Leaf Clearing Safety Tips: How to Avoid Injury This Autumn
Autumn is here, and with it comes a carpet of colourful leaves across our gardens and paths in Chandlers Ford. While leaf clearing can be satisfying and great exercise, it also brings a surprising risk of back or shoulder injury. Over recent weeks on my travels in and around the very leafy suburb of Chandlers Ford, I’ve seen people mid leaf clearing. On more than one occasion my natural physio thought process has screamed inside my head “Eeeek, injury risk!” 
“Here in Chandlers Ford, many gardens are surrounded by mature trees – which makes autumn leaf clearing both beautiful and back-breaking!”
As a local physio clinic, we often see people hurt themselves doing everyday seasonal jobs. So here’s our top leaf clearing safety tips to help you stay active and pain-free this autumn.
Top Leaf Clearing Safety Tips
Tackle it in short bursts
Don’t go out and try and clear large areas all in one go, Set a time limit, clear what you can and then go and do another activity for a while to take a break. Then return to it and do another short burst. Keep on top of the job over the autumn so you’re not clearing such a huge amount in one go. Picking up leaves can involve a lot of bending forwards – this is usually fine if done in short bursts, but if you spend the whole day in this position (or any position in fact!), that’s when your body can start to complain and you may feel issues like back pain from gardening.
Get help
Share the task if you can, get the kids or grandchildren involved to get the job done quicker and share the physical burden. It’s very easy to pick up a gardening injury from a very simple task.
Use the right tools
A rake or broom is probably the simplest way or clearing leaves, moving the leaves into large piles and then using a shovel to lift into a wheelbarrow or bin for disposal.. Again, this is easier if you can have help to share the load. This technique is OK for small areas but if you have large areas to clear there are lots of other gadgets that can help. Leaf blowers are often seen being used. These can be great if you can blow them into an area like a compost that they won’t need to be moved or picked up. But if you still have to pick them up once they’re piled, you need to take care. Leaf blowers can be light weight but it’s still better to tackle in sort bursts to minimise any injury risk. You can also get lawn vacuums now, that will collect the leaves efficiently.
Think about your posture
If you do have to physically handle the leaves, it’s good to have in mind how a small child would naturally approach the task. They will instinctively crouch down, using their knees to bend to get close to the ground. As long as you haven’t got hip or knee issues, using the power of the large muscles in your legs to crouch down and collect the leaves will help protect your back. What you want to avoid is repeating or holding the same posture for long periods of time.
Listen to your body
If you start to get a little niggle, your body will be feeling the physical strain of the task you are doing. Take a rest and give your body chance to recover. Don’t ignore pain, it’s a warning sign. Tackle the job again when the pain subsides. If you do feel pain or stiffness after gardening, our team at goPhysio in Chandlers Ford can help assess and treat any gardening-related injuries. Gardening is a great form of activity but it can be surprisingly very physically demanding.
Approach it like you would a sporting activity, ease in gradually, warm up for the task and don’t overdo it. Meanwhile, enjoy this beautiful season!
Getting out in the garden is fantastic exercise, it’ll certainly get you active and moving in the fresh air, which is a fab way of incorporating activity into your life. Then you can sit back and enjoy the outcome of your work (until the wind picks up again!!).
If you live in Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, or Winchester and find yourself struggling with back pain after gardening, get in touch with goPhysio – our friendly physio team can help you recover quickly and safely.
Some FAQs about Leaf Clearing
What’s the best way to avoid back pain when clearing leaves? Take regular breaks, bend your knees rather than your back, and avoid twisting when lifting piles of leaves.
Is leaf clearing good exercise? Yes! It’s a great way to get active outdoors, as long as you pace yourself and use good technique.
When should I see a physio for a gardening injury? If pain lasts more than a couple of days or affects your movement, it’s best to get checked by a physio to prevent further injury.