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Regular breaks and exercises can prepare your body for the physical movements involved in gardening. CAMILLA FOSTER finds out more

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AS THE days grow longer and temperatures rise, it’s natural to feel the urge to dive into some gardening.

While working in the garden can be incredibly rewarding for the soul, it’s not always as gentle on your back. Here’s how to enjoy every moment in the garden without the aches and pains this spring.

Which gardening activities can lead to back problems?

“Many of us wouldn't think of lifting 10-20kg in the gym, but we will happily lift bags of compost or manure far heavier than this when gardening,” notes Michael Fatica, lead osteopath and co-founder of Back in Shape program.

“Trips to the garden centre can also be risky as they often involve lifting heavy items into the boot and then unloading back at the house.”

Lucy Macdonald from Restart-Physio highlights that any repetitive movement that your body isn’t used to can also lead to injury.

“If you suddenly start doing lots of digging or planting or anything that involves a lot of repetitions that you haven't done for a long time, that will increases your risk of back pain and injury,” she says.