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How to avoid low back pain when gardening
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Sitting when you weed One of the most popular positions for extended weeding sessions is to sit. If you have knee, hip or back pain, sitting will help you avoid putting pressure onto those areas. But even sitting and weeding can take its toll on your back if you don't know how to move efficiently. Grab a bucket and I'll show you what I mean. Hands and Knees weeding When weeding on all fours, the goal is keep your whole spine long. Because you will need to shift around while you work, keeping a long spine requires watching and feeling how your shoulders are bearing responsibility for reaching, grasping and supporting your body weight. Also, be aware of any pockets of muscle tension along your trunk. Once you become attentive to unnecessary tension, you can relax out of it. How to protect your back when standing and weeding One easy thing you can do to make standing and weeding your garden comfortable for your back is to prop your elbow against your leg. This will create an external brace, which will help stabilize your body posture when you bend and reach for the weeds. It is also helpful to use a wide stance, which will create a stable base of support for you as you work. | |||
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