According to LifeMark Health Physiotherapy, the average gardener spends three hours at a time in the garden. That's three hours of usually repetitive motions (hoeing, weeding, digging, raking) that can result in lower back injury, tendinitis, or other strain injuries.
"Back pain will affect over 85% of the population at some point during the course of their lives," says LifeMark, so it's worth taking steps to make gardening easier on the back. Here are some tips from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), which advises workers on safe job performance, along with some stretches recommended by LifeMark.
Avoid Back Injury by Reducing the Load
Gardening often involves lifting, loading and unloading, and other motions similar to those of a materials handling job, so these suggestions from OHS have been adapted to the garden:
- Divide loads such as dirt and fertilizer into several small loads rather than struggling with one heavy sack
- Hold the load in front of and close to the body
- Use leg muscles to lift the load rather than the back
- Keep the back straight while lifting, loading, unloading
- Turn the whole body rather than twisting at the waist
Other gardening tasks such as raking or digging also involve repetitive motions that can lead to back injury.
Reduce the Risk of Back Strain by Choosing the Right Tools
Just as a workplace will offer ergonomic workstations and special equipment to reduce injury, so to do garden centers offer a variety of aids to make gardening jobs easier.
- A watering can with a long spout or a watering wand for the garden hose will allow access to plants with less bending
- Knee pads or portable garden pads will protect joints while kneeling
- Use a garden stool to sit on, which reduces bending
- Select good quality tools which are both light and strong to reduce the effort required to use them
Avoid Back Pain With Stretching and Pacing
OHS recommends that workers take frequent small breaks (where management permits) to stretch out, and the gardener should follow this advice. OHS also suggests planning heavy jobs for morning and lighter jobs for afternoon. In the garden, plan tasks such as hauling dirt or fertilizer for early in the gardening session when the body is fresh, and save lighter tasks for the end when you're more tired.
LifeMark Health specifically recommends these stretches for gardeners:
For the arms:
- With fingers interlaced, raise the arms above the head, turning the wrists so palms face up. Gently push arms back slightly behind the head, hold for 10 seconds. Repeat.
- Clasp hands in front of body (fingers interlaced) as above.. Extend the arms straight in front, rotating the wrists so palm face away. Stretch to feel this in the upper back and shoulders. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat.
- Stand upright, raise the left arm and place left hand behind the head, reaching down between the shoulder blades. Bend slowly to the right. Place the right hand on the bent left elbow and pull gently. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat to the other side.
For the Back & Legs
- While standing, step forward onto the left foot. Keep the right leg straight while bending the left knee and leaning forward. Balance on a long-handled garden tool if necessary. Feel the stretch in the right calf. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat to other side.
Although this information comes from qualified sources, please consult a physician or other healthcare professional for specific advice concerning the performance of these or other exercises.
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Thomas Alan Gray - Tom has been writing for over 30 years; curiosity leads him to dig into a wide variety of topics.
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