As a chiropractor with a quarter-century of clinical experience with patients in Coquitlam and Port Moody, you may be surprised where most of my advice is going to come from with regards to preventing back pain after yard work.
My mom.
Yes, my penchant for being the quintessential mamma’s boy notwithstanding, my top point comes from my parents who were avid gardeners all their lives.
Go Slowly
My mother and father completed astonishing amounts of yard work day to day. When I asked how they did it, their answer was always the same: “Piano, piano” (Slowly).
My mother was a stay at home mom, and my Dad retired in 1990, so granted, they had the time to do things slowly. A working couple with kids may not have that kind of time, but you also don’t have the time to be injured.
Plan your breaks every 5-10 minutes or even more frequently so they occur before you are hurt. Set an alarm on your watch and try to stop before that. Use easy movements with as little force as possible. This will give you the best chance at getting less back pain after yard work.
Taking your time also gives you the chance for tip two to work:
Be Aware of Your Body
If you know me at all, you know I am going to turn everything into a meditation session. Injuries occur more frequently when you rush and lose focus – you are less concerned about what you are doing, and already mentally back at your desk or in front of your TV.
We have an incredible ability to ignore what is happening in our bodies. Our “flight or fight” response is an adaptive survival mechanism, and is very useful in an emergency. The problem is that most people are, to some degree, in a chronic state of flight or fight.
The burning in your trapezius or lower back gets ignored, and you continue on, getting it all over with, compounding the damage you are doing to your body. Back pain during or after yard work should not be ignored.
Instead, listen to your body – all of it. Your feet, your arches, your shoulders, your neck, your back, your knees, your fingers and wrists. Look for aching, tingling, burning, tightness or feelings of asymmetry.
These are all hints that there is some dysfunction happening in your body that needs your attention (and potentially mine). Your attention and awareness are prerequisite for the next tip.
Use Good Mechanics
Bending too far forward or reaching out too far can cause problems, especially if you are always using the same side. Keep the rake closer to your feet and switch sides frequently.
When you feel one side tighten more than the other, that can mean more than just uneven activity. When you feel spasms or tightness later in the day, that can be a sign of subluxation – nerve irritation that is the result of stress on the spine. This is what chiropractors are expert in treating and the reason we get such good results.
Prepare and Prevent
You can prepare and prevent problems by strengthening your body and improving its function. Your body gets more resilient when the joints move properly, the nerves function properly, and you are exercising your body. Regular exercise and adjustments year-round will help you get through every season’s challenges.
Prevention is superior, we all know that, but if you are experiencing back pain or discomfort, don’t wait. The sooner you get checked by the chiropractor, the better.
