Prevent Springtime Yardwork Injuries

With the winter weather behind us and the nice weather finally here, there are countless springtime jobs to be done around the house and yard. To prevent injury,  a few simple things to keep in mind while you are doing work around the  yard.

Most likely, homeowners will by buying bags of mulch, fertilizer, and seed. These bags can be quite heavy. Try to lift them with a partner to ease the burden. Use carts or hand trucks to move them more easily.  If you must move them yourself, lift them properly. Squat down and use your legs to lift keeping the lower back straight. You do not want to bend at the waist. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the lower back muscles, discs and joints.  The same goes true with starting a lawn mower. Bend the knees slightly when starting the lawn mower rather than bending at the waist.

With starting any gas powered equiptment, you have to be careful not to strain the shoulder muscles with starting the tool. If it does not start easily after 10-12 pulls, you run the risk of injuring the shoulder and causing a tendonitis.  Try starting it again sometime later but do not keep pulling the cord if it is not starting. You will only get more frustrated and hurt your shoulder.

Digging in the ground in this area is very tough due the number of rocks that are in the soil. Digging with a shovel is very hard work. You want to do it slow and take your time. You also want to bend the knees to let your legs do most of the work, not your lower back. This is tough work. Go easy.

If working in the garden, kneeling on a soft foam pad is helpful, as is sitting on a small stool. Try to avoid overextending and over reaching in any position.

With cutting the lawn, remember that the grass basket can get quiet heavy when it is filled. Remember to bend with the legs when removing the basket from the lawn mower and to not bend at the waist. It is the repitition of this action that can lead to problems with the lower back.

Some of these simple rules to follow will hopefully prevent injury to the muscles and joints of the body.