3 Tips to Avoid Back Pain from Yard Work

Warm up!

With any type physical activity, it is important to warm the body and muscles up prior to beginning. By doing so, you loosen the muscles and joints and get blood flowing. A proper warm up should include movement that slightly elevates your heart rate, and muscular stretching. This will help the body prepare for the physical demands placed on it while doing out door chores.

1. Proper form!

Avoid prolonged positions, especially bending forward. If you are going to be bending forward, make sure to hinge at the hips and engage your core and lower body for support. A good alternative is to get down on your hands and knees, and alternate between the two positions. This will help give your muscles a bit of rest between positions and make sure the proper muscles are firing. Make sure to listen to your body, and if you are in a position that is causing pain, change positions or take a break!

1. Relax and rejuvenate!

After a hard day of outdoor work, make sure to take care of your body! Go through your stretches again, take a warm shower or bath the further relax your muscles. Be sure to hydrate, especially as the weather gets warmer. It is important to try to take a day off in between demanding outdoor work to give your body time to recuperate after a hard day of work.