Spinal Hygiene

Tips That’ll Save Your Back While Gardening

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Gardening is a favorite warm weather activity for many people. Unfortunately, it can often send them straight to the chiropractor with back pain and stiffness. If you enjoy your garden, but your back doesn’t take heart. An estimated 80% of the population has experienced back pain or will experience it at some point in their lifetime. It is common, but it doesn’t have to keep you from doing the things you enjoy. You can do some fairly simple things to make it easier and less painful.

Stretching is a good way to prevent back pain for nearly any activity. The more limber you are and the warmer your muscles are, the more comfortable you will be while gardening and afterward.

Stretches for gardeners aren’t all that different from stretches for other activities. You need to address your hamstrings, triceps, and of course, your back. Then you will be ready to get in the dirt and do what you love.

Use Back Friendly Tools and Gardening Methods

It may feel wonderful to get close to the dirt as you dig, breathing in its earthiness, feeling at one with nature, but your back likely does not hold the same appreciation. You can mix it up a little, but allow at least part of your gardening time to use tools that are β€œback friendly.”

Long-handled and telescopic tools allow you to do your garden work without overworking your back. This is also great for people who don’t have the full range of motion in their backs or who have trouble getting up and down.

Another back saver is a raised container garden. This will put your garden within easy reach, saving you from trying to get on the ground or feeling like you have to forego a garden because you can’t get around like you once did.

You can set the containers at whatever height you choose and include benches and seats for more comfortable gardening. If you do get on the ground, knee pads or a mat can help reduce some of the stress and prevent some pain.

Change Your Position Frequently

It’s easy to get in the zone and lose track of time, only for your body to remind you when you try to move and are met with painful stiffness. Carry a small timer with you and set it so that you are reminded every 30 minutes to stop, walk around, and stretch a little. This prevents pain and stiffness and helps with your circulation, blood flow, and even digestion.

You can also vary your garden tasks, so you don’t over-tax a single muscle group. You may weed for a while, then move to your potting bench for a while or prune trees or shrubs. It isn’t good to stay in one position for too long, no matter what you do. Physical activity like gardening, though, requires more movement.

Take Care when Bending, Reaching, and Lifting

Gardening involves a lot of reaching, bending, and lifting. When you don’t do it correctly, you would get a sore back – or worse.

To lift: Don’t bend at your waist. Squat, grasp the object with both hands while pulling it close to your body. Straighten your legs slowly, letting those muscles do the work of lifting. You may also use a dolly, wheelbarrow, or wagon to move heavy items around and minimize the need to lift them.

Push:Β Pushing doesn’t strain the back as much as pulling does. Push your seeder, wheelbarrow, and lawnmower and try to avoid pulling as much as possible.

Reaching:Β Be careful when you reach, especially if you are reaching to lift. Even something that doesn’t weigh much can throw off your balance or cause you to twist your back. Try to minimize lifting while reaching as much as possible.

Bending: Keep your knees soft when you bend, and try bending from the waist. If you are doing a task that requires bending, take frequent breaks where you can stand upright. If you bend to lift, make sure you use proper lifting techniques.

Gardening can be wonderful for the mind, body, and spirit. It can also be painful if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Remember these back-saving gardening tips when you go out to tend your plants. Your back will thank you.


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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Tips That'll Save Your Back While Gardening" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

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Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

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We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
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