Gardening is a relaxing and rewarding activity enjoyed by many, especially during the spring and summer months. Whether you’re planting flowers, trimming hedges, or harvesting home-grown vegetables, gardening can offer both physical activity and mental wellness. But like any hands-on hobby, there are some things to watch out for.
Surprisingly, many of our patients experience gardening-related injuries. While some are minor and easily treatable at home, others can lead to long-term pain or mobility issues if left unaddressed.
Here are some common Gardening Injuries we see:
Low Back Strain
Repeated bending, lifting, and twisting—especially while planting or weeding—can easily strain your lower back. Poor posture and lack of core engagement are major contributors.
Knee Pain
Spending time kneeling or squatting can irritate the knees, especially for those with pre-existing joint issues or limited mobility.
Shoulder and Neck Strain
Reaching overhead to trim hedges or lifting/carrying heavy pots awkwardly can strain the shoulders and neck, sometimes leading to conditions like rotator cuff tendinopathy or trapezius tension.
Tendinitis and Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)
Prolonged gripping of tools or repetitive motions (e.g., pruning, digging) can irritate tendons in the hands, wrists, and elbows.
Ankle Sprains or Falls
Uneven ground, wet grass, or unstable stepping stones can all lead to slips, trips, or ankle injuries.
Here are some Tips to Prevent Gardening Injuries:
Warm up first: Treat gardening like a workout. Do some gentle stretches or a short walk to warm up your muscles and joints.
Use proper body mechanics: Bend at the hips and knees (not from the back), engage your core, and avoid twisting while lifting.
Take breaks: Change positions every 15–20 minutes to reduce repetitive strain. Switch between activities to use different muscle groups.
Use ergonomic tools: Lightweight, cushioned, and long-handled tools can reduce the strain on joints and tendons.
Lift smart: When moving heavy objects like soil bags or planters, lift with your legs and ask for help when needed.
Small tweaks here and there are common and normal. Our body will normally heel itself within 1-2 days. If pain lingers for more than 2 days, there is swelling, bruising or limited range of motion, numbness or tingling, you are having difficulty bearing weight then this is the time to seek treatment from one of our practitioners. They will assess, treat and guide you as you return to gardening.
