Tips and Preventative Techniques for Getting Back to Gardening

  3. Use long-handled tools, or the resulting forward and sideways bending can aggravate the neck or lower back.
  4. To avoid strain and muscle spasm on one side of the body, switch hands frequently while raking or hoeing.
  8. Kneel to perform tasks, rather than bend and don’t be afraid to use knee pads.
  9. Stretch! Back exercises should deal with flexibility first, strength second.
  10. Finally, if a task seems like too much work, it probably is. Hire a professional for tasks like landscaping, tree-topping or trimming large hedges.