Gardening is one of the most rewarding hobbies, but for many people in Olathe it comes with an unexpected downside: back pain. As a chiropractor in Olathe, I treat patients every week who develop lower back tightness, muscle strain, disc irritation, or nerve pain after spending hours bending, kneeling, lifting, and twisting in the garden. These repeated motions place stress on the joints, discs, and muscles of your spine—especially if your core is weak or your posture slips when you're tired.
Back pain from gardening occurs when the lumbar spine and surrounding muscles are overloaded with repetitive forward bending, prolonged kneeling, and lifting heavy items with poor mechanics. These movements increase pressure on the lumbar discs, tighten the paraspinal muscles, and can irritate the nerves that travel into the hips and legs.
Why this problem happens: Gardening forces your body into repeated flexion (bending), which compresses the front of your lumbar discs and strains the paraspinal muscles. Twisting under load—such as pulling weeds or lifting soil—irritates the facet joints. Prolonged kneeling can tighten the hip flexors, which increases stress across the lower back when you stand upright.
Common symptoms patients notice include:
• A deep, aching tightness across the lower back after gardening
• Sharp pain when standing up after kneeling
• Stiffness that improves after walking around
• Pain that radiates into the hips or buttocks
• Muscle spasms after lifting bags of soil or mulch
• Pinching or catching sensations when bending forward
• Tension extending into the mid-back or shoulders
• Disc-type pain that worsens with sitting after gardening
• Difficulty straightening up the next morning
Clinical patterns I see in the office: Many gardeners report pain when bending forward but relief when leaning back into extension. Others notice increased tightness after long periods of kneeling or weeding. Patients with underlying disc irritation often feel pain with twisting or lifting. Those with weaker core stability frequently experience muscle spasms after a full day outside. And almost everyone reports that the pain improves after receiving chiropractic adjustments or performing the right stretches and exercises.
How chiropractic helps: At our office, we use a combination of evidence-based chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and hydromassage therapy to reduce inflammation, restore normal motion, and decrease pressure on irritated discs and nerves. Gentle adjustments free up stiff joints caused by repeated bending. Spinal decompression helps relieve disc compression from leaning forward. Hydromassage relaxes tight paraspinal and hip muscles after prolonged kneeling. We also incorporate corrective exercises from our exercise & stretch routine program to improve core stability, hip mobility, and proper lifting mechanics.
Our treatment approach at Woodroof Chiropractic includes:
• Chiropractic care to restore joint motion
• Spinal decompression for disc relief
• Hydromassage for muscle recovery
• Targeted strengthening to support the lower back
• Stretching routines to reduce tightness and improve posture
• Core stabilization exercises for long-term protection
• Posture and activity coaching specific to gardening
Most patients begin noticing improvement within the first few visits.
Frequently asked questions include:
• Why does my back hurt more after bending in the garden?
Because repeated forward flexion increases disc pressure and strains the paraspinal muscles.
• Should I see a chiropractor for gardening-related back pain?
Yes—especially if pain lasts more than a few days, radiates, or feels sharp.
• When is gardening pain serious?
If you experience numbness, tingling, radiating pain, sharp pain with lifting, or pain that doesn’t improve with rest.
• How long until I feel better?
Most patients improve within 3–6 visits with chiropractic care, decompression, and targeted exercises.
• Does insurance cover treatment?
Many plans do; you can check details on our insurance page.
If you’re dealing with gardening-related back pain, we can help. Call our Olathe chiropractic office today at 913-735-6351 or click Schedule Your Visit to get started so you can enjoy your garden again—without pain.
Dr. Ike Woodroof
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