Yardwork is a popular Spring and Summer activity that homeowners partake in to improve the appearance and overall health of their lawn. For some, it can be a rewarding experience to cut the grass, trim the hedges, pull out weeds, and attend to the garden. However, physically exerting yourself to complete these tasks without applying proper safety tips can lead to back injury or pain. Common back injuries include muscle strains, ligamental sprains, disc bulges, or disc herniation.

Activities That Can Cause Back Injury

Lifting & Carrying Heavy Items

• Mulch
• Bags of leaves
• Tree limbs & branches
• Potted plants

Using & Carrying Landscaping Equipment & Tools

• Hedge Trimmers
• Leaf Blowers
• Lawn Edger
• Pruning Cutters
• Raking Leaves

Pushing & Pulling Movements

• Walking lawnmower up and down inclines
• Carrying wheelbarrow or wagon full of mulch, branches, supplies, etc.



Repetitive Movements

• Bending
• Reaching
• Working with arms overhead
• Twisting
• Kneeling

Adopt Good Habits to Avoid Injury

Warm Up Before You Work

• Before starting yardwork, spend 10-15 minutes warming up your body. Take a brisk walk or complete dynamic stretches. This will increase blood flow to your working limbs and flexibility of your joints.
• Dynamic stretches can include leg swings, arm circles, and lying on your back and gently dropping knees side to side.



Use Proper Body Mechanics

• It is imperative to use proper body mechanics when bending and lifting heavy items. Never bend at your waist or back when lifting potted plants, bags of mulch, etc. Always bend from your knees with a flat back. If the load seems too heavy, get someone to help you. If you are working alone, break the load down into smaller pieces and make more trips to transfer it.
• Avoid prolonged repetitive movements of reaching above, bending down, and twisting. Change what activity you are doing throughout the day to decrease stress on your shoulders, back, and knees.
• Use a kneeling pad or short stool when tending to your garden, ground plants, and flower beds. This will decrease stress on your shoulders, back, and knees.

Pace Yourself

• Know your physical limitations and commit to working in the yard for 1-2 hours at a time.
• Take rest breaks every 30 minutes to avoid over-exertion or fatigue.
• Break big jobs into smaller tasks and complete a portion at a time.
• Spread extensive projects over the course of a couple of days or a couple of weeks.
• Listen to your body and stop working with any onset of discomfort, strain or shortness of breath.
• Hire a lawn company if maintaining your lawn is too physically taxing. If hiring a company is not cost effective for you, then hire them to do only certain things like mowing the grass.
• Make sure the tools or equipment you use are in good working condition. For example, if garden scissors are not sharp enough, you will exert more effort trying to use them, and the job will take longer to complete.

Signs of Back Injury

• Onset of pain or strain in your lower back during an activity or after
• Numbness or tingling down one of your legs
• Difficulty moving, turning, getting out of bed
• Symptoms don’t resolve after couple of days

How to Address Back Injury

Once a back injury occurs, it is best to rest and ice the area. You can take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Motrin. If symptoms don’t resolve after a couple days, it is best to consult with your primary care physician for medical management of the injury. Then, make an appointment to see your Physical Therapist for treatment. Your PT will give you a plan of care that includes manual treatment, body mechanics instruction, back stretches, core strengthening and injury prevention education.