Autum Yardwork Safety Tips

With the fall change of colors comes yardwork that is different from your summertime activities, such as raking and cleaning out garden beds. It’s important to prepare yourself for such activities in order to avoid back injuries, neck strain and shoulder and knee pain. Just as an athlete will prepare for football or golf, it’s important for you to prepare for fall yard work in order to prevent injuries. Yardwork can injure your body in the same was a sports can due to twisting, turning, bending, and reaching. Activities such as mowing, raking and cleaning up garden beds can cause injury if your body is unprepared. 

Recommendations include:

• Get regular chiropractic care in order to make sure your body is functioning as well as it can

• Wear supportive shoes with good arch support

• Stand as straight as possible when raking or mowing, using a scissor stance when raking or using a blower, with one leg more forward than the other

• Stay well hydrated.

• Bend at the knees, not the waist when lifting.

• Kneel on a cushion when doing prolonged work near the ground

• Limber up before starting with some simple stretches such as side bends, hugging yourself and then drawing your shoulders back, and stretching the front as well as the backs of the legs

• Use equipment properly

If used incorrectly, lawn equipment such as leaf blowers and hedge clippers can lead to back and neck pain, and can cause damage to the muscles involved. 

• If the equipment comes with a strap, use it. Place it over your head and on the shoulder opposite the side of your body from the device to help with your center of gravity.

• Use yard tools that are the right size for you when possible.

• Use your entire body weight to push lawn mowers, not just your arms and back.

• Take frequent breaks to avoid muscle fatigue.

• Wear hearing protection if your equipment is loud.

When I was growing up, the burning of leaves was synonymous with autumn. We now know that the burning of leaves produces particulate matter and hydrocarbons, which contain a number of toxic, irritant and carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds, so the EPA does not recommend the open burning of leaves. In addition, leaf burning may be illegal where you live.

Other options include composting, mulching the leaves by mowing them, thereby shredding the leaves into little pieces or putting your leaves out for community collection

To make sure your body is ready for fall yardwork, contact us by  to schedule a free fall check up by clicking here.