Spring Gardening Tips: How to Prevent Back Pain and Gardening Injuries
Spring has sprung! As the weather warms up, many of us are eager to get back into the garden and enjoy planting, pruning, weeding and getting everything ready for the season ahead. But after a quieter winter, jumping straight back into several hours of gardening can put your body under more strain than you realise. Whether you're an experienced gardener or simply enjoy spending time in the garden, a little preparation can help you avoid back pain, muscle strains, wrist pain and other common gardening injuries.
Here are some simple spring gardening tips to help you stay active and injury-free.
Avoid Doing Too Much, Too Soon
After spending less time gardening during winter, your body may not be ready for a full day of digging, lifting, weeding and pruning. It can be tempting to try to get everything done in one weekend, but gradually increasing your gardening activities is a much better approach.
Start with shorter periods in the garden and gradually build up your time and workload over several weeks. Just like returning to exercise or sport after a break, a gradual increase in activity can help your body adapt and reduce your risk of injury.
Our tip: Break larger gardening jobs into smaller tasks and spread them across several days.
Use the Right Gardening Tools
The way you approach a gardening task can make a big difference to how much stress is placed on your body. When weeding, for example, squatting can be a comfortable position for some people and may reduce the amount of bending through the back. If squatting isn't comfortable for you, try kneeling with knee pads or using a gardening kneeling stool.
Using the right tools can also reduce strain on your hands and wrists. Long-handled tools, hand forks and specialised weeders can make some gardening jobs easier and reduce the need for repetitive gripping, bending or awkward positions.
Lift Less and Ask for Help
Gardening often involves moving bags of soil, pots, garden equipment and other heavy items. Rather than trying to lift or carry everything at once, less is often more.
- If possible:
- Divide heavy loads into smaller amounts.
- Make several trips instead of carrying one very heavy load.
- Use a wheelbarrow or garden trolley where appropriate.
- Ask someone to help with particularly heavy or awkward items.
- Avoid lifting more than you feel comfortable managing.
- When lifting, use good technique and avoid twisting while carrying a heavy object.
Remember, asking for help isn't a sign of weakness — it's a great way to stay in the garden and avoid an unnecessary injury.
Prepare Your Body for Spring Gardening
You don't have to wait until spring to start preparing your body for gardening. Maintaining your strength and mobility during winter can make returning to the garden much easier. Exercises such as squats, bridges, deadlifts, core exercises and upper-body strengthening can help maintain the strength needed for common gardening activities.
You can also gradually increase your general activity in the weeks before your major spring gardening projects begin. If you're unsure which exercises are suitable for you, a physiotherapist can assess your movement and help develop an exercise program based on your individual needs.
Listen to Your Body
One of the most important gardening injury prevention tips is simply to pay attention to how your body feels. If you're becoming tired or uncomfortable, take a break. Continuing to push through fatigue can make it easier to lose good technique and place additional stress on your muscles and joints.
- Try to:
- Take regular breaks.
- Change positions frequently.
- Avoid staying bent over or kneeling for long periods.
- Gently move and stretch when you take a break.
- Alternate between different gardening tasks.
- Stop if you develop significant or worsening pain.
It's much better to take a break and finish the job another day than to turn a few hours of gardening into an injury that keeps you out of the garden for weeks.
Gardening Should Be Enjoyable
Gardening is a fantastic way to stay active, spend time outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather. With a little preparation and some sensible planning, you can reduce the risk of common gardening injuries and enjoy the season.
If you've developed a backache, muscle strain, joint pain or an annoying niggle from gardening, don't ignore it. Getting advice early can help you address the problem and get back to doing the things you enjoy.
Need help with a gardening-related injury? Contact us on 9580 1985 or book an appointment online to discuss your symptoms and find out how physiotherapy may be able to help.
This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for an individual assessment by a qualified health professional.