It’s time to get out and about in nature, and get some much-needed gardening ticked off the TO-DO list. Doing tasks in the garden, however, can be strenuous on your back and may cause injury if not done safely. To avoid this, here are a few helpful tips and tricks to keep you gardening for longer.

Avoid bending at the hips. This increases the load on your low back, and after a period will result in injury to your spinal joints and muscles. Placing a slight bend in your knees, encourages pressure to be re-distributed to more stable joint/s.
If possible, kneel or sit. Getting low to the ground ensures that you transfer the pressure to more appropriate ‘load-bearing’ joints like hips and knees. Bring a stool or chair with you and use this to do tasks that require long periods of being stationary, e.g. weeding.
Wear supportive footwear. Remember it all starts from the ‘ground up’, so if you’re wearing unsupportive footwear (thongs included!), then this could be hurting your low back.
Drink lots of water. Your muscular and nervous system relies on being well hydrated. If you drink enough water, you can potentially reduce inflammatory by-products accumulating in those tissues and therefore avoid injury.
Lastly, if the garden is too far out of reach, then move closer or use a longer instrument. A lot of disc injuries (disc bulge, etc.) are a result of ‘over-stretching’ in awkward positions. If it’s too out of reach, modify your approach and ensure that your posture is not being compromised.

So, there’s some easy, yet effective ways to avoid injuring your spine whilst getting your hands dirty in the garden. Remember to be safe, look for creepy crawlies, and wear a hat!

For more information, or to stay up-to-date with the us, go to cotteloeschiropractic.com, or like our facebook and Instagram pages.