Gardening can be a great hobby. It adds value and curb appeal to your home, but most importantly, it is relaxing. However, back pain often gets in the way making gardening can excruciating!

This could very well be because you are using improper body mechanics.

Improving your Body Mechanics while Gardening

Shoveling: Shoveling dirt (or snow) can put a tremendous amount of strain on your back. To minimize the stress and excess muscle tension shoveling puts on your back, you must use your body as leverage. Be sure to move your entire body, not just your arms and back.

Weeding: Instead of constantly bending over, try sitting on a stool. You will be amazed at how this simple solution can really minimize your back pain.

Heavy Lifting: Gardening sometimes requires some heavy lifting. To avoid injury, make sure you bend from the hips and knees, rather than the waist.

Wheel-Barrowing: Just like heavy lifting, be sure to lift with the knees, not the back. This will save you from any unneeded back strain.

Mowing the Lawn: The easiest way to help avoid back pain is to invest in a self-propelled or riding lawn mower. However, some of us are not lucky enough to be able to afford this luxury. To avoid back strain, be sure to position yourself in a comfortable position. Make sure you are not bending over. After an hour of mowing the lawn, this could prove to be pretty painful.

Treating Back Pain using Physical & Aquatic Therapy

Chesapeake Bay Aquatic & Physical Therapy offers physical and aquatic therapy to treat a full range of outpatient physical therapy needs, including back injuries, back pain, and much more. Our therapists have a wide range of experience treating professional and recreational athletes as well as individuals who have suffered injuries at work or in accidents involving personal injury.

If you have any questions about Body Mechanics or Aquatic Therapy, please Contact Chesapeake Bay Aquatic & Physical Therapy by visiting cbayaquapt.com today!

Thank you for choosing Chesapeake Bay Aquatic & Physical Therapy!

We are privately owned and operated and have been proud to serve the communities of Bowie, Laurel and Severna Park, Maryland for nearly 10 years. Our company’s goal is to provide the highest quality rehabilitation services in our region. We keep our patient volume low in order to spend more time with each patient at every visit.