Before you start up the mower or reach for the rake this fall, consider the possible consequences: upper or lower-back strain, neck strain and pain in the shoulders. The twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can cause injury if your body is not properly prepared.
Here are a few tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause:
- Do stretching exercises before, during and after your yard work.
- When raking, use a "scissors" stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.
- Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.
- Keep normal curves in your lower back when you lift. A straight back is actually putting you at more risk for injury, contrary to what you may have been told in the past.
- When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.
- Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And if you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.
- If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there's no improvement in two or three days, give us a call at Baltimore Back and Pain Center.
