By Applewood Physiotherapy

The weather has taken a turn for the better and we’ve had numerous visits from clients who have overdone it with weeding, digging and lugging plant pots around. Here are a few tips you can follow to maintain your healthy spine and reduce your risk of unnecessary back sprains or strains. Gardening is considered a moderate form of exercise; you are using many different muscles when working in the garden and we want you to do this safely!

Contact a medical professional if you haven’t exercised in a while, or have chronic health concerns or injuries.

Before gardening

Make sure you warm up to prepare your body for the tasks ahead! A simple trot around the block swinging your arms and marching with your knees high can help to warm you up. Here are some exercises to try before you start gardening.

Rotate torso

Rotate your torso (but keep your hips facing forwards) to the right, hold for a count of 2, then rotate to the left and hold for a count of 2. Don’t push too far – only move to where it feels comfortable. Repeat this 5 times on each side.

Wrists

Warm up those wrists with circles and shakes and do a few arm circles forwards and backwards for about 10 seconds each to loosen up the arms.

After Gardening

Once you’ve finished in the garden take some time to stretch that body after all your hard work, this helps to stop you seizing up after all the activity.

Shoulders

It’s always a good idea to mobilise the shoulders, shrug the shoulders up and down (raise your shoulders towards your ears, hold for 3 and drop down again), do this 3 times.

Have a yoga / pilates mat ? Roll it out and try these!

Cat/Camel

If it’s safe for you to do so, a lovely stretch is the cat / camel. Get down on your hands and knees on the floor, relax your head and allow your head to droop. Round your spine up toward the ceiling until you feel a relaxing stretch in your upper, middle and lower back. Hold this position for as long as it feels comfortable or for about 20 seconds. Return to your starting position with a flat back. Let your back drop down gently into an arch and move your head slowly and gently upwards. Don’t push any of these movements.

Knees to the side

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms out to the sides and keep your shoulders on the mat all the time. Keeping your knees together drop them down to one side, rotating your torso. Return to the starting position and allow your knees to fall to the opposite side. Only drop your knees as far as is comfortable.

 Enjoy your gardening !