By Dr. Heather McCarter

It’s that time of year again…gardening, mowing lawns, and enjoying the outdoors. After a long winter indoors the mind is ready to get back outside, but is the body ready to handle the rigors of regular lawn maintenance? Many people complain of low back pain and/or shoulder and neck pain after a weekend of gardening and lawn maintenance. Some even notice that they can’t be on their hands and knees as long as they once used to be. Others notice that hours of mowing and weed-eating cause the low back to cramp and the shoulders to throb. If the problem continues to progress, gardeners may notice numbness in the arms or legs as a result of their hard work.

The main reason for these aches and pains is due to deconditioning of the spinal, trunk, and shoulder muscles over the long winter months. Muscle tightness, arthritis in the hands, knees and spine, and muscle imbalance are the main causes of pain experienced after gardening. The contracted muscles can then pull on the spine and cause the joints to "pinch together," causing pain and discomfort in that particular area. If the joints and muscles pinch off too much, they will pinch a nerve and cause sharp pains and /or numbness.

A few precautions can be taken to help prevent these pains from occurring, allowing the gardener to enjoy the day and the garden being tended to at the time.
Take a few moments to stretch before and after gardening. Roll the shoulders and hips. Stretch the hamstrings and thighs. Bend the wrists. Stretch the neck. Drink plenty of water while out in the hot sun. When bent over at the waist-Keep the stomach sucked in, this helps reduce strain on the back. If on the knees, place a cushion under them for support and Keep the stomach sucked in for additional support.

Take breaks. Stand up and stretch if there is cramping. Do not stay bent over for more than a ? hour or perform weed-eating for more than a ? hour to an hour at a time.
If these tips do not help, then it may be time to see a chiropractor and/or massage therapist to put the body "back together again." Periodic spinal tune-ups and muscle therapy help reduce chronic pain and improve the quality of all daily activities.

For more information, email drheather@mccarterchiropractic.com.