Don’t let your garden be a pain in the back
Are you digging too much or carrying pots that are too heavy? So many gardeners end up with back problems just by overdoing it.
Phil Evans, inset right, lead physiotherapist at the Urban Body clinic (urbanbody.co. uk), has worked with Team GB athletes and Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
He says: “In summer the garden grows quickly and people try to battle the whole garden – and then wonder why they hurt,” he says.
“Lower back injuries are the most common, largely among gardeners 60-plus and who already have a degree of wear and tear. We also see a lot of shoulder injuries caused by too much digging and reaching above your head to water, prune or whatever.”
He offers the following advice.
WARM UP
“Many gardeners just don’t warm up,” Phil says. “Do some stretches for your lower back, or go for a brisk walk and you’ll be more mobile, rather than going in cold.”
DON’T BEND FROM THE WAIST
“People who do that for a few hours wonder why they can’t straighten up. I would encourage people to bend from the knees, so their back is in a much straighter, stronger position. Alternatively, get on all fours and do weeding kneeling.”
PACE YOURSELF
“Be realistic as to what you are going to achieve,” he advises. “Stop after a couple of hours rather than doing it until the sun goes down.
“Take regular breaks. Learn to pace yourself – just the lawn today or the weeding”
GET HELP WHEN HEAVY LIFTING
“If you are trying to manoeuvre heavy stuff like bags of compost, use a wheelbarrow,” Phil advises. “If you are picking up something heavy get a partner or friend to help you. It’s about bending your knees and keeping your back straight.”
If you can get help, share the weight equally, he adds.
“When lifting a heavy pot find help or get a trolley to relocate it.”
USE ERGONOMIC TOOLS
“When digging, try to use a longhandled tool which will mean you don’t have to bend over as much,” he says. “But the best advice is to do it little and often to significantly reduce the risk of injury.”
THINK ABOUT HEIGHT
Even when working on light tasks such as sowing seeds, make sure you are working at the right level for you, Phil advises. “If you are bent over, even not holding anything, the muscles will fatigue which is when you start irritating and inflaming the ligaments of your lower back, which is why we get a lot of our pain.”
Raise where you are going to do your sowing – bring it to a table and sit down or do it, he suggests.
AVOID REPETITION
Repetitive jobs such as hedge trimming or pruning tall shrubs can lead to injuries such as rotator cuff and tennis elbow, he warns.
“With the shoulder, if everything is too high and you have your arms above your head for a sustained period, that will aggravate your rotator cuff. Again, bringing yourself to a better level will alleviate that problem. If you have a large hedge to trim, don’t do it all at once. Take a break regularly and stay hydrated.”
PIVOT INSTEAD OF TWIST
One of the most common causes of back pain is the combination of bending and rotating and when done repetitively, you’re almost guaranteed to suffer, Phil warns.
When digging, for example, don’t rotate or twist from your waist but pivot on your feet instead. Keep your ribs in line with your pelvis and always move them as a unit.
STRENGTHEN YOUR CORE
“Long term, strengthen your hamstrings, glutes and your lower back by exercises. If you’re struggling to know what to do, join a Pilates class for strengthening or yoga class for flexibility. A combination of the two will dramatically improve your back health and therefore significantly reduce risk of injury.”