How to Avoid Low Back Pain While Gardening

(This article will be published in the May 2011 edition of Grand Rapids Natural Awakenings Magazine)

Spring naturally stirs new beginnings, new growth, and new creations. It also stirs the zeal in newcomers to the world of gardening. Frequently overzealous newbie gardeners are tempted to lift something too heavy, complete a task too quickly, and attempt to accomplish something in one day what would rightfully take several. In their ambitious haste, they often develop musculoskeletal conditions that can straddle them with back pain through the entire gardening season.

Even though it generally takes years of patience to achieve what you envision, the great enjoyment provided by gardening makes it well worth the effort and mindfulness required to avoid the most common mistakes involved in lifting, weeding, raking, and shoveling, the common gardening activities that can result in back pain.

Lifting
Gardening generally requires the act of lifting at least one big bag of compost, mulch or potted shrub. Even though it is a well-known fact that lifting should be done through the legs, few gardeners remember to keep their bottom (gluteus maximus) as low as possible and their spine straight.

Weeding
It is impossible to bend over to pull just one weed without finding 10 more. An unpopular but necessary chore, pulling weeds for any amount of time depends on several things. Are you flexible in the hips? How strong are your knees? Can you touch your toes without bending your knees?

For individuals who are flexible in the hips, it is best to sit with the knees bent, one leg in front and one leg behind. When viewed from above, your legs form a “z” or a reverse “z” configuration. This puts you closer to ground and gives you better leverage to dig.

If you are not flexible in the hips, kneel on one knee, preferably with knee pads, and use your non-dominant arm to help push up while lifting up the weed. If your knees bother you, sit on a sturdy bucket and lean forward with your spine straight. Never lift anything heavy when seated because the leg muscles are not engaged


Shoveling
An improper shoveling technique is the most common gardening error. For maximum effectiveness when pushing down, the proper technique for shoveling requires that the head of the shovel is kept parallel to the pelvis. To lift the loose dirt, use the legs while tightening the abs.

The goal is to get close to the head of the shovel without bending at the waist. Bending the knees is critical for this motion. Always keep the head of the shovel close to your body. The further out you extend the head of the shovel, the greater the stress on you and your back.

To move the dirt in the shovel, move your entire body. Do no twist or turn your torso. If the dirt is heavy and dry, use a pick or a hoe to loosen it first. The claw also works well for this if you have a fair amount of upper body strength.

Raking
The twisting motion involved in raking is not good for the spine therefore it is preferable to use a blower to gather leaves. If you have low back pain, avoid twisting entirely. The rotational forces combined with a slight flexion (forward bending) are likely to exacerbate the condition.

Picking up the leaves is not nearly as strenuous as raking. If you do not have low back pain, be certain to alternate sides. Most right-handed individuals rake with the right hand behind the left one. Switch hand positions every 5 strokes. This approach should also be used for hoeing or tilling.

Composting
Positional problems with composting may arise if you have a pile kept together with a wire or wooden frame. Reaching over this frame to turn the pile with your shovel brings the head of the shovel too far away from your body. This multiplies the weight of the shovel, and creates back strain. The best solution is to jump into the compost pile. You’ll be smelly, but pain free.

Alternately, the best positional advantage for all of gardening is the raised garden bed. This is because one just won’t need to bend as far forward, so there is less strain on the spine.

Muscle Soreness
If you do have pain while performing any of these chores, it is helpful to differentiate what constitutes a “serious” injury. Most of us have sedentary jobs where our muscles will likely atrophy if we let them, therefore muscle soreness after gardening activities is to be expected. However, soreness should not be confused with muscle spasm. Spasm is also felt as cramping.

Vary your activities: dig for an hour, then weed, prune, etc. You’ll find gardening a much more enjoyable and rewarding pastime when you take care of your back.