Avoid back injuries when gardening
Spring brings flowers and sprouts - but unfortunately, it also brings back injuries for many gardening enthusiasts. Gardening can be a great workout when done properly, but unfortunately, our physiotherapists see a lot of back injuries caused by gardening. We've put together some tips for you here so you can enjoy gardening without worrying about back problems.
While gardening can be a great workout for the back, it's important to remember that for many, gardening involves new and unfamiliar movements that can be hard on the back. Here are our tips on how to enjoy gardening without developing back problems afterwards:
- Start out soft! If you haven't moved much over the winter, the sudden hard physical work can overload your back
- Remember to lift with your legs when moving heavy pots and bags of soil. You've probably heard it before, but do you remember to do it? Heavy lifting with a hunched back doesn't allow your back to work optimally and can cause injuries and strains, e.g. from a sudden twist
- Take a break every now and then when you're digging. The monotonous movements can quickly lead to back pain
- Think about how you sit or stand. Think about keeping your back straight (without exaggerating) while working so that you don't collapse your back and move it inappropriately
- Periodically walk away from what you're doing and stretch really well with your arms over your head. You can also run a few laps around the garden - both jogging and sprinting - to loosen up your body and relax the muscles you may be using unilaterally
Should you have an unfortunate injury or back pain, our skilled physiotherapists are ready to help. Read more here: Physiotherapy
Capio Private Hospital
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