Ah fall, how I love you. The snap in the air, apple cider, the crunching leaves (I will go out of my way to step on them, just to feel like a little kid again). The football, the pumpkins, the yard work. Yard work? Raking leaves is one of those typical fall activities, right up there with friendly games of football… and a common method of hurting your back during the Fall season. Rake leaves the wrong way, and you could end up lying on your couch with shockingly sharp back pain.
To avoid that fate, follow these easy tips the next time you head out to rake:
? Stretch: Leaf raking is a form of exercise and you should make sure that your muscles are ready for the work out. You should stretch the muscles that support the low back and of course, any muscle involved in the actual raking such as the arms and shoulders.
? Posture: Staying hunched over while raking is simply not good for your back. That posture places extra strain on your low back and makes it more likely that you’ll end up in the lying on the couch. Your spine has curves that are there to distribute your weight evenly and make it easier for you to move. For example, your low back (lumbar spine) naturally curves inward. Poor raking posture rounds your low back more than it’s used to, potentially leading to pain. You should maintain those spinal curves while raking?but how do you know if you’re doing that? It’s not like you can stand perfectly straight while trying to make your yard look perfect (or at least better than your neighbors’).
To avoid that hunched over posture just rake then, straighten up, rake, then straighten up. That should be your plan of attack to avoid putting too much strain on your low back. So many people rake with this pattern: rake, rake, rake, rake, rake, rake, rake, rake?look, I went super fast and made a huge pile! Whoa, my back!
? Twist: There are leaves all around you, so what’s the most efficient way to reach all of them? Well, often times we go for the” stand in one place and twist approach”, which isn’t bad overall. BUT, if you twist more with your low back?leaving your feet more or less planted?you’re relying too much on your spine. Let your feet and hips do some of the work! When raking, you should rotate by moving from your hips and shuffling your feet.
? Relax: You do not have to do the entire yard in 15 minutes. In fact, you really should make leaf raking a leisurely activity. Rake for 10 to 15 minutes, and then take a break. On your break, make sure you hydrate?with water. (You can save the hot apple cider for after you’re done and you’re sitting on the porch admiring your handiwork)
It’s also important to take breaks because such a burst of high-intensity physical activity can lead to injury, especially low back injury.
You can get through Fall with a healthy back and a raked yard. If, however, you already have back pain and don’t know if you can handle raking, just do what I do: hire somebody else. That leaves you more time for going to pumpkin patches and corn mazes. For more information, visit our website at www.ssrehab.com. Also, our YouTube channel has stretches and exercises to help avoid such injuries.
Dr. Allen Huffman, DC, CKTP, BS
Doctor of Chiropractic
Clinic Director
Sport and Spine Rehab, Landover
[email protected]