We have seen quite a few injuries related to yard work in the last couple of weeks. If you’re leaving the house on Monday morning with a beautiful yard and an aching back, you’re not alone. A survey of over 500 chiropractors in Ontario, Canada showed that yard work is the number one cause of back pain from their patietns this time of year.
Avoiding back pain during any activity lies with proper preparation. Just as an athlete needs to warm up before exercising, leaping into yard work without properly preparing increases the chance of injury. Take a few moments to stretch out and loosen your back and hip muscles. Doing so will reduce the chance of straining a muscle. Check out previous posts for hip flexor, hamstring, and piriformis stretches, as well as the “cat camel” spinal exercise for a good warm up routine. While raking or mowing, stand as straight as possible and keep your head up. Ergonomic tools are helpful as well, as they are engineered to protect you when used properly.
Be careful not to overexert yourself. Lifting a bag of yard waste that weighs too much or carrying heavy equipment are two good ways to strain your muscles and possibly cause a bulging or herniated disc. Also, if you modify the way you bend and lift, you can greatly reduce risk of injury. This movement pattern is known as a hip hinge.
Stand with your knees slightly bent.
Keep your back straight or slightly extended.
Place one hand on your belly and one on your low back. Rotate your pelvis forward, feeling a slight stretch in the hamstring and glute muscles.
You should feel your lower stomach bulge and your lower back arch.
Squat down by bringing your hips backwards and down. Imagine is pulling your hips backward, making sure your knees are behind your toes.
As you squat towards the ground, make sure you do not round your back.
The hip hinge can be used to sit in a chair or pick something up from the ground or table.
You hands can be used to karate chop the hips back as a cue for proper hip motion.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing back ache/pain/soreness, please call to schedule an appointment today.
