Can gardening cause sciatica?

Pain can be caused by tension along any part of the pathway where the sciatic nerve runs. Back pain and sciatica can exacerbate at any time during the gardening session. A brisk five-minute walk or some gentle stretches will do wonders for managing sciatica pain before a gardening session. However, remember to be kind, because it's so easy to do more harm than good.

If you're not sure, talk to your doctor about gentle exercises you can do. Here are some ideas to inspire you. Any activity that physically flexes the spine or stretches the muscles and ligaments that support the spine can cause sciatica problems. For example, digging in the garden for a long time strains the back muscles, causing them to tense, pull the vertebrae, and worsen the pressure on the nerve.

Many of us see warmer weather as an opportunity to climb to the top of our gardens that can escape us during the colder months of the year. However, spending a few hours working in the garden can often lead to back pain, either later that day or during the next. This can happen whether or not you have a history of low back pain. As your fitness and strength increase, you can gradually increase the time you spend in the garden every day.

Some of the strongest raised beds include a border where the gardener can sit while planting or harvesting vegetables, fruits, or herbs. The take-home message is that if you suffer from delayed back pain due to gardening, don't worry about hurting your back. If you experience back pain after working in the garden, then it becomes a question of how much the pain is affecting your life. Other styles of wall gardening use a metal or wood frame along a wall, with places to place pots of different sizes.

If you want to do your garden and are dealing with aches and pains in your back, you are much more likely to keep up with any back pain exercise and be diligent in taking care of your back. However, the truth is that you can still garden if you experience sciatica, you just need to be aware and operate within your limits. If you love your garden as much as I do and you have back pain, symptoms of a pinched sciatic nerve, sciatica, or one of the many back pain problems, you may wonder if you can grow a garden again. While gardening can bring peace of mind by reducing anxiety and stress, prolonged planting periods can affect your back or worsen existing back pain.

The main problem is that for the better part of six weeks most people have been in hibernation and their bodies are not prepared for the excessive strain that gardening places on their muscles, tendons and ligaments, not to mention the spine. If you find that your back hurts after overdoing it in the garden, a few simple steps can help you feel better. Pots designed to be attached to a balcony can also be a good choice for flowers or a small herb garden. We love and are big advocates of gardening as a form of exercise to help prevent sciatica despite the risks it poses to some.

Phil Turner
Phil Turner

Incurable beer advocate. Hardcore coffee practitioner. Professional travel buff. Typical food scholar. Devoted beer ninja.