Prevent Lower Back Pain While Gardening in Hampton Roads This May 2025: Expert Tips from Local Physical Therapists
Spring is a favorite season for many of my patients—and for good reason. After a long winter indoors, the sun is shining, the soil is soft, and the garden is calling. But each year, without fail, I see a spike in clients coming into my clinic with complaints of lower back pain just as the gardening season begins.
As a physical therapist and the owner of a small private practice focused on exercise-based recovery and injury prevention, I’ve worked with hundreds of people experiencing discomfort caused by the physical demands of gardening. And let me tell you: it doesn’t have to be this way.
Gardening can be both fulfilling and physically sustainable. With the right body mechanics, movement preparation, and simple modifications, you can protect your spine and keep doing what you love—without the pain. So, whether you're just getting back out into the dirt or you've been an avid gardener for years, this guide is for you.
Understanding the Problem: Why Gardening Triggers Lower Back Pain
Gardening often involves repetitive motions that put strain on the lumbar spine: bending forward, kneeling, lifting, twisting, and pulling. These movements—especially when performed without proper technique or over long periods—can easily lead to:
Muscle strains
Disc irritation
Joint inflammation
Sciatica or nerve irritation
If your core isn’t engaged or your back muscles aren’t conditioned for these movements, your spine ends up doing too much of the heavy lifting—literally. The good news? You can take several proactive steps to prevent and manage this.
1. Start With a Gentle Warm-Up (Yes, Even for Gardening)
Just like any physical activity, gardening deserves a warm-up. It may not feel like exercise, but it involves a surprising amount of muscle activation and joint loading.
Before heading outside, take 5–10 minutes for some dynamic movement:
March in place or take a brisk walk around your yard to increase circulation
Pelvic tilts and hip circles to loosen up your lower spine and hips
Gentle trunk rotations to prep your core and obliques
Shoulder rolls and arm swings to prepare for upper body work
Warming up reduces your risk of strains and helps activate the muscles you’ll rely on while gardening.
2. Master Your Body Mechanics
As a PT, I can’t stress this enough: how you move matters. Most of the springtime back pain I treat in gardeners comes down to poor movement habits.
Here are the key mechanics I teach my clients:
Bend with your knees and hips, not your back. When reaching down, think of it as a squat, not a fold.
Hinge at the hips instead of rounding the lower back.
Keep your core engaged—pull your belly button gently toward your spine while lifting or reaching.
Lift with your legs, not your spine. Hold heavy objects close to your body and avoid twisting while lifting.
Practicing good movement patterns during gardening can dramatically reduce your risk of injury.
3. Rotate Tasks to Avoid Overuse
Doing the same motion repeatedly—like weeding for an hour straight—can overload your muscles and joints. Instead, switch it up:
Weed for 15 minutes, then move on to planting or watering
Alternate between standing and kneeling tasks
Use both sides of your body evenly (switch hands when using tools)
This balanced approach gives muscle groups time to rest and recover, even while you’re still being productive.
4. Use Tools That Support Your Body
Ergonomic gardening tools are more than a luxury—they’re a form of physical self-care.
Look for tools that have:
Long or telescoping handles to reduce bending and reaching
Padded, non-slip grips for comfort and joint protection
Lightweight materials to minimize effort when carrying or using
I often recommend raised beds or vertical gardening systems for my patients with chronic back issues. These bring your work up to a comfortable height and minimize spinal strain.
5. Build a Gardening-Friendly Core
One of the pillars of my practice is functional strength training—and your core is your best defense against back pain.
When I say "core," I don’t just mean your abs. Your core includes your obliques, deep stabilizers (like the transverse abdominis), pelvic floor, and back extensors. These muscles provide a strong, stable foundation for your spine.
Try incorporating these exercises into your weekly routine:
Bird-dogs – great for spine stability and control
Glute bridges – targets your posterior chain and relieves pressure on the low back
Dead bugs – strengthens your deep core and coordinates limb movement
Planks – activate the entire core complex
Even 10–15 minutes, 2–3 times per week, can enhance your spinal support significantly.
6. Stretch Before and After Gardening
Tight muscles create tension that pulls on your spine. Stretching promotes flexibility, improves blood flow, and supports recovery. I teach my clients to pair gardening with gentle stretching—especially for the lower back, hamstrings, and hip flexors.
Before Gardening:
Standing hip circles
Cat-cow stretch
Gentle side bends
After Gardening:
Child’s pose
Seated forward fold (hamstring stretch)
Supine spinal twist
Knees-to-chest
Stretching post-activity reduces soreness and helps your body recover faster.
7. Take Strategic Breaks
This one’s simple but often overlooked: set a timer.
Every 20–30 minutes, take a break. Stand up, walk around, drink some water, or do a quick stretch. Your spine, joints, and nervous system need rest. Pacing yourself prevents overuse and keeps fatigue from setting in—because when we’re tired, our form tends to fall apart.
8. Know When to Use Support
Support belts, kneelers, and benches are tools—not crutches. If you’re prone to back pain, a lumbar support belt can provide feedback and stability during more strenuous tasks. Garden stools allow you to work at low levels without prolonged squatting or kneeling.
I often recommend foam pads or knee protectors for people who spend time on the ground, especially if they’re recovering from knee or hip surgery.
9. Don’t Ignore the Pain Signals
Minor soreness is common after activity, but sharp, shooting, or persistent pain is your body’s way of signaling that something’s wrong.
If you feel discomfort during or after gardening:
Apply ice to reduce acute inflammation in the first 24 hours
Use heat for tight, overworked muscles after the first day
Gently stretch and move—don’t stay in bed all day
Log your pain and note what movement triggered it
Consult a PT if pain lasts more than 3 days
As a physical therapist, I offer personalized movement assessments and corrective exercise plans. If your pain isn’t resolving, it’s worth getting professional guidance before it becomes a chronic issue.
10. Design Your Garden With Your Body in Mind
One of the most creative and rewarding parts of gardening is planning the layout—and that layout can influence your long-term health. I encourage my clients to design gardens that are beautiful and accessible.
Install raised beds at waist height
Use trellises or vertical planters to bring your work higher
Add wide paths and stepping stones to reduce twisting and awkward positions
Place frequently used tools within easy reach
Your garden should support your lifestyle—not cause injury.
Final Thoughts From the Treatment Table
Gardening should be joyful—not painful. As a physical therapist, I’m passionate about helping people stay active, strong, and independent for life. And that includes helping you keep your garden blooming while your body feels its best.
If you’ve experienced back pain in the past or you want to prepare your body for the season ahead, consider scheduling a movement screen or customized exercise session. A little preparation goes a long way in preventing injury.
Happy planting—and here’s to a healthy, pain-free spring.
Marc Adams, PT, DPT
Movement is Medicine Physical
Reset, restore, rebuild.
Contact us to schedule a free discovery call or a personalized gardening movement screen!