It’s that time of year again, where we spend the whole weekend cleaning areas in our house that only see the light of day once a year. It’s also the time of year when overuse injuries become prevalent.
That’s right! It’s time to scrub your cabinets, vacuum underneath the couch and end tables, wash your walls, give your oven a scrubbing, dust the light fixtures, sweep the garage, wash your doors and doorknobs, clean the dishwasher, wash and shine your tub and sinks--feeling overwhelmed yet? And the list goes on--sweep porches and walkways, wipe down hand rails, clean ceiling fan blades, sort through books and toys, and re-organize your closets with summer clothes—the list is never ending!
All of this activity is not a regular part of our day-to-day routine, so the risk for injury is HIGH.
The first day of spring has come and gone, so it is important to be conscious about all this extra activity and the effects it may have on your body. Taking breaks throughout the day, and breaking your spring-cleaning weekend into a few weekends, are a few simple ways to decrease the risk for injury. These periods of rest will also ensure your body has the proper fuel for all this extra labor.
Two common injuries associated with spring-cleaning are:
Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon) is a common overuse injury seen from the repetitive motion of cleaning. Lateral Epicondylitis (inflammation in the wrist extensors) is an example of this.
Lower Back Pain is another very common injury associated with the lifting involved with spring cleaning, and let’s not forget about all the awkward positions we place our body in to reach the far back nooks and crannies.
Don’t let yourself be the next victim of an overuse injury. Make sure to take breaks when attempting to accomplish the massive task that is “spring cleaning.” If you do experience an injury or pain, contact us at Castle Pines Physical Therapy at 303-805-5156 for a one-on-one consultation.
Photo credit: Serge Bertasius via freedigitalphotos.net