How to Stretch Before Raking Leaves

Raking leaves is an unavoidable fall activity. You need to take proper steps to avoid injury and muscle strain while raking. Even though the proper raking technique mostly uses your legs, you also need to stretch your arms and back before raking leaves.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Stretch Your Back Before Raking Leaves

1. Place your hands slightly above your hips with your fingers on your back.

2. Gently lean backwards a little bit. You should be bending from your lower back.

3. Hold this position for 15 seconds then relax. You should repeat this stretch several times before you start raking and also during raking breaks.

4. Stand with your back about 3 to 4 inches from a wall.

5. Rotate your upper torso so that your chest is facing the wall. Your feet should still be facing away from the wall. It doesn't matter whether they're facing to your left or to your right.

6. Place your palms on the wall, look over your shoulder in the opposite direction that you rotated and hold this position for 15 seconds. Repeat this stretch by rotating your torso in the other direction.

Stretch Your Arms Before Raking Leaves

7. Swing your left arm across our body, towards your right shoulder.

8. Lift up your right arm and place it on the outside of your left arm, near your wrist.

9. Gently pull inwards with your right arm. You should feel the stretch in your left arm and shoulder. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

10. Gently pull inwards with your right arm. You should feel the stretch in your left arm and shoulder. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

11. Repeat this stretch for your right arm and shoulder.

12. Try doing this stretch on your breaks to keep your arms loose while raking.

Tips & Warnings

• Soak your body in a warm bath after a long day of raking leaves. A bath can really help sooth your muscles and back, especially if you aren't used to a lot of physical activity.
• Be sure that you are drinking lots of water while doing yard work. You need to keep your body hydrated to help prevent muscle soreness.
• Also do these stretches after raking leaves. Stretching after an activity and then shaking out your limbs can help prevent the buildup of lactic acid in your muscles, which is what causes soreness the next day.
• Never bounce while stretching. You should stretch to a certain point and hold that position for the duration of your count. Bouncing increases the chance of hurting a muscle and reduces the effectiveness of a stretch.
• Stop doing a stretch if it hurts in a place other than the target muscle.