your knees slightly and cross your ankles.  In this position, gently bring both knees towards your chest as far as is comfortable.  Hold for 2 seconds, return to the held position.  Repeat 10-20 times.     3.      Dropping both knees to one side   Start in the above mentioned position with knees bent.  Cross the right knee over the left knee, stretch both arms out to either side in the crucifix position.  Gently rock both knees over to the left as far as is comfortable.  Hold for 2 seconds.  Take a breath in and as you breathe out, take the movement a little further to the left.  Hold for a further 2 seconds and slowly return to the start position.   Then cross the left knee over the right knee and repeat to the right side.  Repeat the whole exercise 2-3 times.     4.      Pelvic Tilts   Start in the above mentioned position with knees bent.  The pelvis needs to tilt so that you flatten your lower back onto the floor (fill the gap) and feel like your pubic bone is being pulled up to the ceiling.  Hold this for 2 seconds and relax.  Repeat 5 times.      5.      Buttock and Hip stretch   Start in the above mentioned position with both knees bent.  Place your right heel on your left knee and let your right knee gently relax out to the right. Hold your right knee with your right hand and hold your right shin with your left hand.  In that position pull your right lower leg up towards your left shoulder, only a small amount and slowly, you should feel a pull in your right buttock region. Hold for 5 seconds and release.   Repeat with the left leg and repeat exercise 2 times.   This is a strong exercise and your Osteopath should show you how to do this correctly.     6.      Sit ups   Start in the above mentioned position with the knees bent.  Imagine you have an orange tucked under your chin, to stop you from pulling your chin to your chest.  Look at a spot on the ceiling and gently rest your fingertips on the back of your neck.  Do not pull your neck but lift with your stomach muscle (it helps to think of pulling your belly button to your spine and hold it in) so your shoulder blades just come off the floor, hold for 2 seconds and slowly relax down again.   Repeat 5 times building up to a goal of 25.   Back strengthening Exercise (a)   Lie on your stomach and pull your belly button to your spine, contracting your stomach muscles, lift the right leg straight from the hip. only 1" off the ground and hold for 2 seconds then relax.  Repeat with the left leg.   Do 10-15 lifts with each leg.   Back strengthening exercise (b)   lie on your stomach, holding your stomach in tight by gently pulling your belly button to your spine, arms straight out in front of you.  Lift right arm and left leg simultaneously, hold for 2 seconds then relax.  Pull your stomach in again so your spine feels stable and repeat with left arm and right leg.   Repeat exercise 10-15 times.