We see this particular back pain phenomenon every spring, where after a sedentary winter, people attack their gardens with gusto coming up to Easter.

There are some simple tips that can prevent gardening related back pain. The first is to stretch the spine before you start and at the end of the day.

The second is to be aware of spinal posture. Over many years of my profession, the visual image I find helpful is to image the standing upright spine as a gently curving S-shape. The forward bent spine (as in tying shoes) is a C-shape. Generally the spine is more comfortable, stronger and biomechanically safer in S than C. Prolonged C-spinal posture is especially threatening for the discs between each vertebra.

As many gardening (and life) activities involve the spine being bent forward a great way to counteract excessive forward or C-spine is to remember to take the spine out of C into an exaggerated S several times during prolonged tasks in the garden, around the house or even just prolonged slouched sitting. Simply stand erect, knees locked straight, hands on waist and lean as far backwards as possible from the lower back. Hold this position for five seconds and repeat three times in a row. Doing this several times daily normalises pressure across the discs and self mobilises the small joints of the spine, both of which assist maintenance of a healthy spine.

The third tip is to vary tasks during a gardening session, spending no longer than 20-30 minutes in any one posture. So perhaps the first task is weeding (a forward task), next choose a more upright task such as trimming the top of a hedge. Avoid sustained forward bending from the hips by alternating between kneeling (on a kneeler if possible) and squatting. Each time you pick up a new tool or empty the wheelbarrow remember to take 15 seconds to assume the backwards bent spinal posture as described above.

Last week I addressed some ideas to prevent back pain associated with gardening, asevery spring doctors and Chartered Physiotherapists see people in acute back pain after the first post winter session in the garden.

I hope you remember what I believe is the most important piece of advice, about alternating between an ideal upright spinal S-posture and the more problematic spinal C or forward bent posture.

The second pertinent piece of advice concerns stretching, which I write about today.

The first stretch is the backwards or S stretch, mentioned last week. Do three backward arcs, holding the position for five seconds each time for every 30 minute forward bent task. the spine being bent or crooked forward.

Another stretch pre-gardening is done before ever getting out of bed. Push back the bedclothes. With knees bent and feet flat on the bed, roll the knees from side to side from the lower back. Start gently, making the knees go further as the seconds tick on. A moderate speed is ideal. Anecdotal evidence suggests that 60 seconds is required to stretch and mobilise the spine adequately.  

 A related standing spinal stretch is to stand fully upright, feet 20 centimetres apart, hands by side. Now bend sideways from the waist, tipping fingers to the outside of one knee after the other. Again a loose relaxed speed for this works best.

The final stretch is especially helpful if you have to assume partially twisted postures or have to exert considerable force in a task such as pulling roots out of the ground. Stand upright with your back to a wall or the garage door. Face forward with feet 20 centimetres apart and heels 30-40 centimetres out from the wall. Bringing arms up to shoulder, level rotate fully from the lower back until you place the palms of both hands flat on the wall behind you. Hold for five seconds and twist around through 180 degrees to do the same on the other side. Repeat alternately three times each. As the stretch gets easier over a number of attempts, stand further out from the wall.

As in most medicine, prevention is better than cure, so we Chartered Physiotherapists strongly endorse good spinal posture and appropriate stretching for a healthy spine.

 

 

 

 

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