Celebrate National Gardening Day!

​Gardening is a great way to enjoy the warmer weather, reduce stress levels and improve overall mood. However, it can be difficult for someone to enjoy this wonderful activity if they struggle with back pain. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you keep your back healthy and safe while gardening:
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1. Warm Up! Yes, believe it or not it is important to get a good warmup routine before doing any kind of gardening or yardwork, just like you would for a sport. Take about 10 minutes to walk around for half of this time and do a few stretches for the other half.
   
   
2. Keep close to the ground. Avoid repetitive bending movements by simply using a cushioned kneeling pad to get on the ground in an all four position to move around. Engage your core in this position for better spinal alignment.
   
   
3. Garden Smarter, not harder! If you know your back is a problem, use simple tools to your advantage. Use a wheelbarrow instead of carrying heavy bags of dirt across your yard. Use effective shovels/tools that will cut through the ground better instead of pushing with more force or ones that have longer handles to avoid reaching too much. Maybe instead of planting in the ground, get a garden bed that sits above the ground at waist level so you don't have to bend all the time!
   
   
4. Take breaks! It is tempting to get everything done all together but know your stamina and your tolerance. When you start getting fatigued, your muscles don't perform as well, which puts joints at risk of increased stress. Take the 10-20 minute break or go back at it later in the day!
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5. Use good Form. When lifting bags of dirt, straddle the bag, bend your knees and let your butt sink to the ground keeping your chest forward. If you are shoveling, keep a tandem or split like stance when lifting the dirt and let your legs do the work. Avoid tossing dirt to the side by rotating your body, move the feet instead! When pushing your foot on the shovel, keep your knee bent instead of straight and use your body, not just your leg. 

Keep these tips in mind and happy gardening!

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These PT Pro Tips are brought to you by our West Bend Therapist, Peter Eidsmoe PT, DPT. 

Peter loves anything to do with the outdoors and spends his summers volunteering for an Adaptive Water Ski Program. He enjoys playing baseball, tennis, golf and basketball.