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For people who maintain good physical conditioning
throughout the year, gardening or yard maintenance is generally an activity
that can aggravate a previous injury or underlying condition in the spine. Contrary
to exercising at a gym, the physical exertion required from working in the yard
is far less predictable. For example, when pulling out weeds or even something
as large as a tree root, the body is unable to determine how much force it will
take to accomplish the task. Other outdoor tasks, such as digging holes, can also
involve the use of unexpected resistance, both which can cause back strains.
Yard
projects usually tend to last longer than your regular exercise routine and
rushing through these chores without taking any breaks to stretch may
ultimately cause damage or injury to the spine and other parts of the body.
In order to avoid experiencing future back pain from yard
work, it’s recommended to divide the work by taking breaks after every hour of
physical activity. Although many people may become impatient from resting at
hour intervals, this pattern of activity can prevent unnecessary stress on the
spine while allowing the body to recover stamina. When taking a break from yard
work, it’s suggested to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and to
stretch the muscles before returning to the previous activities. Always keep in
check how your body feels before continuing outdoor labor. After all, six
continuous hours of repetitive labor without rest can hurt anyone.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
