Spring Back Into YardWork: Denver, CO

This is the time of year when those who do yard work and gardening start planning their landscaping projects and purchasing bulbs, flower and vegetable seeds and shrubs.

With all of the planning a nice yard requires, it’s not unusual for even a well accomplished gardener to forget to take appropriate steps to avoid back pain.

One of the most common complaints surrounding yard work is the lower back pain that comes afterward. There are steps you can take to safeguard against back injuries and discomfort that may accompany yard work though.

• Pull with your arms and legs not your back. Bending at the waist while keeping your legs straight is a surefire way to place unneeded stress on your back. If you need to, find a place to squat or sit while weeding/planting.
• Sit with some lift. Sitting on a special gardening seat or something similar can help you avoid overflexing your hips. And remember to work smarter not harder. The less you get up and down repeatedly the less stress you place on your back, hips and knees.
• Use those wheels. Lifting and carrying large bags of mulch, soil or manure can really bring on the back pain. If you can’t lift a bag in your arms with little exertion then it’s too heavy. If you have a wheel barrow, use that to transport heavy loads back and forth or use a smaller bucket to carry lighter loads for more frequent trips.
• Manage your debris. Making smaller more manageable loads out of irregularly shaped debris, including branches, brush or uprooted bushes will make them easier to transport. That unusually sized yard debris can make it difficult to see when walking and force your body into awkward positions when trying to carry them.
• Rome wasn’t built in a day. Taking your time to enjoy your spring landscaping will make it more fun and less likely for an injury to happen. When we’re tired we work less carefully and that is the prime time for injuries.

Spring is a wonderful season full of new life and beautiful scenery. It’s more fun and rewarding to enjoy it when you’re not in pain and you know you’ve worked smarter not just harder.