Gardening, Digging & Your Back: How to Avoid Feeling Like You’ve Been Hit by a Tractor

If you live in the South West or around Exmoor, chances are you’ve spent at least part of the weekend outside battling weeds, turning soil, or convincing yourself that “just one more flower or vegetable bed” is a sensible idea.

Gardening is brilliant for both physical and mental wellbeing. It keeps us moving, gets us outdoors, and gives us an excuse to buy plants we absolutely don’t have room for. But at Exmoor Osteopathy, we also know that gardening - especially digging - is one of the most common causes of back pain, stiff shoulders, and grumbling knees.

Every Spring/early Summer, we see an influx of patients who’ve gone from “quick tidy-up in the garden” to walking like a 90-year-old cowboy by Sunday evening.

The good news? A few small changes can make a huge difference.

Why Digging Causes So Many Aches and Pains

Digging might not look like intense exercise, but your body would strongly disagree.

Repeated bending, twisting, lifting wet soil, wrestling stubborn roots, and spending hours hunched over all place stress on the:

• lower back

• hips

• shoulders

• knees

• wrists

And unlike a gym workout, gardening rarely comes with a warm-up, cooldown, or someone telling you to stop after the first hour.

Many people push through discomfort because they’re “nearly finished” - which in gardening terms usually means another three hours and an emergency trip to the garden centre.

The Classic Gardening Mistakes

1. The “Bent Double” Technique

One of the biggest causes of gardening-related back pain is prolonged bending from the waist.

Your lower back ends up doing far more work than it should, while your hips and legs quietly stop contributing altogether.

A better approach is to:

• bend through the knees and hips

• keep your chest more upright

• avoid staying in one position for too long

Your spine will thank you later.

2. Twisting While Throwing Soil

Digging often involves lifting soil and twisting to throw it elsewhere - usually while trying not to hit the dog, the wheelbarrow, or the carefully planted flowers nearby.

Unfortunately, twisting under load is a classic recipe for back strain.

Instead:

• turn your whole body

• pivot your feet

• keep loads close to you

It feels less dramatic, but your back muscles will appreciate the restraint.

3. Weekend Warrior Gardening

A surprisingly common scenario in the clinic goes as follows: “I haven’t done much over winter, but I spent six hours digging on Saturday.”

This is usually followed by: “And now I can’t put my socks on.”

Like any physical activity, gardening is easier on the body when you build up gradually.

Simple Tips to Protect Your Back While Digging

Warm Up First (Yes, Really)

We know. It sounds excessive before “just doing a bit in the garden.”

But even five minutes of movement before digging can help:

• loosen stiff joints

• improve circulation

• reduce muscle strain

A short walk, gentle stretches, or a few squats can make a real difference.

Pace Yourself

Your body is generally happier with:

• shorter gardening sessions

• regular breaks

• alternating tasks

Try switching between digging, pruning, watering, and lighter jobs rather than doing one repetitive movement for hours.

Use Better Tools

Long-handled tools can reduce bending, and lighter tools place less strain on wrists and shoulders.

Raised beds, kneeling pads, and wheelbarrows are also far more osteopath-friendly than trying to carry everything manually while insisting you’re “still fine.”

Listen to Early Warning Signs

A mild ache is often your body’s polite way of asking for a break.

Ignoring it completely usually leads to your body becoming considerably less polite the following day.

If pain:

• lasts more than a few days

• keeps returning

• shoots down the leg

• causes numbness or tingling

• limits your movement

it’s worth getting checked properly.

How Osteopathy Can Help

At Exmoor Osteopathy, we regularly help people recover from gardening-related aches, strains, and stiffness.

Osteopathic treatment may help by:

• reducing muscle tension

• improving joint mobility

• easing back and neck pain

• improving posture and movement

• helping prevent recurring flare-ups

We also look at the underlying movement patterns that may be contributing to the problem in the first place - because sometimes it’s not the digging itself, but how we’re doing it.

Enjoy the Garden - Without Paying for It Afterwards

Gardening should leave you feeling accomplished, not stuck to the sofa making strange noises every time you stand up.

With a few sensible adjustments, it’s perfectly possible to enjoy digging, planting, and outdoor projects without aggravating your back.

And if things have already gone a bit wrong after an enthusiastic weekend in the garden, osteopathy may help get you moving comfortably again.

If you'd like to see how our Osteopaths can help you, call our clinic on 07824168862 or email us on info@exmoorosteopathy.co.uk, or simply use the quick and easy online booking system to make your appointment now.

Because while we can’t stop the weeds coming back… we can help your back cope with them better.