How can I prevent back pain or sciatica while gardening?
Gardening offers the opportunity to experience the outdoors while working on your green thumb. However, it is important to take the necessary steps to protect your back from injury while gardening. Below are 3 tips for pain-free gardening: 1. Warm up first. Much like any other form of physical activity, it is important to warm up before gardening. This is especially important if you enjoy tending to your garden in the morning, as your lower back is the most vulnerable to injury first thing in the morning. It is important for morning gardeners to make sure to walk around, or at least be up and moving, for about 45 minutes before starting any bending or lifting. Adding in some back stretches can also help decrease your risk of pain or injury. 2. Dress for the garden. Gardening requires dressing for the occasion. Weather permitting, it is ideal to wear long pants and long sleeves. If it is too warm to do so, at least make sure you have on protective gloves and supportive shoes. Make sure your shoes cover the entire foot and have a skid- resistant sole. Wearing shoes with good arch support helps take away some of the strain that gardening potentially causes to your back.
Wearing flip flops or sandals potentially increases your risk of slipping, tripping or falling, which can potentially damage your back. 3. Safety First. Choose the right gardening tools to limit the stress on your body: • The tool should be sturdy but not heavy. • Choose handles that provide a comfortable grip size. The grip should feel soft and should easily fit into your hand. • Choose a tool that is efficient at the task it is meant to perform – one that utilizes leverage and is sharp enough to cut. The 6B’s to Prevent Back Pain • BOTTOM — Activate your pelvic floor by doing a Kegel. • BELLY — Draw your lower belly in. • BOX — Keep your box open and square, that’s the area between lower ribs and pelvic bones. • BLADES — Pull your shoulder blades down and back. • BOBBLE — Keep your head and neck loose and neutral, like a bobblehead. • BREATHE — Always an essential part of living and moving! For a complete instructional guide watch The 6 B’s - It’s All About Your Box on the VCM YouTube channel
Four Essential Exercises To Prep Your Body For Gardening
STANDING LEAN BACK Stand on your left foot and lift your right knee to hip height in front of your body. Reach your torso forward as you extend your right leg behind you. 1. Keep your standing leg slightly bent as your torso becomes parallel with the floor. 2. Pause for a second, then reverse the movement. 3. Don’t forget to do the other side!
WRIST FLEXION STRETCH 1. Extend your arm in front of you with your palm up. 2. Bend your wrist, pointing your hand toward the floor.
3. With your other hand, gently bend your wrist farther until you feel amild tomoderate stretch in your forearm. 4. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times. 5. Repeat these steps holding your fingers down
4. Hold for at least 15 t 5. Repeat these steps
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