The grass is growing, flowers blooming, and of course, the weeds are already starting to flourish. Spring is an exciting time of year for those who love gardening and the rest of us who just try and keep up with the yard. The biggest mistake people make is going all in on the first nice weekend and trying to do too much. Like any sport, you need to prepare yourself with some warm ups, training, and technique so that your body is ready to play and less likely to become injured. Save yourself time and pain by following a few tips for enjoying your yard in the spring and throughout summer.

1. Plan your attack! Rather than weed or groom the entire yard all at once, do it in parts over
   more than a few days or weekends. Ease into gardening over time. If you spend most of your
   time in the backyard, keep your front yard landscaping simple. On the flip side, if your street
   appeal is more important to you, make your backyard the region of grass and shrubs for simple
   upkeep.
2. Mix up the standing, bending and kneeling so that you don’t stay in one position for too long. Frequently changing positions and activities uses different muscle groups and reduces
   prolonged stress to the spine. Don’t forget your body mechanics! Squat, kneel and reach with a
   flat back using the big muscles of your hips and legs for the heavy work.
3. Work smart – Don’t skimp on the tools for the job. High quality tools, rolling caddies, and
   kneeling pads make the job easier and prevent the strain of improvising. Making sure pruning
   tools are sharpened is important as well.
4. Recruit some help! Kids, grandkids, neighbor kids are all great helpers and can appreciate a way
   to make some extra spending dollars. No kids nearby? Paying for a yard service can be a great
   investment to getting the hardest work done so that you can truly focus on the parts you enjoy
   the most.

Say you did all the right things and still injured something, perhaps in an unexpected movement or a slip on wet grass? Or maybe you just got carried away by the joy of working outside on a beautiful day and then could hardly stand up the next day? It’s ok, we are here to help. Physical Therapy can reduce pain and get you back to your activities quickly. Prompt attention to injuries leads to quicker and better healing.

Merianne Jordan PT, DPT, OCS
Kramer Physical Therapy

Photo by: Benjamin Combs