Introduction to Gardening and Physical Activity
Gardening is more than just a hobby—it’s a rewarding form of physical activity that brings countless benefits, from boosting your mood to providing a sense of accomplishment as you watch your garden flourish. Every time you start gardening, you’re not only nurturing your plants but also giving your body a gentle workout. Digging, pulling weeds, lifting heavy objects, and even planting bulbs all engage your muscles and joints, helping you stay active and healthy.
However, the physical demands of gardening can sometimes lead to muscle pain, sore muscles, and even injury, especially in your lower back, knees, and shoulders. Repetitive motions like weeding, digging, and lifting can put strain on your body, increasing the risk of gardening pain if you’re not careful. That’s why it’s essential to take care of yourself by incorporating simple stretches, regular breaks, and massage therapy into your routine. These small steps can help alleviate tightness, reduce stress on your joints, and keep you feeling your best throughout the gardening season.
Lower back pain, neck and shoulder pain, wrist and hand pain, and knee pain are all too common for gardeners. Because most gardening work – hunching over, heavy lifting, repetitive motions, pulling, pushing, and stooping, as well as repetitive motions like twisting, bending, and reaching that can strain your wrists and arms — can all cause muscle aches, joint pain, and injury if you’re not careful. Aches and pains are common after gardening and can affect various parts of the body.
By understanding the physical demands of gardening and making self-care a priority, you can minimize the risk of back pain and other injuries. With the right approach, you’ll be able to enjoy a pain free gardening season and experience all the benefits that come with taking care of your garden—and your body.
Understanding Common Causes of Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common aches gardeners experience, and it often sneaks up after a long day of yard work. The main culprits? Repetitive motions, poor posture, and heavy lifting. When you’re focused on a task—whether it’s pulling weeds, digging, or moving heavy pots—it’s easy to forget about your posture or to stay in one position for too long. This can lead to tight muscles, strain on your spine, and an increased risk of injury.
Physical therapists often see gardeners with back pain caused by bending, twisting, or lifting without proper technique. Yard work burns calories and keeps you active, but it’s essential to listen to your body and take frequent breaks to rest and stretch. Maintaining a straight line with your back, using the right tools, and avoiding awkward positions can make a big difference in preventing aches and pains.
To reduce your risk, make it a habit to warm up before gardening, use ergonomic tools, and take regular breaks to move and stretch your muscles. Staying active and being mindful of your body’s position during yard work are essential steps in preventing back pain and other injuries. By understanding these common causes and taking proactive measures, you can keep gardening enjoyable and pain free for years to come.
So what can we do when pain gets in the way of one of our favorite activities? Thankfully, quite a lot! Even though nothing with pain comes easy, you can take back some control with these 15 gardening pain relief tips.
15 Ways to Reduce Gardening Pain & Injuries
1. Gradually Build Up Time in the Garden
Don’t go 0 to 100. At first, just aim to spend an hour or two in the garden – especially if you haven’t been as active these past winter months. Although you likely can’t wait to dive in full speed, your body will thank you if you don’t! Aim to put in a set amount of time each session, rather than getting a specific task done. Gradually increase the time as you build back your strength.
2. Schedule Gardening When the Soil is Most Moist
Get those pesky dandelions and other weeds out when it’s easiest! So not when it’s too dry or too soaked – but just in that perfect little window of moisture. This a couple hours after a rainfall or watering. Although this will be challenging to plan, it surprisingly helps a lot. Weeding is easier and less stressful on your body when the soil is moist.
3. Warm Up & Stretch Before
You’re about to do a lot of physical activity, so treat gardening the way you would a workout. Take a 10-minute brisk walk and do a few stretches to warm up your spine and limbs. Warming up helps prevent tight muscles and aches after gardening. Light gardening activities can still be physically demanding and require preparation.
4. Set a Timer To Change Positions
It’s extremely easy to lose track of time in the garden! While this is a testament to your true love of gardening, it can be hard on your body. So if you’re prone to getting in a flow state, set a timer every 30 minutes for mandatory rest breaks. Or simply change your position or alternate between standing and sitting. Staying in one position for too long can lead to back pain and stiffness. This can help prevent one muscle group from taking the brunt of the day’s efforts.
5. Use Long Tools with Ergonomic Grips
Find and invest in tools that do more of the work for you. Long-handled tools are great to prevent bending, while grip tools have good ergonomics (this is especially important for anyone with inflammation in their hands). Using the right tools can reduce strain on your arms and wrists.
6. Try to Swap Hands When Using Tools
Although it might feel strange using your non-dominant side, this can help prevent you from overusing one side of your body. Alternating arms helps prevent overuse and muscle imbalance.
7. Pad Your Knees
If you need to work from a kneeling position, cushion your knees. Here are a few different options depending on your budget:
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Free = Fold up spare cardboard
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$10 = A flutter board (for swimmers) can also double as a spongy knee pad
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$30 = Borrow knee pads from your kids if they play sports and strap in so you don’t have to carry them around!
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$50 = Buy a dedicated gardening knee pad that also doubles as a bench
8. Try Kneeling On Only One Leg
If kneeling on both knees causes discomfort in your back, try kneeling on one and keeping your other foot on the ground. This will help stabilize your core and minimize back pain. This can also help reduce stress on your knees and lower back.
