Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
South Main Chiropractic Clinic

401 South Main St. Ste 104

Blacksburg, VA 24060 US

540-552-5202

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet the Doctor and Staff
    • Services & Techniques
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
      • Your First Visit
      • Phase 1: Relief Care
      • Phase 2: Corrective Care
      • Phase 3: Wellness Care
    • Virtual Office Tour
    • Health Resources
    • Payment Options
  • Contact Us
  • Community Content
    • About Chiropractic Care
      • What is Chiropractic
      • How Does it Work
      • Who is Chiropractic For
      • Vertebral Subluxation
      • Wellness Resources
    • Common Conditions Treated
      • Auto Accident Injuries
      • Back and Shoulder Pain
      • Body Pain
      • Chronic Condition Relief
        • Conditions Affecting Women
        • Headaches
      • Herniated Discs
      • Improved Health
      • Pediatric Ailments
      • Repetitive Use Injuries
      • Respiratory Function
    • Health & Wellness
      • Healthy Thinking
        • Get Positive
        • Relaxation Techniques
      • Life in Motion
      • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
        • Treat Yourself Well
        • Treat Others Well
        • Eat Well
      • Wellness Essentials
        • At Home
        • At Work
        • Exercise
        • Nutrition
        • What You Wear
      • Wellness Perspectives
        • Mental
        • Spiritual
        • Social
        • Physical
    • Therapies & Techniques
      • Techniques
      • Therapies
    • Newsletter Library
      • Back, Body & Joint Pain
      • Healthy Tips
      • Exercise & Fitness
      • Injury Rehab & Prevention
      • Kid's Health
      • Illness Prevention
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
      • Breaking Bad Habits
      • Senior Health
      • Weight Loss
      • Pregnancy & Parenting
      • Wellness
      • Mind-Body Connection
      • Stress & Anxiety
      • Life-Work Balance
      • Staying Young
      • Staying Motivated
    • Wellness4Kids
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Tips for Avoiding Yard Work Pain and Injury

Tips for Avoiding Yard Work Pain and Injury

  • Created in Newsletter Library

Man doing yard work

Avoid Yard Work Pain and Injuries with These Tips

Do you dread the aches and pains you know you'll face after working in your yard during the weekend? Pulling weeds, pruning your rose bushes, or mowing your lawn may not seem like strenuous chores, but yard work activities are a common cause of stiffness and achy muscles and joints. Following a few of these tips will help you avoid injuries and pain the next time yard work is on your schedule.

Keep Moving

The longer you remain in one position, the more likely you are to experience stiff joints and tight, painful muscles. Change your position at least every 20 to 30 minutes. If you've been on your feet trimming overhead tree branches, switch to a seated activity for a half-hour before tackling the branches again.

Stretch It Out

Stretching is important whether you're going for a run, playing softball, or working in the garden. When you stretch before you tackle your latest yard work project, you'll:

  • Improve blood flow to your limbs
  • Keep your joints and muscles loose and flexible
  • Ease tight muscles

Failing to stretch could mean that your muscles will tighten while you work, limiting your range of motion. When muscles can't extend fully, you're more likely to experience muscle damage, strains, and painful joints.

Think Before You Move

Injuries are more likely to occur when you bend or twist. You can often avoid these injuries if you change the way you move. If you need to reach the flat of petunias behind your back, don't twist from the waist to reach the flowers. Instead, turn your entire body toward the petunias, pick them up, then move your body back to your original position.

Are you planning to spend the afternoon planting new shrubs or painting your fence? Don't forget to alternate hands occasionally. Using one hand for hours not only causes pain in your hand and fingers, but may also strain the muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments on one side of your body.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

Poor posture stresses your joints, tightens your muscles, and increases your risk of sprains, strains, herniated discs, and other injuries. Unfortunately, it's not easy to maintain good posture when you're working in the yard. If you're planting seeds or flowers, try to bend from the waist instead of hunching your upper back and shoulders. When you operate your push mower, keep your spine and neck in a straight, neutral position.

Use the Appropriate Gardening Tools

The right tool makes any job easier. Stools, cushioned kneeling pads, rolling plant stands, elevated planting beds, and ergonomic gardening tools make yard work more comfortable and less likely to cause aches and pains.

Do you need to move a load of paving stones or bags of soil? Lifting heavy items can strain ligaments, tendons, and muscles, which can pull your spine out of alignment. Use a garden cart or wheelbarrow to move heavy items instead. Be sure to bend your knees and use your leg muscles, not your back muscles, when you move a heavy object into the cart or wheelbarrow. Don't hesitate to ask for help if the object is heavier than you expected.

