Yard Work and Gardening: Alleviate Muscle Pain

As spring rolls in, the most common activities people engage in are yard work and gardening. It is an enjoyable practice that has beneficial results. You feel joy when you see your flowers, herbs, and other plants grow. 

However, the activities you need to carry out to see these plants grow can cause sore muscles and stiff backs. Be careful, as the activities involved can affect your posture.

Keys to Alleviating Pain When Gardening

If you have a history of back problems, your doctor may not recommend yard work and gardening. However, the practice is therapeutic, and it can refresh you physically and mentally. 
 

You will need to be careful and apply some precautions to keep yourself safe as you engage in these activities. So, how can you protect your back and alleviate muscle pain when doing yard work or gardening?

Stretches and Exercises

Before getting into yard work, you need to warm up your muscles. Yard work and gardening are forms of heavier exercise, hence the need for stretches and exercise. Do your stretches slowly, allowing time for your muscles to acclimatize. You can stand up tall and try to reach for the sky, then bend forward and touch the ground. 

After this, you can wrap your arms around yourself. Then move your body side to side, trying to rotate the furthest you can. These forms of stretches and exercises will help you avoid minor injuries. These injuries can keep you away from the garden for a couple of days.

Ergonomic Tools

Equip yourself with tools that are efficient and comfortable to use. Look for gardening tools with modifications for gardeners with back and neck problems. You can also look for tutorials on the internet to help you come up with your own.

Equipment with straps that go over your head and lie on the opposite side of the tool gives you a better center of gravity. You can switch sides and alternate your stance. As you do this, you can also take frequent breaks. Remember to pick up your tools and equipment from the knees, not the waist.

Raise Your Platforms

Even with ergonomic tools, you may need higher platforms that will not require you to bend excessively. If possible, raise your gardening platforms to allow you to stand and garden. You can do this by repurposing old furniture like tables and dressers. 

Lifting your garden to the waist level will help alleviate muscle pain in your back and neck. You will not have to worry about aches and pains later as there is minimal pressure on your muscles.

Think Containers

Think of planting your flowers and herbs in containers. It is an efficient way of making your work easier and alleviating muscle pain. You can also use Styrofoam peanuts in the bottom third of the container to make them lighter. 

Planting in containers means you can pick the plant, place it on a higher platform, and work on it from there. You can move them around for aesthetics. You can also move them when you notice they are not doing well in an area. It may be due to a lack of sunlight or other conditions.

For more on alleviating muscle pain when doing yard work and gardening, visit Back and Neck Pain Centers at our offices in Seattle-Chinatown, Skyway-Renton, Bellevue, or Tukwila-Renton-Kent, Washington. You can call (206) 233-0818, (206) 772-0088, (425) 649-9335, or (425) 243-1200 to book an appointment today.