JNJ wrote:

I have a bad back and I've been gardening again so it's starting to
hurt. I was curious what some others are doing to protect and support
their backs while working in the landscape?

The wrap-around back-braces that workers used to use on the job haven't
been proven to do any good. The most important things to do are to warm
up and stretch before starting. Then use good techniqe like bending
your legs instead of your back. Never lift with your back. When
pulling weeds, get down on the ground. Don't bend over. Use heat after
a good workout. I found that doing standing touching toe exercises will
prevent me from getting stiff necks and back problems if I do them
regularly.

Occupational therapists can teach you how to do things in the garden
without hurting your back. That is their job. They teach people how to
do things they normally do in life without agravating known problems or
creating new problems.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://members.aol.com/rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning