Protect Your Spine While Gardening

With gardening season blooming in our area, many residents are eager to dig in. Whether you’re planting flowers, pulling weeds or trimming hedges, these rewarding tasks also come with physical demands. Many people are generally sedentary and then jump off the couch to start a gardening project. Without proper preparation, gardening can lead to aches, sprains and even spinal misalignments.

Gardening is great exercise, but like any workout, your body needs to warm up. Bending, twisting and reaching all place pressure on the spine, shoulders and joints. That’s why stretching beforehand is essential.

Garden Without the Pain: Try These Stretches First

• Hamstring Stretch: Sit and prop your heel on a step. Keep your knee straight and gently lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.
• Quadriceps Stretch: While standing, grab your ankle behind you and gently pull your heel toward your buttocks. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
• Side Stretch: Interlace your fingers overhead and stretch your arms up, then lean side to side for 20 seconds each direction. Repeat three times.
• Spinal Twist: Hug yourself and twist your upper body slowly to one side, holding for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side two or three times.

Spine-Safe Gardening Tips

• Use proper posture—kneel instead of bending at the waist.
• Use a knee pad, bucket or stool when possible.
• Alternate your position regularly to avoid overusing any one muscle group.
• Take breaks to stand up, stretch and hydrate throughout your gardening session.
• Take your time. Rushing to pull large weeds, trees or trimming bushes before they’re loose is not advised. This is how injuries can happen. Spend the extra time to loosen the dirt and pull or lift properly.
• Pull weeds after a rain when the soil is loose.
• Use ergonomic tools with long handles to reduce strain on your back.

Healthy Spine, Happy Garden

Just like your garden needs attention to thrive, your spine needs care to stay strong and mobile. A little soreness after gardening is ok. If the pain or stiffness lasts more than a few days, then it is time for a check-up. A chiropractic check-up can identify any misalignments or tension before they lead to pain. Just like your garden, if you do not tend to your back early and regularly, it will be a bigger problem later.