It is only Wednesday morning at Quinn Chiropractic and I just saw my third patient this week complaining of lower back pain following weed whacking their yard. Spring in Arroyo Grande is beautiful with green hills and wild flowers, but it is also a time to get gardens and yards back in shape for summer and that often means pulling out the weed whacker. The weed whacker leads to a lot of lower back pain because most people make the mistake of bending at their waist while rotating side to side with the weed whacker. This strains the lower back muscles and leads to misalignment of the lower back and hip bones. As a chiropractor and garden enthusiast I also have to remind myself of the proper posture to prevent injuring my back.

Here are some tips from Quinn Chiropractic in Arroyo Grande.

Good Posture. Weed whacking can be back-breaking if you don’t let your body and trimmer work together. Keep your shoulders back and your knees soft. Pick up the trimmer with your right hand on the throttle end and your left hand on the assist handle. Keep the power unit at about waist level, with the attachment and head parallel to the ground. Squat by bending your knees; resist the temptation to simply bend over. You may feel a little silly (or like a duck), but your back will thank you later.

Technique. Hold your trimmer parallel, 2 to 3 inches from the ground, and use an even, side-to-side sweeping motion. Working in the direction that your trimmer head spins will make the work easier. In other words, if your trimmer head spins clockwise, work from right to left.

Happy Weed Whacking from Quinn Chiropractic!