Back pain when gardening
Gardening is a rewarding activity, but it can often lead to back pain if not done correctly. You may have suffered in the past or continue to suffer now. You may have been to your local physiotherapist in Athlone or even chiropractor in Athlone to help you with your pain, to no avail.
Quite often its due the correct strategies not being put in place. Physiotherapists generally focus on exercises and not general day to day activities could be causing the pain in the first place. So, I want to share some essential tips to help you enjoy gardening without suffering. Whether you’re dealing with back pain, knee pain, or just want to prevent injuries, these strategies can make a significant difference.
1. Warm-Up Before Gardening
First of all, warming up is crucial. Engage in a light walk and perform some stretches to get the blood flowing and your tissues loosened. This preparation helps reduce the risk of injuries while lifting, pulling, and dragging. Practice flexing your spine forward and touching your toes, and also flexing your spine from side to side. Lie on your back and limber up your spine by pulling your knees to your chest. If you’re suffering from severe back pain, avoid pushing through as pain is a protective mechanism and its likely there for a reason.
2. Lift Correctly
Watch how you lift. While I’m not a huge fan of traditional manual handling courses, some of their concepts can be useful. When lifting heavy objects while experiencing back pain, bend your knees, drop your hips, and keep a straight spine. This method can be safer for lifting heavy items. For long-term relief from back pain, I usually teach clients how to lift differently, but for the purpose of this blog, this method is sufficient.
3. Take Regular Breaks
Take breaks and revisit your warm-up exercises. Gardening can make you lose track of time, but taking regular breaks is essential to avoid nagging back pain. Set an alarm to remind you to take a 10-minute break every hour. During these breaks, go for a light walk, sit down with a cup of coffee, and do your stretches again. This routine can help alleviate back pain and prevent it from becoming chronic.
4. Don’t Do Too Much Too Soon
When the good weather arrives, it’s tempting to tackle all your gardening tasks at once, especially after months of inactivity. However, it’s essential not to overdo it. Your body needs time to adapt to these new movements. Avoid doing more than your body is conditioned for. Instead, split up your tasks over multiple days or weeks. Be patient and allow your body to gradually adapt to the physical demands of gardening.
5. Consider Wall Gardening
Wall gardening, also known as vertical gardening, is a trend that involves planting upward rather than across the ground. If bending is painful for you, working at eye level might be a better option. This method can help reduce strain on your back and knees. Id also like to add though that this may be a temporary solution. You shouldn’t just find ways to avoid feeling pain. You need to figure out why the pain is there in the first place. Id recommend consulting a local physiotherapist.
6. Focus on Recovery
After a day of gardening, focus on recovery. Consider a warm bath with Epsom salt, or use hot and cold therapy—alternate between 5 minutes of ice and 5 minutes of hot water for 30 minutes. Drink plenty of water and have a nutritious meal to aid recovery. Proper recovery is particularly important if you plan to return to the garden the next day.
These six tips will help you manage back pain while gardening. Keep these in mind to enjoy your gardening tasks without worrying about pain.
If you find that back pain is an ongoing issue and you can’t seem to shake it off, or if you’re relying on pain medication, consider exploring our additional resources. I’ve included a link below to a guide titled “9 Effective Ways to Relieve Back Pain.” This free step-by-step guide can provide further assistance.
Download the FREE Guide: 9 Effective Ways to Relieve Back Pain
If you having pain or injury problems in places other than your back then I have you covered here too. Here are some other links for some other reports I have written below.
For personalized advice and treatment, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call our physio clinic in Athlone or have a look to see what availability we have on our calendar by CLICKING HERE.
Remember we offer a free 20-minute consultation for those who want to see if we can help them.