Poor posture and unsafe lifting practices are common causes of back pain. In fact, 26% of people with back pain attributed their symptoms to physical work, according to a Statista survey.

See Your Chiropractor

Your chiropractor offers treatments that will ease your yard work aches and pains. Spinal manipulation, or adjustments, realign your spine, reduce tension on your muscles and tissues, and increase range of motion. Massage relaxes tight muscles, relieves spasms, and prompts your body to produce natural pain killers.

Want to avoid yard work pain in the future? Schedule regular visits with your chiropractor. When your spine is properly aligned, you'll be less likely to develop joint or muscle pain or experience strains or sprains. Best of all, chiropractic treatment is completely natural and doesn't cause any side effects.

Tired of dealing with pain after finishing yard work? We'll help you work out the kinks and soothe your aches. Contact us to schedule your visit.

Sources:

Harvard Health Publishing: The Importance of Stretching, 3/14/2022

SPINE-Health: Is Poor Posture Causing Your Back Pain?

American Chiropractic Association: Back Pain Facts and Statistics

Statista: Back Pain in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts, 8/25/2021

Palmer College of Chiropractic: April Showers Bring May Flowers…And Yard Work

  • About Chiropractic Care
    • What is Chiropractic
    • How Does it Work
    • Who is Chiropractic For
    • Vertebral Subluxation
    • Wellness Resources
  • Common Conditions Treated
    • Auto Accident Injuries
    • Back and Shoulder Pain
    • Body Pain
    • Chronic Condition Relief
      • Conditions Affecting Women
      • Headaches
    • Herniated Discs
    • Improved Health
    • Pediatric Ailments
    • Repetitive Use Injuries
    • Respiratory Function
  • Health & Wellness
    • Healthy Thinking
      • Get Positive
      • Relaxation Techniques
    • Life in Motion
    • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
      • Treat Yourself Well
      • Treat Others Well
      • Eat Well
    • Wellness Essentials
      • At Home
      • At Work
      • Exercise
      • Nutrition
      • What You Wear
    • Wellness Perspectives
      • Mental
      • Spiritual
      • Social
      • Physical
  • Therapies & Techniques
    • Techniques
    • Therapies
  • Newsletter Library
    • Back, Body & Joint Pain
    • Healthy Tips
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Injury Rehab & Prevention
    • Kid's Health
    • Illness Prevention
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
    • Breaking Bad Habits
    • Senior Health
    • Weight Loss
    • Pregnancy & Parenting
    • Wellness
    • Mind-Body Connection
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Life-Work Balance
    • Staying Young
    • Staying Motivated
  • Wellness4Kids

CONTACT US TODAY

We look forward to hearing from you

Featured Services

Click to Find Out More

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

9:00 am-1:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-2:00 pm

Wednesday:

10:30 am-1:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

1:30 pm-6:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-1:00 pm

Saturday:

By Appointment

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

  • "Testimonials coming soon..."

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

    June Newsletter: Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

    Suffering from whiplash? Chiropractic care could ease your neck pain. ...

    Read More

    June Newsletter: How Your Chiropractor Can Help with Knee Pain

    Have you considered chiropractic care for your knee pain? ...

    Read More

    May Newsletter: Your Chiropractor Can Help You Recover from Sports Injuries

    Suffering from a sports injury? Find out how chiropractic can help. ...

    Read More

    May Newsletter: Is Your Spine Ready for Summer?

    Would you like to avoid back pain this summer? ...

    Read More

    April Newsletter: Chiropractic Can Help You Stay Fit as You Age

    Want to stay active no matter what your age? Chiropractic can help. ...

    Read More

    April Newsletter: Is Your Back Ready for Spring? Visit a Chiropractor!

    Got a stiff, sore back? Chiropractic can help you get ready for an active spring. ...

    Read More

    March Newsletter: How Chiropractic Helps Patients with Scoliosis

    Could chiropractic treatment help your scoliosis pain? ...

    Read More

    March Newsletter: The Key Differences between Chiropractors and Osteopaths

    Not sure if you should see an osteopath or chiropractor? ...

    Read More

    February Newsletter: Stay Active This Winter

    Staying active during the winter offers important benefits for your health. ...

    Read More

    February Newsletter: Promoting Your Body's Natural Energy

    Want to feel more energetic? Chiropractic could help. ...

    Read More

Newsletter Sign Up

Follow Us

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map