As the frost lifts and spring arrives, many Canadians look forward to digging in the soil and tending to their gardens. Whether you’re planting flowers, pruning shrubs, or turning over soil for vegetables, gardening can be an incredibly rewarding hobby, both for your mental and physical well-being. However, it’s also a surprisingly demanding activity that places various loads on the body. Without proper preparation and awareness of your form, this seemingly low-impact pastime can result in strains, sprains, and even chronic pain. That’s where body awareness and functional preparation come in—and how CARESPACE kinesiologists can help.
The Physical Demands of Gardening
Gardening involves repetitive movements, awkward postures, and prolonged periods of bending, squatting, lifting, twisting, and kneeling. Tasks like weeding and planting often involve crouching or being on all fours, which can strain the knees, hips, and lower back. Lifting bags of soil or mulch, dragging hoses, or using shears can challenge your upper body, especially the shoulders, arms, and wrists. These motions are often performed without much thought, and when done improperly or for too long, they can lead to overuse injuries.
Common issues associated with gardening include:
- Low back pain from sustained forward bending or improper lifting
- Knee pain from kneeling without support or squatting incorrectly
- Shoulder and neck tension from reaching or overhead work
- Wrist or hand discomfort from gripping tools for extended periods
Why Proper Form Matters
Just like with any physical activity, form is everything. Maintaining spinal alignment, engaging core muscles, and using the legs, not the back, to lift can make a significant difference in reducing the risk of injury. Switching positions frequently and using ergonomic tools can also help distribute loads more evenly across the body.
However, form isn’t just about technique—it’s also about preparation. If you haven’t been physically active during the winter months, diving headfirst into a full day of gardening can shock your musculoskeletal system. That’s why building up strength, mobility, and endurance before the gardening season begins is so important.
Prepping Your Body for Gardening
Pre-season conditioning can help you avoid injuries and improve your gardening performance. A combination of flexibility training, core strengthening, and functional movement patterns can go a long way. Key areas to focus on include:
- Hip and knee mobility to support squatting and lunging
- Core stability to protect the lower back during lifting and bending
- Shoulder and upper back strength to handle reaching and carrying
- Grip strength and wrist mobility for better tool handling
Warming up before gardening and stretching afterward are also essential components of injury prevention and recovery.
How CARESPACE Kinesiologists Can Help
At CARESPACE Health+Wellness, our kinesiologists specialize in human movement and functional training. They work with you to assess your mobility, strength, and postural habits, helping identify areas of imbalance or weakness that could put you at risk during physical tasks like gardening. Using evidence-based strategies, they design personalized movement programs that help you build resilience and optimize your form.
Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned green thumb, working with a CARESPACE kinesiologist can make a big difference. They can teach you proper movement mechanics for gardening-specific tasks, guide you through conditioning exercises, and help you pace your workload to avoid fatigue. If you’ve already experienced aches or pains related to gardening, kinesiologists can collaborate with other CARESPACE professionals, such as physiotherapists or chiropractors, to support your recovery and prevent re-injury.
Gardening is more than a relaxing hobby—it’s physical work. With a bit of preparation and guidance, you can make the most of your time in the garden while protecting your body for seasons to come. Let CARESPACE’s kinesiologists help you plant the seeds for a healthy, injury-free gardening experience this spring.
