© Janet Davis

Question: I love to garden, but sometimes I overdo it, especially early in the season when there’s so much work to do. Any hints on how I can prevent back strain?

Answer: Early spring is the time of year when most of us happily expend a winter’s worth of pent-up energy in a fast frenzy of gardening chores. But digging, weeding, raking and lifting bags of soil or heavy plants are all potentially dangerous, especially if you‘ve spent the winter being a couch potato. Here are some tips for preventing injuries in that first burst of gardening. (Note: If you have a previous medical condition, be sure to check with your physician before trying any new exercises.)

· Get ready to garden by doing some simple stretches. Your lower back is most vulnerable to injury from overuse and poor lifting techniques, so increase flexibility by stretching it and exercising the abdominal muscles that support it. Before heading out into the garden – especially in the morning when the back has been shown to be more injury-prone -- stretch your lower back by lying on your back with knees bent, grasping one knee and puling it up toward your chin. Hold for a count of 10, then release. Repeat this stretch 5-10 times for each leg.

· When digging or lifting, avoid bending from the waist. After pushing the blade of your spade into the soil, adjust your hands so one is grasping the lower handle, giving you better leverage. With feet apart, bend your knees and lift the load with your leg muscles, not your back. Avoid twisting to dump off the soil.

· Same goes for lifting a heavy pot or bag of soil or fertilizer. Bend your knees, squat, pull the load toward you, straighten your knees and use your leg muscles to rise with the item. Under no circumstances should you bend from the waist and extend your arms to lower a heavy load. This greatly increases stress on discs in your lower spine.

· Get a lightweight wheelbarrow or garden cart to help you cart topsoil, manure, plants and pots around. The high-tensile plastic type and takes the kind of rough treatment your body can’t.

· There’s a correct way to rake and hoe your garden too, one that helps you avoid twisting your torso. Rather than bending forward or sideways from the waist and working in a jerking motion, use your feet to move your entire body from side to side, or back and forth. Stand right above the area you’re cultivating and adopt a gentle motion.

· If you’re weeding, duck down as close to the ground as possibly, either squatting or using a small stool or reversible kneeler. Knees should be higher than hips. Avoid stretching to get that pesky little weed way at the back of the flowerbed. Instead, move to where you want to work.

· Don’t stay on any one task too long; rotate actions to avoid strain on individual muscle groups.

· Your feet absorb the percussive impact of digging, made worse if your spade is dull or your soil is rocky or clay-like. Sandals or lightweight running shoes are dangerous if you’re doing a lot of digging. Treat your feet well by wearing thick-soled work boots, gardening clogs or rubber boots

· Listen to your body. Pain is the body’s way of saying ”enough!” Never, ever “work through the pain”; what hurts today often lays you flat tomorrow.

· If garden cleanup has become too much, think about getting some help. There are lots of young folks with strong shoulders out there looking to make some money. Hire one, pour yourself a tall cool drink, and give orders from your chaise lounge. (And tell him to bend his knees!)

Adapted from stories that appeared originally in Toronto Gardens and Canadian Living magazine

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