Spring has sprung and for many the garden beckons

gardening back care advice fromour bournemouth chiropractorSpringtime is upon us in Bournemouth and for many of us our thoughts turn to getting our gardens spruced up after the winter months.

Gardening is a wonderful pursuit and offers both physical and mental health benefits and as chiropractors we encourage people to get outdoors and into the garden. However, it would be remiss of us not to remind you that gardening isn’t without its dangers to your back health.

Our team at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic have put together the following 3 top tips to help you keep your back safe whilst gardening.

Top Tip # 1: Avoid twisting

Excessive twisting is a major trigger for back muscle strain. You may have found that you are prone to doing this whilst you are gardening especially when digging, shovelling or mowing!

To reduce the risk of injuring your back, when changing position always move your whole body instead of just twisting your back.

One simple way to remember to avoid twisting is to keep your back in alignment with the direction of the tools you are using.

 Top Tip # 2: Use a garden stool

You may use knee pads to make kneeling more comfortable, however, bending and crouching even on your knees will not protect your back.

A gardening stool will help prevent having to bend and crouch and will also reduce the pressure on your back, hips and knees.

But remember even when seated to keep your back straight and avoid twisting your back.

Top Tip # 3: Think before you lift

If you have injured your back in the past you may well have found yourself saying something along the lines of “I knew I shouldn’t have lifted that…”?.  As chiropractors in a busy clinic we often hear patients say this!

Hindsight may be a “wonderful thing” but back pain isn’t!

Whilst gardening is great exercise it can involve quite a bit of lifting and moving, which sometimes can be quite weighty and awkward objects.

Before rushing in to lift and move objects think about your back. It’s worth remembering that even lifting or moving lighter objects can result in a back injury if your body isn’t in alignment when doing so.

If something in your garden feels too heavy for you to lift or move then leave it until you have help.

If you are ready to lift or move the object yourself, always keep your back straight when lifting and remember to bend from your hips and knees as opposed to at your waist.

We also recommend that you take 3 minutes to watch the video below that has been produced by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). It covers more tips and advice for protecting your back whilst gardening including showing you how to lift and move objects without harming your back.

Save yourself from weeks or even months of pain by taking a few extra minutes to follow this advice when gardening.

For friendly advice or to book an appointment with one of our experienced chiropractors, contact us today on 01202 296 756 or email info@charminsterchiropracticclinic.com



Charminster clinic wins three best rated award for 2017Charminster Chiropractic Clinic in BournemouthOur Experience Counts: 28 Years in Bournemouth

Serving the people of Charminster and surrounding areas of Bournemouth, Dorset

We treat the cause, not just the pain