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Wednesday 8a-6p
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New Poll Says Gardening Tops
the List of Back Pain Woes
In a May 12, 2003 release from the "Canada NewsWire" was
some information and advice about gardening. The news
release reported on a new poll just released that
reveals that gardening and yard work are the number one
causes of back and/or neck pain in the spring and summer
months. The poll was conducted by national research firm
Pollara, where 500 Ontario Canada chiropractors were
asked what were the largest causes of back and neck pain
among their patients. The results of the poll showed
that eighty-eight per cent of Ontario chiropractors
report that working in the yard and garden are the most
common sources of back and neck pain they see during the
warm weather season. Golf ranked in second place at 31
per cent, tied with outdoor sports in general at 30 per
cent.
Dr. Dennis Mizel, President of the Ontario Chiropractic
Association noted, "In Canada, gardening is an estimated
$3.5 billion business and all that digging, lifting,
raking, pruning, planting, weeding and watering can
cause significant strain to the muscles and back." Dr.
Mizel continued, "The good news is that it's
preventable. Gardening can be a serious workout. That's
why we're encouraging people to treat it like any other
kind of exercise. Warming-up before digging in, and
using the proper techniques and tools can go a long way
to letting people enjoy the results of their labor
pain-free."
The Ontario Chiropractic Association is partnering with
the Ontario Horticultural Society, the Garden Clubs of
Ontario and Sheridan Nurseries to help get the word out
about back safe yard work and gardening. "Thousands of
people visit our gardening centers once the warm weather
hits," says Mary-Beth Brown, Marketing Coordinator,
Sheridan Nurseries. "So we're pleased to be able to
reach our customers with this public education program.
It's a good idea to limber up before you get to the
gardening centre and start loading supplies into your
car or truck, and we always have someone to help out if
a customer needs assistance."
In the article the Ontario Chiropractic Association
offered several tips for back smart gardening:
1. Stretch Before You Start: Warming-up your muscles
with stretches before going out helps to reduce the
stress and strain on your joints and muscles, reducing
the chance of injury.
2. Bend Your Knees to Lift with Ease: When lifting, keep
your back straight and bend your knees. Always carry the
load close to your body and avoid twisting.
3. The right tools, the right moves: Use the right tools
and moves for the job. Kneel to plant and change
positions frequently when raking, digging, hoeing or
pruning. Use ergonomically designed, long handled,
lightweight tools.
4. Take a Break Before It Aches: Give yourself and your
back a break. As a rule-of-thumb take a brief rest or
stretch break at least three times each hour, and drink
fluids frequently.
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