Is Gardening Bad for your Back?
By Andy Park DC,
Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) Specialist.
Is Gardening Bad for your Back?
*Disclaimer: This is not official medical advice please seek out the assessment and opinion of a professional if injury is suspected and before starting any new exercise regimen.
Gardening, often seen as a serene and therapeutic activity, can inadvertently become a source of discomfort and injury, particularly to the lower back and neck. This issue arises from a combination of repetitive motions, prolonged awkward postures, and the physical demands of tasks such as digging, weeding, and lifting. Understanding how these activities impact the body and adopting strategies to mitigate risks can help maintain a healthy gardening experience.
The Physical Demands of Gardening
Repetitive Motions and Awkward Postures Gardening involves a range of repetitive tasks such as digging, planting, weeding, pruning, and harvesting. These activities often require sustained or repetitive bending, twisting, and reaching. For example, weeding usually involves bending over for extended periods, while digging requires repetitive shoveling and twisting movements. These actions place significant stress on the musculoskeletal system, especially the lower back and neck.
Lifting and Carrying Lifting heavy pots, bags of soil, and other gardening tools can strain the lower back if not done correctly. Many people lift with their backs rather than their legs, increasing the risk of injury. Carrying heavy loads over uneven terrain can further exacerbate the strain on the back and neck.
Sustained Static Postures Gardening often involves maintaining static postures for prolonged periods, such as kneeling or squatting. These positions can cause muscle fatigue and discomfort, particularly in the lower back and neck. Holding the head in a forward position while focusing on close-up tasks like planting or pruning can lead to neck strain and pain.
Specific Risks to the Lower Back
Lumbar Strain Lumbar strain occurs when muscles or ligaments in the lower back are stretched or torn due to overuse or improper use. Activities like bending forward repeatedly to plant seeds or pulling stubborn weeds can lead to such strains. The lower back supports much of the body's weight, and improper lifting techniques can exacerbate this issue.
Herniated Discs Herniated discs are a more severe condition that can arise from improper lifting or twisting motions. When the soft cushion of tissue between the vertebrae in the spine pushes out, it can press on spinal nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the lower back and legs. Gardening activities that involve heavy lifting or sudden, sharp movements can increase the risk of herniated discs.
Sciatica Sciatica is a condition characterized by pain radiating along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg. It is often caused by a herniated disc or bone spur that compresses part of the nerve. Activities like prolonged bending or lifting heavy objects can trigger sciatica.
Specific Risks to the Neck
Cervical Strain Cervical strain refers to muscle or ligament injuries in the neck. These injuries are often caused by prolonged or repetitive head movements, such as looking down for extended periods while planting or weeding. This strain can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in the neck.
Cervical Disc Herniation Similar to herniated discs in the lower back, cervical disc herniation can occur in the neck. Poor posture, especially when looking down for long periods, can cause the discs in the cervical spine to bulge or rupture, leading to pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck, shoulders, and arms.
Tension Headaches Tension headaches are a common issue associated with neck strain. Prolonged muscle tension and stress in the neck and shoulders can lead to headaches, characterized by a band-like sensation of tightness around the head. Gardening activities that require sustained head positions or stress can contribute to this condition.
Contributing Factors
Sustained Posture/Suboptimal Movement Sustained posture is a significant contributing factor to neck and lower back pain in gardening. Bending at the waist instead of the hips, hunching over, or twisting the spine can all place undue stress on the back and neck. To clarify none of the previous things mentioned are harmful in and of itself but over time, if they become habits, can lead to chronic pain and injury.
Lack of Physical Conditioning Many people may not be physically conditioned for the demands of gardening. Lack of core strength, flexibility, and overall fitness can increase the risk of injury. Weak muscles are more susceptible to strain and fatigue, making proper conditioning essential for preventing injuries.
Improper Tools Using the wrong tools or tools that are not ergonomically designed can contribute to neck and back pain. For example, short-handled tools require more bending and reaching, increasing the strain on the back and neck. Tools that are too heavy or poorly designed can also exacerbate these issues.
Preventive Measures
Proper Lifting Techniques To protect the lower back, it is crucial to use proper lifting techniques. This includes bending at the knees and hips, keeping the back straight, and lifting with the legs rather than the back. Holding objects close to the body and avoiding twisting while lifting can also reduce the risk of injury.
Ergonomic Tools Using ergonomic gardening tools can help minimize strain. Long-handled tools can reduce the need to bend over, while lightweight tools are easier to handle. Padded grips and adjustable handles can also make tasks more comfortable and reduce the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
Frequent Breaks and Stretching Taking regular breaks and incorporating stretching exercises into gardening routines can help prevent muscle fatigue and strain. Stretching before and after gardening can improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. It is also beneficial to change positions frequently to avoid prolonged static postures.
Strengthening and Conditioning Exercises Engaging in regular exercises to strengthen the core, back, and neck muscles can provide better support and stability during gardening activities. Exercises such as planks, bridges, and gentle yoga can enhance muscle strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of strain and injury.
Mindful Gardening Practices Practicing mindfulness and body awareness while gardening can help prevent injuries. Paying attention to posture, movements, and body mechanics can reduce the risk of overuse and strain. Listening to the body and recognizing signs of discomfort or fatigue is essential for avoiding injury.
What Can I do About a Gardening Injury?
If you are reading this after an a gardening injury has already occured here are some good practices in general to keep in mind:
Keep the area moving. Assuming there is no fracture of bone or total rupture of any tissue generally speaking, loading the tissue in a gentle but consistent fashion should help to reduce further stiffening of the area and may even reduce some symptoms as mechanical input is usually an effective way to inhibit or reduce pain signals going to your brain from the injury.
Do not panic! Until you get your gardening related injury assessed you have no idea the actual severity of the injury and with most cases we have seen in our office, these types of injuries are very treatable and resolve within 4-6 weeks. It is also worth mentioning that it is clinically shown that HOW you think about your injury can affect your own turn around and healing time. If you are catastrophizing versus staying calm, it is statistically likely that it will take longer to get better, so again, do not panic!
Get assessed by a professional! Touching on the previous point, it is best practice in these situation to get looked at by someone in the physical medicine field, like a physical therapist or chiropractor. Dr. Google or Dr. AI certainly get point you in the right direction but what they lack is clinical assessment tools and experience which potentially prevents them from giving you accurate feedback.
We hope you found this article to be enlightening! If you’re an athlete or an active individual who is also experiencing an injury or want to improve your performance, then don’t wait any longer. Give us a call (773-296-2766) or text us at (773-692-0670) to book your FREE Discovery call or Movement Assessment today!
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