Back Saving Tips for Raking and Bagging Leaves

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Turning leaves, light up yards with a rainbow of warm, fall colors. For a few short minutes, the homeowner can bask in the beauty of this seasonal creation, and then, must rake. Raking and bagging fall leaves is a labor intensive job. Back pain and injury are easy to succumb to, when raking hundreds of pounds of leaves in one session. Practicing healthy raking, will prevent all injuries and keep your back safe and pain free.

WARM IT UP

Warming up before beginning a session of leaf raking is the single most important way to prevent back injury. Just like any other form of physical fitness, raking uses many muscles certainly not in use moments before. Think of the warm ups as raking preparation. Stretching back and leg muscles, as well as, touching your toes and holding for repetitions of 10 seconds are both great ways to warm up those cold muscles before beginning to rake.

USE THOSE KNEES OR A STOOL

After raking large amounts of leaves into piles, homeowners often bag the leaves for disposal. When bagging freshly raked leaves, never bend at the waist. While it may feel comfortable while bagging, the day after, the body will no longer feel so great. Bending while bagging leaves, uses back muscles for the majority of the strain. This overuse of the muscles will cause pain, discomfort and possibly injury. Instead of bending at the back, bend at the knees to lessen the strain. If you are unable to bend at the knees for longer periods of time, try pulling a stool up next to the piles of leaves and sit while bagging. No one should be embarrassed to save their backs.

BREAK IT UP

Just as with any job, raking requires frequent breaks. Raking for hours on end may help the look of the yard, but will not help your back the next day. Overuse injuries most commonly occur well into the raking session. After prolonged periods of the same exercise, the muscles begin to fail and the raker, who continues to rake, will eventually harm the muscles. Breaking for 10 minutes after 20-30 minutes of work, is the best way to save your back from injury and pain.

A DOLLAR SAVED MAY COST YOUR BACK