Watch Your Back in the Garden

Most all of us at some time in our lives will suffer from some sort of back injury. For gardeners, the resulting period of enforced inactivity can be particularly frustrating as they can do nothing more but watch as the garden becomes overgrown. Yet almost all back problems are unnecessary and avoidable. With a little understanding of what your back is, and the dangers it faces, you can go a long way to keeping yours pain-free.

Your spine is made up of 26 bones, around one hundred joints and several hundred muscles and ligaments. There are 23 discs nestling between the bones. Stronger than the bones they cushion, but prone to slipping out of place when put under too much pressure, these discs account for the more serious back problems.

Although degeneration weakens the back as we grow older, most back problems begin between the ages of 20 and 45. Unskilled lifting and bad posture are what can cause the damage, with varying consequences. Muscles become knotted and stiff, ligaments are agonizing when strained, and slipped discs bulge out on to spinal nerves, causing severe pain and disablement.

Gardening can be physically demanding and it is important to tackle tasks such as digging and mowing with the same skill and knowledge that protects the Olympic weightlifter's back. You did not see the weightlifters in China in 2008 bending their backs like bows as they lifted. So why do you lift that sack of compost up as if your back was made of steel?

When lifting, size up the load and get a good, firm hold, keeping the weight close to your body to reduce strain. By far the most important thing is to keep your back straight and use your legs to do the work. Old clothing that you don't mind getting dirty can help here, but avoid tight clothing that will stop you bending your legs.

When you buy gardening equipment, choose the lightest possible equipment that still enables you to do the job properly. A small spade is easier to use than a large one, especially when the spits are first cut at the sides and levered out. Many light, easily handled electrical tools are now available which reduces the work of the gardener, though traditional tools are excellent if used correctly, and cost far less to buy, use and maintain.

Traditional wheelbarrows put great strain on the back, the single forward wheel making them heavy and unstable. Better balanced and easier to handle are the two-wheeled trolley type, which can be tipped for easier loading and unloading.

Good posture is as important as skill in lifting, and long periods of stooping will put unnecessary strain on the back muscles. If you find yourself stooping, kneel using a kneepad for comfort. Similarly, work surfaces in sheds and greenhouses should be positioned so that you can work without stooping or overreaching. Choose tools with work heads that are angled correctly for your height.

Twinges and aches in your back are warnings to take things easier. Don't ignore them. Do not try to do too much, and if help is available, use it. You have plenty of time in the garden but you have only one back. Cultivating the skills of safe lifting and good posture will ensure that you can continue to cultivate your garden.

TIPS FOR BACKACHE PREVENTION

• Garden in short spells and take frequent rests.



• Tackle a variety of chores which each require a different working position.



• Dig and lift with a straight back - let the stronger leg muscles take the strain.



• Heavy weights should not be tackled alone. If help is not at hand, divide into several manageable loads.



• Arm and leg muscles should take the strain when pulling up trees and shrubs, not your back. So crouch with your knees bent and legs apart, and pull by straightening the legs while keeping the back straight.



• Do five minutes of warm-up exercises before gardening. Do not tackle any gardening if you feel cold.



• If you suffer from back problems, avoid twisting movements such as you get with a hover mower.



• After gardening, sit upright in a straight-backed chair with a cushion or rolled up towel in the small of your back and rest awhile. If your back does ache, lie flat on the floor with your legs supported on a chair so that your knees are at right angles. An anti-inflammatory painkiller can also help.

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