4 Ways to Avoid Back Pain When Gardening

Spring is easily the favorite season for gardening enthusiasts. It is no wonder that spring is also one of the peak periods for gardening associated back pain complaints. Most gardening related activities require a person to bend their backs for long periods of time. Such unnaturally prolonged bending of the back stresses the spine as well as the back muscles and often causes back pain. Here are four easy ways to avoid back pain while enjoying greening your yard with gardening.

Maintain good and stable posture while gardening

Maintaining a stable and proper body posture while gardening will lessen the stress on your back and help you avoid back pain. While sitting, it is recommended to plant your legs firmly and spread them apart to create a more stable stance. Spreading the legs apart makes it easier to balance your body while working on the plants and reduces stress on the back muscles.

Place Plants on Raised Platforms

One of the biggest factors contributing to back pain while gardening is the prolonged bending of the back while performing gardening activities such as weeding, pruning etc. Placing your plants on raised platforms allows you to access the plants as well as the pots with less bending of the back and helps you avoid back pain. A raised platform for plants can also often be more effective and efficient for watering and increasing the sunlight availability for the plants.

Sit on a Low Stool or Bucket

“One of the most effective ways to avoid back pain is to support most of your body weight through your bones rather than through your muscles,” said Dr. Logan Jenkins. “If your plants are planted in the ground, then an elevated seating position – such as on a low stool or a bucket – helps you maintain a stable and firm footing on the ground and allows maximum weight of the body to be supported through the bones.”

Avoid Twisting of The Body

Twisting your body to work on the plants to your side, or for reaching behind your back, places excessive stress on your muscles and may lead to back pain. Hence, to avoid back pain, it is recommended to avoid twisting the body while gardening and to work only on the plants and the ground directly in front of your seating position.

Many studies have also shown that turmeric might have pain-reducing abilities in some cases.There is also evidence that turmeric can significantly improve