The Australian summer is in full bloom, and our gardens are calling.
There’s nothing quite like shaping your own patch of nature.
But with the joy of gardening, for many comes an unwelcome guest – back pain.
It’s a twinge that can turn a day of joy into a night of discomfort, robbing us of the simple pleasures like playing with the kids or enjoying a peaceful sleep.
In this blog, we’re tending to a different kind of flora – your spinal health.
We’ll introduce you to four essential stretches that are the perfect companions for your green-fingered hobbies, helping to keep the back pain at bay so you can continue to garden with ease and live your days full of activity and free from pain.
Understanding Back Pain While Gardening
Why does tilling the soil and pruning the roses sometimes result in a sore back?
When we garden, we engage in repetitive motions, lifting, and often sustained positions that can put a strain on our back muscles and spine.
This can lead to stiffness, soreness, and if left unchecked, more serious musculoskeletal issues.
But there’s good news: with proper technique and preventative care, gardening can remain a source of joy, not discomfort.
4 Essential Stretches to Prevent Back Pain While Gardening
Gardening is a labour of love, and it should bring you joy, not pain.
To keep your back as flourishing as your flower beds, incorporate these four stretches into your gardening routine.
They’re designed to be simple yet effective, preparing your body for the task at hand and helping you wind down afterwards.
The Standing Back Arch
How to Perform:
Stand firmly, feet a comfortable width apart.
Place your hands on your lower back for support. Slowly arch your back, pressing your hips forward and lifting your chest towards the sky.
Let your head tilt back only as far as comfortable.
Benefits:
This arch is a perfect antidote to the forward bending you do in the garden. It activates the muscles that stabilise your spine, opening up your chest and shoulders and bringing relief to the lower back.
It’s also a subtle way to engage your core, which can help protect your back as you move about your garden.
The Forward Bend – The Soothing Hang
How to Perform
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips to fold forward. Let your arms dangle towards the ground or gently hold onto your elbows.
Relax your neck and let your head hang freely.
Benefits:
This stretch is a balm for the entire backside of your body. It lengthens the hamstrings, which when tight, can pull on your lower back, and it releases tension along the spine.
By folding forward, you allow gravity to decompress your spine, giving the discs in your back a little breathing space.
The Knee-to-Chest
How to Perform:
Lie on your back on a comfortable, flat surface.
Draw one knee to your chest while keeping the other leg straight or bent with the foot on the ground.
Wrap your hands around your shin and pull the knee closer to your body, maintaining a relaxed breathing pattern.
Benefits:
The knee-to-chest stretch gently elongates the lower back muscles and releases tightness in the hip flexors.
It encourages mobility in the hip joints, which can help reduce the load on your back during gardening.
This stretch can be especially soothing after a day spent planting or weeding.
The Seated Twist
How to Perform:
Sit on a chair with your feet flat and spine tall.
Reach your right hand to the back of the chair while placing the left hand on the outside of your right thigh.
Gradually twist to the right, using your hands to deepen the stretch gently.
Look over your right shoulder if it feels comfortable, hold, then gently release and switch sides.
Benefits:
Twisting motions are essential for spinal health, as they encourage flexibility and movement in the vertebrae.
The seated twist aids in wringing out tension from the muscles around the spine, can help in increasing digestive efficiency, and serves as a great way to reset your posture after tasks that require bending or stooping.
Incorporating these stretches before, during, or after your gardening can make a world of difference to your back.
They can improve your flexibility, strengthen the muscles that support your spine, and reduce the likelihood of back pain, which means you can garden with ease and enjoy the summer to its fullest.
And remember, at Walkerville Physiotherapy, we’re always here to provide professional guidance and personalised treatment plans to keep your back healthy and your gardening enjoyable.
Looking For More Guidance?
Is Gardening Giving You a Backache?
We understand how frustrating it can be when back pain turns your gardening from a joy into a chore.
It’s disheartening when something you love doing starts to feel like a burden because of persistent back discomfort.
That’s where Walkerville Physiotherapy steps in.
Our goal is to help you rediscover the pleasure of gardening without the shadow of back pain.
That’s why we’re inviting you to take advantage of a special offer – a Back Pain Assessment tailored for gardeners like you.
Drop by our Walkerville clinic to chat with our expert physiotherapy team.
It’s the perfect opportunity to discuss your specific concerns, understand more about what might be causing your back pain, and explore effective strategies to manage it.
Whether it’s bending over flower beds or lifting pots that are causing you discomfort, we’re here to help.
Booking your back pain assessment is easy – just use our online form or give us a call at 8342 5544.
Let’s work together to keep your garden flourishing and your back feeling strong
Other Free Resources For Back Pain While Gardening
Read Our Blog –4 Easy Ways To Naturally Relieve Back Pain