Now that spring is finally here, you are probably spending more time in your garden. Nothing boosts your mood or adds quick color than planting some annuals. You probably are also raking and weeding so that your perennials can make their annual appearance. If this is the first time you’ve been in the garden, it is more important than ever to watch your back.

You can trigger back pain by bad posture and sudden movements. The act of raking can twist your body in ways you may not have done in a while. If you’re like me, you hate to leave a job unfinished. In the garden, you may find yourself putting in extra hours of physical work which you may not normally do.

In order to avoid pain, first of all, take it easy. Give your body time to adjust to gardening again. Avoid bending over at the waist as much as possible. Rather, squat down and pick up your tray of pansies. If you feel pain, stop what you are doing. Do not work through pain.

Pain, especially back pain, is so debilitating. It affects everything you do. According to Men’s Health, most times you will recover from back pain. However, who wants the recovery time?

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