If you’ve spent time working outdoors, running a weed eater or doing landscape work, you may have experienced nagging neck pain, tightness in your upper traps, or even a sharp, radiating pain that shoots down your arm. These symptoms are more common than most people realize—and they’re often caused by the repetitive postures and vibrations that come with yard work.

At our Olathe chiropractic care office, we frequently see patients with pain stemming from outdoor tasks like mowing, trimming, and weed eating. These jobs might seem harmless, but the physical stress they place on your spine, especially your cervical spine, can lead to inflammation, nerve compression, and even radicular pain that travels into the arm.

Let’s break down why this happens and how chiropractic care can help you recover.

Why Yard Work Causes Neck and Shoulder Pain

Whether you’re holding a weed eater for an hour or raking leaves all day, landscape work demands prolonged postures that strain your neck and upper back. The most common causes of neck pain and upper trap tightness from weed eating include:

Prolonged forward head posture: Looking down while edging or trimming can overwork the cervical spine and upper trapezius muscles.
Vibration from equipment: Repeated vibrations from handheld tools can irritate the nerves in the neck and shoulder region.
Unilateral loading: Holding the equipment on one side of your body places uneven stress on your spine and shoulder, contributing to asymmetrical muscle fatigue and joint stress.

Over time, this can lead to inflammation and muscle tightness. In more severe cases, it can even cause a cervical disc bulge, which puts pressure on the spinal nerves, resulting in radicular symptoms—tingling, numbness, or shooting pain down the arm and into the elbow or hand.

Recognizing Radicular Pain

When patients come into our office with complaints of arm pain after yard work, we evaluate for signs of cervical radiculopathy. This condition occurs when a nerve root in the cervical spine is compressed or irritated. Symptoms may include:

Numbness or tingling in the shoulder, arm, or hand
Weakness in the biceps, triceps, or grip strength
Pain that worsens when turning the head or extending the neck

Ignoring these symptoms can lead to worsening nerve compression and more significant loss of function. That’s why early treatment is essential.

Chiropractic Care and Cervical Decompression for Landscape-Related Pain

At our Olathe chiropractic clinic, we provide targeted treatment to address the underlying causes of neck pain and radicular symptoms from yard work. Our approach focuses on three key components:

1. Chiropractic Adjustments

Gentle cervical adjustments help restore proper joint motion and relieve pressure on the irritated nerves. By improving alignment, we reduce muscular tension in the upper traps and improve biomechanics in the cervical spine.

2. Cervical Decompression Therapy

Non-invasive spinal decompression therapy gently stretches the neck to reduce pressure on compressed nerve roots. This technique is highly effective for patients with herniated or bulging discs, providing relief from radicular arm pain without the need for surgery or medication.

3. Stretch Routine for Recovery and Prevention

We guide our patients through a personalized stretch routine to relieve tight muscles and improve nerve mobility. A few staples include:

Upper Trap Stretch: Gently tilting your head to the side while anchoring the opposite arm down helps release the trapezius muscle.
Nerve Glide for Arm Pain: Mobilizes the irritated nerve through gentle motion, reducing numbness or tingling.
Forearm Flexor/Extensor Stretches: Helpful for patients also experiencing elbow pain from gripping tools during long landscaping sessions.

We also emphasize postural awareness and ergonomic tips for future yard work, helping you avoid reinjury.

Don’t Ignore Neck Pain From Yard Work—We’re Here to Help

If landscape work or running a weed eater has left you with persistent neck pain, upper trap tension, or nerve pain into your arms, it’s time to take action. These symptoms are often signs of deeper cervical spine issues that require targeted care.

At Woodroof Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Olathe, our team is experienced in treating spine and nerve conditions caused by yard work. Through chiropractic care, cervical decompression, and guided rehabilitation, we’ll help you get back to your life pain-free—so you can enjoy your outdoor projects without suffering afterward.

Book your appointment today and take the first step toward lasting relief.