Tips for Keeping Your Knees Healthy While Gardening

With summer in full swing in Florida, you might be spending more time outdoors. If that’s in spaces you cultivate yourself, you probably spend some time crouching down. Weeding, pruning, and other gardening activities require you to get close to the ground. That can take a toll on your knees. 

Our team frequently sees people with knee pain after gardening. We offer physical therapy to help. Ideally, though, you can avoid needing to make a trip to any of our Anchor Spine and Joint offices in Tampa, Riverview, Pinellas Park, Odessa, or Lutz, Florida. For that, we have a few tips you can deploy. 

Set yourself up for success

If you’re going to be in a kneeling position, put something down first. That could be a folded-up blanket or towel, but more cushioning is generally better. A folded-up yoga mat works well.

Or, if you want to get equipment to support your knees, consider buying a garden kneeler. These are specifically designed to keep your knees slightly elevated off the ground, lessening strain on the joint. A lot of kneelers also have handles on the side to help you get up, further preventing knee strain. 

Get the right tools for the job

A kneeler might not be the only tool you add to your arsenal this summer. 

Think through the activities for which you kneel. Are there any that you could tackle while standing? Longer pruners can help you avoid a crouching position, for example. Several companies also make a variety of stand-up weeding tools to help you protect your knees and back. 

Even if you don’t get new tools, make sure the ones you have work well for you. Sharpening pruners and loppers can help you move more quickly through your outdoor chores. That means spending less time on your knees. 

Move smarter

If you notice knee pain after gardening, ice the area. If that pain keeps coming back, come see us. You might be doing a repetitive motion that’s straining your knee, or the soft tissues that support your knee might be strengthening.

We can help with both. Our physical therapists work with you to identify what’s causing your knee discomfort. Then, we help you adjust your gardening movements to avoid that pain. We can also help you stretch and strengthen the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support this critical joint. 

Don’t let knee pain keep you from tending your garden. Call the Anchor Spine and Joint office nearest you or book your appointment online today by simply clicking the blue “Request an Appointment” button on our site.