Gardening without the Aches: PT Tips to Protect Your Back, Knees, and Wrists

Whether you’re working out, playing sports, or just getting through your daily routine,

your back, knees, and wrists take on a lot of stress. As physical therapists, we

frequently treat pain in these areas - often stemming from everyday habits, repetitive

strain, or movement patterns that place unnecessary stress on the body. The good news is that many of these issues are preventable with simple, consistent strategies.

Here are a few practical tips to help you protect the joints you rely on every

day, reduce injury risk, and stay active:

Protecting Your Back

Your back is the foundation for almost every movement you make. It takes forces from

both your arms and legs, so it deserves a little respect.

1. Practice Proper Lifting Mechanics

Focus on using your legs to do the work by bending at your hips and knees, not your

back. Realistically, you don’t need “perfect posture” 24/7. Your spine is designed to

move and bend. But when you’re doing repetitive lifting or handling heavier loads, the

more you can rely on your legs, the better. Also, keep objects close to your body and

avoid twisting while lifting. Your back will thank you or at least not complain as much

later.

2. Engage Your Core

Think of your core as your natural back brace. You have a muscle deep in your core

called your Transverse Abdominus, which acts like a corset. Learning to engage these

muscles during lifting can be super helpful in providing support for the low back.

3. Watch Your Posture

Avoid slouching, especially if you sit a lot. Sit up tall, keep your shoulders relaxed, feet

flat on the floor. Taking regular standing breaks (at least hourly) if you have a job that

requires you to sit a lot can help give your body a postural reset.

4. Move Often

Sitting for long periods can stiffen your spine. Aim to stand up, stretch, or walk every

30–60 minutes.

Protecting Your Knees

Your knees absorb a lot of impact, especially if you’re participating in athletic activities

and workouts. Impact isn’t a bad thing, but if the body isn’t well prepared for it, then we

can see pain or injury.

1. Strengthen Your Hips and Glutes

The hips and glutes play a critical role in knee stability. Weakness in these areas can

lead to increased stress at the knee joint. Exercises like squats, bridges, lunges can all

be good for targeting the glutes.

2. Keep Knees Tracking Properly

When squatting or jumping, make sure your knees stay in line with your toes—not

caving inward. This caving inward can key us into potential weakness at your hips so if

you’re noticing this, refer back to tip #1

3. Don’t Skip Warm-Ups

Cold muscles increase injury risk. Take 5–10 minutes to warm up before activity.

4. Avoid Overloading Too Quickly

Gradually increase intensity, volume, distance, or weight to prevent overuse injuries.

Challenge one of these factors at a time. For example, if you’re doing squats as a part

of your workout routine & you’re ready for more challenge - you could increase the

number of repetitions you’re doing while keeping the same weight. Or you could reduce

the number of repetitions while increasing weight. A physical therapist can help guide

you with this if you have questions.

Protecting Your Wrists

Wrists are often overlooked, but they’re essential for lifting, typing, and numerous

everyday tasks.

1. Maintain Neutral Wrist Position

Keeping your wrists in a neutral (straight) position during activities helps minimize strain

on the joint and surrounding tissues. This is especially important during lifting or if you

are typing a lot for work.

2. Strengthen and Stretch

Incorporate light wrist strengthening and stretching, especially if you use your hands a

lot during the day. A simple stretch: straighten your elbow and gently bend your wrist up

and down to target different muscle groups.

3. Modify When Needed

If push-ups or planks bother your wrists, try using dumbbells to hold onto that will keep

your wrists in a neutral position rather than bent or try dropping to your forearms. This

will give you the same workout benefit with happier wrists.

4. Check Your Setup

If you work at a desk, ensure your keyboard and mouse are positioned to keep your

wrists neutral, rather than angled up or down. Small habits can make a big difference

here.

Final Thoughts

Your body is built to move but how you move matters. Paying attention to form, strength,

and recovery can go a long way in preventing injuries to your back, knees, and wrists.

If you’re experiencing persistent pain or discomfort, it’s always a good idea to consult a

physical therapist. Prevention is powerful so use these tips to help you out, but also

remember that early treatment is just as important

by: Emma Botker