Gardening Should Not be a Pain in the Back!

Strategic Postures to Avoid Back Pain While Gardening

It’s that absolutely magical time of year when the first signs of spring are upon us. What looked like crusty hardened dirt becomes home to a fresh generation of tulips, daffodils, hostas, and the like.   If you own any property, it’s also that time of year when the garden begs for some tender loving clean up.  For many people, these work episodes finish with an aching back.  I want you to know that it’s entirely possible to keep your back feeling great – it all comes down to some body awareness and clever body mechanics. The key is to keep your back in its neutral form by using your knee joints, hip joints, and ankle joints, instead of bending your back forward.  The bonus is that your legs and core get a good strengthening workout. Here’s a rundown of the safe and effective postures to use while gardening:

The Side Lunge

The Front Lunge

The Squat

The Deep Squat

The Deep Squat

The Kneel

The Kneel

The 4 Point Kneel

The 3 Point Kneel

If you have any trouble mastering any of these, or as best as you try, your back still aches, any of us physios at ellephysio would be honored to help you harness your true potential to feel your best, even with a hard (and very rewarding) physical job like gardening.

Happy Spring everyone!

Jen Denys, Physiotherapist