| Too Soon Return to Gardening Meets with Backlash |
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By Dan Vierria
Sacramento Bee
February 2003 Gardeners and back pain are well acquainted. All that lifting, reaching, pushing and hauling done improperly is an invitation to suffering. Susan Tingley of Granite Bay, California, a registered physical therapist, says most gardening-related injuries are to the back, hands and shoulders. The majority of injuries are incurred in spring, once temperatures warm and out-of-shape gardeners are tempted to tackle too much. Most gardeners are intimately acquainted with the spring rites of sore muscles and aching backs. "The most common causes of injuries are bending and twisting," she says. "People aren't bending their knees, or they're using a tool without a long enough handle." According to the University of California-Davis Extension, about 40 percent of sufferers of back pain point the finger at working in their gardens. Tingley's approach is to teach gardeners stretching and strengthening techniques that don't require special equipment. Once you're working in the garden, she recommends using the proper tools. "Bent handles and the length of handles are important," she says. "That will help reduce how much bending you do." It's always a good idea not to start the gardening season with immediate heavy lifting or extended periods of working in the garden. Start with shorter stints (15 minutes to a half-hour) and build up your strength and stamina. Use a garden cart or wheelbarrow to transport heavy sacks, containers and rocks. Make a conscious effort to "think before you do." Once you injure your back, the thinking part becomes much more important. (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.shns.com.)
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