Gardening is a wonderful way to connect with nature, but did you know that it can also have significant benefits for those living with chronic pain?
One of our clients, Kaitlyn has been dealing with chronic regional pain syndrome along with fracturing her wrist several years ago. She had great difficulty writing or holding a cup of tea without experiencing excruciating pain.
Why Gardening Makes Great Exercise
With the support of Janelle, our fantastic Physiotherapist (Physio), Kaitlyn has made great progress with her therapeutic goals through gardening’s reparative power. Janelle worked closely with Kaitlyn to improve her strength, balance and endurance through a comprehensive and actionable exercise plan.
She organised a raised garden bed that Kaitlyn tends to daily, and has demonstrated she definitely has green thumbs. The garden is flourishing under her care and attention.
Through gardening, Kaitlyn was able to move her body in a way that was gentle and non-invasive, yet still provided a good workout. Gardening helped to strengthen her muscles, improve her flexibility, and reduce her overall pain levels. Kaitlyn is now able to pick up and use gardening tools, has ventured into both front and backyards and can now squat down or bend down to pull weeds out.
This has been a huge win for Kaitlyn!
Bonus: Gardening can boost your mental and emotional health, too!
In addition, Kaitlyn has found that it helped to alleviate some of the anxiety that often accompanied her condition, helping her to relax and lower stress levels.
She shared with us that gardening has become a true passion for her, and has given her a renewed sense of purpose and joy in life.
It made such a significant impact on her well-being and helped to increase her confidence and independence, Kaitlyn was able to travel into the city with a support worker – something she hasn’t been able to do for 7 years!
Need to learn more?
To learn more about Physiotherapy, head to: https://www.recoverystation.com.au/allied-health-services/physiotherapy/
To talk to our Dietitians, you can reach out to Recovery Station on 1300 588 851.
Until next time,