9. Bend Your Knees, Not Your Waist
Another way to reduce back strain is to avoid staying bent at the waist and instead bend your knees. It’s a bit counterintuitive, but it can help take away that pressure the next time you have to pull weeds or plant seeds.
For perfect form you would:
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Bend your knees
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Engage your core
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Keep your back straight
All as you bend down or lift things up. Improper bent positions are a common cause of back pain after gardening. Leading with proper posture and movement can help prevent injury.
10. Support Your Lower Back + Keep Your Core Tight
Did you know that you can actually bring some pain therapy with you right into the garden? The Triple Action Back Belt is a wearable device that can keep you supported and feeling good throughout your entire gardening session.
It comes with:
a) A lumbar support cushion. Pump up the belt and feel a nice comfortable pillow ergonomically designed right where you need it. This automatically makes standing or bending more comfortable by supporting the delicate structure of your lower back.
b) 2 adjustable compression bands to help with heavy lifting. Pull these bands to increase tightness around the core. This helps keep things nice and tight and in-place while you move around.
c) Built-in pulse therapy to help relieve pain, increase circulation, and relax muscles. Delivers TENS, EMS, and NMES electrical stimulation therapy right to your lower back nerves and muscles. These three therapies have been used by doctors and physical therapists for years!
Supporting your lower back can help prevent aches and pains during gardening jobs.
11. Don’t Lift When You Can Use Wheels
You don’t get any awards for more effort! So don’t try to lug a whole bag of fertilizer from the garage to the backyard. Instead, make use of your cart or wheelbarrow. Using a wheelbarrow or cart can make the job easier and reduce the risk of injury.
12. Lift With Your Legs, Not Your Back
As you load and lift your wheelbarrow, be sure to squat down rather than bending your back down to lift. That’s because the muscles in your thighs and buttocks are larger and likely stronger.
So:
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Make sure your feet are at least hip width apart
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Bend your knees
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Keep your back straight
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Move your butt back, like your sitting in a chair
Lifting with your legs helps protect your whole body from strain.
13. Invest in Raised Beds or Vertical Gardening
If possible, elevate your flower beds and containers to a comfortable height or use a vertical garden planter. This can make it a lot easier to tend your garden without straining your back or knees! Raised beds can make planting and weeding easier on your back and arms. These methods can help reduce the need to stay bent or twist awkwardly during planting.
14. Don’t Overdo It
Take a lesson from the garden and be patient. You don’t have to accomplish everything in one day. Just like how “the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit”, remember that good things take time. Pace yourself to best remain excited and positive for your next day. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to aches and pains.
15. Take Care of Yourself After a Long Gardening Session
Lastly, don’t forget to cool down after your gardening exercise and let your body recover. Do some gentle backwards bending and a short walk. Taking care of your body after gardening helps you recover from any aches or pains. Relax later that day with a soothing at-home massage or heat pack. You deserve it! Massage and heat packs can help relieve pains and tight muscles after gardening. Managing stress is important for overall recovery and well-being after gardening.
This past weekend our founder Dr. Michael Ho had gardening pain and turned to the MotionCiser to help with the recovery! Even light gardening or planting bulbs can cause discomfort if not done with proper preparation.
Staying Healthy for Lifelong Gardening
If you want to keep your green thumb thriving for years to come, it’s essential to prioritize your health and well-being every time you start gardening. Staying active and incorporating simple stretches into your routine can make a world of difference in preventing stiffness and reducing the risk of injury. Before you dive into your gardening tasks, take a few minutes to warm up with light physical activity and dynamic stretching—this helps get your muscles ready for the physical demands ahead.
Don’t forget to take frequent breaks! Standing up, stretching, and moving around regularly can help your body recover from repetitive motions and prevent you from feeling sore later. When lifting, always use proper technique: keep your back straight, lift in a straight line, and avoid heavy lifting whenever possible. The right tools and ergonomic techniques are essential for minimizing strain and supporting your body during yard work.
If you ever feel unsure about the best ways to protect your body, physical therapists can offer personalized advice and exercises tailored to your needs. By making stretching, regular breaks, and proper lifting habits a part of your gardening routine, you’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of gardening without suffering from back pain or other injuries. With a little care and attention, you can keep gardening a lifelong, pain-free passion!
Don’t Give Up!
Living with pain is never easy. There will be some good days and other days that seem impossibly challenging. But with a little extra care and thought, you CAN minimize gardening pain and keep up with the activity you love!
Over the past 35 years helping people relieve pain, we’ve seen millions of people all over the world take control over their pain. With a holistic approach to pain management including proper stretching, nutrition, and drug-free devices, pain does not have to hold you back! Addressing the common causes of back pain after gardening head-on can help you avoid suffering and enjoy your gardens for years to come. By focusing on prevention and management, you can ensure you don't suffer unnecessarily from discomfort or injury related to gardening.
We truly hope these tips help you tackle your gardening to-do list with energy this season. Please support us on our mission to help people live with less pain by sharing these with a friend or family member!
