If the extended period of social distancing has you spending more time at home, you’re probably doing what millions of Americans are doing to pass the time – yard work and home improvements. Updating your home and keeping it looking nice can boost its curb appeal and leave you feeling accomplished, but all that manual labor can also take a toll on your spine. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some ways to help protect your spine from injury during spring yard work.
Back Pain During Yard Work
Whether you’re getting up on a ladder to clean out the gutters or heading out back to till the garden, keep these tips in mind.
- Warm Up and Stretch – It may seem a bit odd to stretch before you head outside to do yard work, but trust us, it’s a good habit to do regularly. Yard work is often a very physical activity, so your body and your spine need time to prepare for this stress, and stretching helps do just that. Taking a couple minutes to stretch your spine, shoulders, arms and legs will transition these muscle groups and joints from an inactive to an active state. It’s kind of like how you let your car warm up for a minute or two during the cold Minnesota winters before driving off. Warming up prior to more strenuous activity ensures the key components are up to the task.
- Smart Posturing and Positioning – Yard work often hits the spine the hardest because it’s easy to have poor form when doing a number of tasks in the backyard. For heavy objects, perform tandem lifts and avoid trying to carry too much weight. If you’re moving dirt or performing any task where you need to move an object from one place to another, strive to pivot instead or twisting. This means turning your feet to face the intended direction. Doing this will take a lot of strain off your spine as opposed to shoveling in one direction, keeping your feet stationary and twisting to throw dirt in another area. Finally, if you’re working on the ground, consider getting down on one knee. Bending at the waist or getting on all fours can push your spine out of position, but being on one knee helps to stabilize your lumbar spine.
- Height Safety – If you’re cleaning out the gutters or trimming some tree branches, please be careful when working from heights. Every year we see patients who accidentally fell off a ladder, out of a tree or off their roof. Have someone below you to help stabilize the ladder, wear proper harnesses when working from higher heights and take a couple extra seconds to readjust the ladder as necessary instead of extending far away from the center of the ladder.
- Rotate Tasks and Take Breaks – Another common stressor of the spine during yard work is the repetitive nature of the tasks. Instead of weeding for an hour, cleaning the gutters for an hour and then trimming the tree for an hour, rotate between the tasks at shorter intervals. This will allow different areas of your body to be active for shorter periods, instead of overloading one area for an extended duration. Also, be sure to take some breaks. Odds are you have plenty of time to get your yard work done, so don’t try to do it all in one day. Break up the tasks and help keep your body injury free.
For help with any of your spine care needs, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and his talented team today.
