City Physiotherapy – Helping You Keep Well And Pain Free In Your Garden

We know you love your garden and love spending time outdoors working in your outdoor patch, however we also know that many people get injured or suffer from aches and pains after or whilst out in their garden working, taking away your joy of what you have achieved.

Gardening is fantastic active activity that can cause muscle strain to your lower back, shoulders, knees and arms. This can be especially the case if you are not used to outdoor work. To get the most enjoyment out of your gardening City Physiotherapy has a few simple tips that can assist in reducing injury and pain.

Like any active exercise a “warm up” before you start your gardening workout helps to reduce muscle strain, injury and fatigue. Circle your shoulders, rotate your spine gently from side to side and rock backwards and forwards from your heels to your toes. Next, take a few minutes to stretch your arms, legs and spine before going full speed ahead with your garden workout. Repeat your stretches again after you finish, before the temptation to just collapse onto the couch occurs! If you begin to feel a bit stiff whilst gardening, pause for a minute and do a few more stretches.

A general rule when using tools like a rake, shovel or hoe is to keep your tools close to your body and your back straight to reduce strain. Use your arms and avoid twisting your trunk by engaging your core muscles. Use long-handled tools that you can hold to suit your height.

If you are weeding or planting try not to bend from the waist. Squat or kneel on a kneeling pad. If you have difficulty getting up, purchase a kneeling pad with a support handle to lever from.

Regularly get up to give your back, legs and knees a break from stooping and kneeling and do some backwards extension of your spine and leg stretches. Another option is to squat or sit on the ground to trowel instead of bending over.

We know that you may want keep going until the job is finished but as our muscles fatigue with strenuous or lengthy gardening activity we need to listen to our bodies. If we listen closely our body will tell us when we need a break. Be mindful as fatigue sets in we are at high risk of injuring our selves. As fatigue sets in our muscles are no longer working efficiently to control and support our spine and joints. Try to spread heavy lifting and digging tasks over a week rather than a weekend, and spread major projects throughout the year. This will give your body time to recover between major gardening workouts.

Gardening often involves lifting and carrying – less is more – frequent smaller trips with a lighter load is better for us than fewer heavier loads which can predispose us to strain and injury. Keep the load close to your body. Use a wheelbarrow or garden cart to transport your garden supplies and / or to move or carry heavy items. Remember to lift with your knees slightly bent and your back straight.

If you are pruning or trimming bushes position yourself as close to your work area as possible. Don’t stretch beyond your reach or past your stable footing. Hold your tools in a loose comfortable grip. Holding too tightly may cause injury.

Tools with larger, padded handles are often more comfortable for gardeners with painful or arthritic hands. You can use a grip tape or foam tubing to increase the width of your garden tool handles. Look into getting lightweight tools to minimise what you are lifting. Always wear long sleeved gardening gloves to protect your hands, forearms and joints. As we age our skin gets thinner and avoiding scratches is better than injured skin that needs to heal.

Of course there are more ways of getting you fit to tackle your garden and to stay injury free. Most aches and pains gardeners experience can be prevented. At City Physiotherapy we can work with you to give you an individually tailored exercise programme aimed at increasing your strength and endurance as well as a set of specific stretches to suit you. We are also here to assist you eliminate your aches and pains should you happen to overdo it in the garden!

Physiotherapists have the education, applied knowledge and skill to help you keep your gardening pain-free and fun. Enjoy the fruits of your labour. Don’t be limited by the aches and pains!

Physiotherapists are healthcare professionals who help people of all ages and lifestyles gain and maintain their desired level of active living and physical mobility. With their applied knowledge and understanding of the human body in action, physiotherapists are able to help you to increase your mobility, relieve pain, build strength and improve balance and cardiovascular function. Physiotherapists not only treat injuries, they also teach you how to prevent the onset of pain or injury that can limit your activity.

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