Gardening Tips

 

 

- By Mariah Zajac

Gardening is an increasingly popular hobby for many adults, especially with the recent increase in environmental awareness. It offers the chance to relax, relieve stress, express creativity and help the environment... all while getting some pleasant exercise.

It doesn't take long, however, to discover that those hours of pleasure can come at a cost of days or weeks of backache and stiffness. Whether you’re looking to plant a window box, or landscape your yard, your body needs to stay in tune this season.

 

The many rigors of gardening can lead to increased chances for strain or injury. However, with a little knowledge and a bit of planning, you can look forward to a season of enjoyment while greatly reducing your chance of developing a backache problem.

 

Don’t let gardening take its toll on your body. By following the tips offered by the therapists of Physiotherapy Associates, you’ll not only do your part to help the environment, but also save your back and allow yourself to fully enjoy this gardening season - and the next.

 

While Digging:

  1. Position the shovel in front of you with the blade parallel to your hips.
  2. Place your front foot on the shovel and use your back leg to stabilize your body.
  3. Lean forward with a straight spine, allowing your weight to sink the shovel into the dirt.
  4. Shift weight onto your back leg, bending at your hips and knees and begin lifting the dirt.
  5. Lower your body by bending at your hips and especially at your knees to bring the shovel and dirt out.
  6. Stand upright and move your body to where the dirt needs to go, turning the shovel for the dirt to fall off.
  7. Don’t twist or throw the dirt, or you will put your back at risk for strain.

 

While Weeding:

  1. Keep your spine in an elongated position by:
    1. Bending your legs, placing one leg in front and the other in back with your weight equally distributed.
    2. Using a bucket to stay closer to the ground.
  2. Maintain a wide base of support while standing, propping one arm on your thigh as a brace.

 

While Lifting:

1.      Maintain a wide base of support, feet farther than shoulder width.

2.      Bend at your hips and knees, avoiding bending at the waist and keeping your spine long.

3.      Keep your arms and whatever you’re lifting close to your body as you stand upright and carry the item to the garden.

 

If you’re conscious of your body while gardening, but are still experiencing pain afterward, you may be suffering from a common injury like a sprain or strain. Often, these injuries can be treated through physical therapy.

 

A postural strain results from long periods of time sitting or standing and with working in a forward-flexed position. Treatments for postural strain include cold packs, and physical therapy to correct the posture causing the pain. Another common injury is a disc strain or bulge. Prolonged sitting, repeated bending, heavy lifting and/or working in a forward-bent position cause the strain or bulge. In its advanced stage, disc bulging or “slip disc” can progress to a herniation or rupture, which might require surgery. Physical therapy relieves this injury and corrects movements, in many cases preventing the need for surgery.

 

Joints are prone to injury when gardening as well. Sprains and strains result from sudden movements, twisting, overexertion, slips or falls. You may also experience a “locking” of the joints in your low back. Rest and physical therapy relieves the spasm, “locking” and pain, and progressive exercise restores flexibility and strength of the joint. You may also experience joint stiffness after repeated stress and irritation to the muscles, ligaments and joints, or an untreated sprain or strain injury. Physical therapy increases mobilization, and offers strengthening exercises to relieve tightness and improve movement.

  

Stretches for Gardeners 

Stretch before gardening and yard work to loosen up your muscles and reduce the chance of disc strain. Use these same stretches to cool down after gardening and yard work.

 

Stretching should not cause pain in either your back, or your arms or legs. If you experience pain with any of these stretches, stop and consult your physician.

 

Standing Back Bends

 

  1. Stand with your feet comfortably apart and your hands on your hips.
  2. Bend your trunk backwards at the waist as far as is comfortable as you push forward with your hands.
  3. Make sure to keep your knees straight as you bend backward.
  4. Hold each stretch for 2-3 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

 

Elbow Props

 

  1. Lie face-down on the floor.
  2. Prop up on your forearms with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.
  3. Relax your back, let your back sag and allow your hips to remain on the floor.
  4. Hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

 

Low Back Rotation

 

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place hands behind your neck as shown or they can rest on your abdomen.
  3. Keeping your shoulders flat on the floor, lower both knees toward the floor on one side until you feel a stretch in your hips and low back. 
  4. Hold each stretch for 5 seconds, then repeat to the other side. Repeat 10 times to each side.

 

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