If A May-December Romance Had A Child

I wish this was a currant picture, but there is
still 2 feet of snow on this flowerbed! 

There has been a curious juxtaposition of seasons this past week. The boys are all on Spring Break, which has made life feel a bit more normal. Normal for them to be home, have pajama days, play lots of games, cook an Easter dinner and have days of leftovers. 

Since the basement is not an online school this week, I get my craft room back, and have been wallowing in it to my heart's content. However, days and days of snowstorms have made it feel more like Christmas than Easter. I'm itching to clean out the flowerbeds, and we only just put away the extension cords that had been frozen into a snowbank.

The sun finally came out today and I spent enough time in it to turn a little pink. I didn't know whether to wear rubber boots, snow boots or hiking boots! A walk around the neighbourhood with  a car bingo style scavenger hunt was lots of fun. Then we popped out West to let Rodeo have a good frolic. We saw lots of geese and ducks, a few pussy willows and some wild horses!

While there is still far too much snow to even think about yard work yet, spring cleaning is on the forefront. I have seen a lot of social media posts about people using this time to clean out basements and garages. So I thought this would be an excellent time to address the types of injuries we get from Spring Cleaning.



There are three main categories of injury that result from heavy housework; repetitive strain, falls and heavy lifting injuries. Repetition is great for memorizing your multiplication tables, but not your joints! Lets look at some common injury causes:



Vacuuming - Most people vacuum by standing in one spot and push the vacuum forward and back with their arm. This puts a heavy strain on the joints in the shoulder and arm. 

Instead - Vacuum like you cut grass. Tuck your elbow against your side to protect your shoulder and walk up and down the room with the vacuum. Bonus - you get more steps in!

Washing Walls & Windows - Usually done in a circular motion, and if done by hand, takes a long time and is a big chore. Plus, any chore done above your head puts a huge strain on the neck and shoulders. 

Instead - A flat head mop makes washing walls much faster, you can stand a little further from the wall, so you look up less. Vary between back and forth or up and down to reduce repetition. Use a squeegee on windows for the same reason.

Under & Behind - Many injuries are caused by lifting or moving something too big or awkward. Instead - Even if you aren't going to clean behind the couch right this minute, have someone help you move it when they are available. When I painted the living room last summer, I had the boys move all the furniture into the center of the room before they went camping. Then they could move it back after.



Awkward Positions - Put down your cleaning supplies, move the heavy item properly, then clean. So many lifting injuries are caused by lifting with one hand, then twisting or bending to clean behind or under it.

Slow Down - We are often in too much of a hurry to get through the work, so we can get on to the fun stuff. Take the time to move the step stool/ladder instead of over-reaching. Don't carry loads that are too heavy to save a trip.

Proper Gear - Running up and down the stairs, ladders, etc. in flip flops is just asking for trouble. So many twists and sprains are caused by lousy shoes.

Hydration - It's all too easy to get on a roll with a job and forget to drink water.



Take Breaks - Everyone has their own system for how they tackle Spring Cleaning. Some of those bigger jobs should be split up. Wash the walls one room at a time, instead of every wall in the house in one morning. We are also more likely to make a foolish mistake that leads to an accident when we are over-tired.

Divide & Conquer - If you have multiple family members to help, take turns doing the heavy jobs or more repetitive ones. Or trade with a friend - she helps you wash your walls, you help with hers. (Also, any job being done on a ladder shouldn't be done when you are alone!)

Body Mechanics - This refers to the way we position and use our muscles. When you carry something heavy, tuck your arms against your side and bend at the elbow, so you strong biceps and pectorals do the work, not your shoulder muscles. Lift with your legs, not your back. Turn your whole body, don't twist at your waist.

Cut The Clutter -  Many muscle strains are caused by the "near falls", if you trip or slip and catch yourself, you can pull a groin muscle or throw your back out.

Proper Tools - Using any kind of tool that is too big or too heavy for you is a recipe for muscle pain. That includes handles that are not a good fit for you hands.

Work Smarter, Not Harder - Many cleaners work best if you let them sit for a few minutes. Not only is hard scrubbing repetitive for your elbows and shoulders, having a strong grip on scrub brushes is hard on the hands and wrists.