It's Spring! Summer is just around the corner. The sun's out (some of the time). So it's that time of year when lots of us head outside to do the gardening.

LOWER BACK PAIN
Something to consider when gardening is the fact that unfortunately gardening can cause lower back pain.

So what are the reasons it can cause back pain? One of the predominant causes of back pain when gardening is the fact we are leaning over for long periods of time to do things like pulling out weeds and planting flowers. This can put a strain on your back.

Another possible cause is heavy lifting. From lugging bags of compost to carrying larger plants or plant pots. Carrying lots of items around our garden can give us back pain if we lift them incorrectly or hold them for long periods of time.

If you are doing a lot of digging, the movement of this may also start to have an affect on your back.

HOW TO MINIMISE BACK PAIN
We want to make sure you enjoy your gardening, so we have listed a few suggestions to minimise any aches and pains:

🌸If leaning over is hurting your back, try to find a position that is more comfortable for you and keeps your back straight. This could be kneeling and supporting your knees or sitting on a low seat.

🌼Rather than reaching across your flowerbed, move nearer to avoid overstretching your muscles.

🌺Take regular breaks. Stand up, walk around and stretch.

🪴Vary your gardening by changing tasks quite regularly. This will ensure you are not in the same position for too long at any one time.

🌻Physiotherapy or sports/deep tissue massage can help relieve any back pain that does occur. If you think you could benefit from this, contact us at info@qsportsphysio.co.uk and we will let you know how we can help.

Thank you for reading this blog. Happy gardening!