Protect Your Back When Gardening: Part II

In our first segment, we discussed using the correct body mechanics when gardening and weeding. Part II looks at how to keep you back healthy while mowing, blowing, and lifting a wheelbarrow.

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Mowing

• If you have a self-propelled mower, stand up tall with your abdominal muscles engaged
• If you have a push mower, keep your back straight and hinge slightly forward from the hips while engaging your abdominal muscles
• Keep your elbows slightly bent
• Keep your wrists in neutral to ensure your body does the pushing, not just your arms
• Use the power of your legs and hips to move the mower

Blowing

• Keep your back straight and your abdominal muscles engaged
• If you are using your right arm to direct the blower, your left leg should be forward with your right leg back placing you in a diagonal stance
• Keep your head erect and your chin slightly tucked as you look at what you are blowing
• Turn so you face what you are working on. Do not twist and reach out to the side to blow something

Wheelbarrow

• When moving a wheelbarrow, think of using your whole body to carry the load
• When emptying, think of lifting from underneath the wheelbarrow
• Switch your hands to an underhand grip
• Stand in a diagonal stance keeping your back straight, squatting down bending your knees and hips
• Use your leg muscles to leverage the load
• As you push up with your legs, engage your core and arm muscles to assist
• Once up, keep your spine long and shift your body weight forward to empty the load