Protect Your Back While Gardening, Says Step & Spine Physical Therapist

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 20, 2013

SISTERS, OR – As winter turns to spring and Central Oregonians plan for a season of gardening and general yard maintenance, physical therapist Barrett Ford of Step & Spine Physical Therapy in Sisters has a message for garden and landscape enthusiasts: watch your back.

“When gardening, about 80 to 90 percent of your movement is in a bent position which is unnatural on the body and, when prolonged, can lead to lower-back pain,” Ford said.
“Repetitive bending, reaching, twisting and lifting – all actions common to gardening – tend to put the lower-lumbar area of your back at risk.”

Gardening remains one of the most popular outdoor activities in the U.S., with the National Garden Association estimating that 40 million households plant and maintain gardens each year. To maximize the joy of gardening, Ford offers the following tips to help gardeners avoid back pain and injury while enjoying the fruits of their labor:

• Warm Up & Stretch: Think of gardening as a physical activity, not a leisurely hobby. As such, warm-up is required, a regimen consisting of simple exercises for stretching your quads, hip flexors and back. Also, don’t overlook the value of walking to, Ford says, “ re-hydrate, unload and take pressure off the spine.”
• Start Slow: Don’t tackle the tough jobs first. Ford suggests warming up your body and building stamina by starting with simpler projects and breaking larger projects into shorter gardening sessions.
• Take Breaks: While in the garden, take frequent breaks to walk around, hydrate and stretch. Every few minutes, Ford says to stand and extend your spine in a backward bend. “The key is to equalize pressure. If you know you’re going to be hunched over shoveling or pulling weeds, it wouldn’t hurt to put your hands on your hips and backward bend a few reps before doing it.”
• Garden on Hands & Knees: When working close to the ground, Ford suggests doing so on all fours. Better than bending at the waist, this gardening position places the least pressure on the spine – even better than kneeling or working from a seated position.
• Practice Mindful Lifting: When lifting bags of fertilizer or heavy potted plants, always bend with the knees and lift with your legs, Ford says, keeping the bulk of the weight close to your body.
• Buy & Use Quality Tools: According to Ford, the use of quality, long-handled gardening tools can reduce your need to bend at the waist. And don’t lift and carry when you have a wheelbarrow or garden cart available.
• Listen to Your Body: If you begin to feel discomfort or pain in your spine, take a break, change tasks or stop your gardening task altogether. “Walk, stretch and rest your back,” Ford says. “If pain or discomfort persists, contact your personal physician or call a physical therapist directly for an evaluation of the spine.”