Part four of four: pulling weeds

In a weekly four-part series, physical therapist Lisa Ann McCall offers examples and tips about how to use our bodies safely in our daily lives.

Part four of four: pulling weeds, working on the floor, cleaning the litter box

Many jobs require us to be on our knees and work close to the floor. Done correctly, this work can stretch the groin, improve the range of motion in the hips and build strength in the back, buttocks and legs.

With one foot forward (in this example, the left foot) and the spine straight, the weight is evenly distributed between the right knee and left foot. Rotate the pelvis forward to avoid bending at the waist and rounding the spine. Relax. It is normal to feel some stretch or stress in the groin area and that is OK.

Source: Lisa Ann McCall, physical therapist, former yoga teacher and author of The McCall Body Balance Method. McCall studied body movements in agrarian cultures, where people's daily lives include a lot of manual labor but their joints and bodies don't break down as much as people from Western cultures.

— Anne Aurand, The Bulletin