By Alex Ferrara, MS, OTR/L, CHT, Occupational Therapist and Hand Therapy Supervisor, and Peter Yucis, PT, DPT, Physical Therapist —Virtua Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation

Yard work is great exercise, but it can also lead to unexpected injuries if you're not careful. Tasks like mowing, planting, trimming, or raking often involve repetitive motions, heavy tools, or awkward grips, which can increase your risk for hand, wrist, or back strain. These simple, proactive safety tips can help keep you from getting hurt. 

Safety tips for preventing yard work injuries

Lawn mowing safety

Lawn mower injuries are a common cause of hand and feet injuries. According to a 2018 Public Health Reports study, there were more than 51,000 lawn mower injuries between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2013. About 65% of them involved the hand or wrist, and about 20% involved the foot or ankle.

Common lawn mower hand injuries include:

• Cuts
• Fractures
• Amputations
• Burns

These tips can help you stay safe while you’re mowing the lawn:

• Always wear durable work gloves as well as high ankle work boots when operating a lawn mower.
• Keep hands and feet away from all moving parts, even when the mower is off.
• Don’t use your hand to unclog lawn mower jams. Turn off the lawn mower, remove the spark plug, and then use a stick or tool to clear the clog.
• Avoid touching hot parts of the lawn mower.
• Never lift a lawn mower from the bottom.

Gardening safety

Gardening is a great activity, providing low-impact exercise, as well as personal satisfaction from creating beautiful landscaping to harvesting healthy fruits and vegetables. However, even gardening has potential for hand injuries, including:

• Cuts
• Puncture wounds from thorns
• Trigger finger from repetitive gripping and squeezing of shears or tools
• Tendonitis from repetitive wrist motions

These tips can help you stay safe while you’re gardening:

• Wear protective gloves to avoid cuts and puncture injuries.
• Use tools with large handles to avoid stress on finger joints.
• Wear protective gloves with padding to avoid friction on your palms when using tools.
• Avoid flexing your wrist too far up or down.
• Take a break every 20 to 30 minutes during long periods of gardening.

Raking safety

Raking can boost cardiovascular health, burn calories, and strengthen core and upper-body muscles, but it can also put stress on your back, shoulders, and joints. Common raking injuries include:

• Low and middle back pain from bending or twisting
• Shoulder pain from overextending with the rake
• Knee strain from improper lifting
• General fatigue or dehydration from overexertion

These tips can help you stay safe while you’re raking:

• Choose a rake with a handle that reaches shoulder height to avoid bending at the waist.
• Use short strokes and move your feet instead of twisting.
• Bend at the knees when lifting piles of leaves, keep the pile close to your body, and pivot your whole body as you bag them.
• Stay hydrated, stretch, and do gentle back extensions to relieve tension.

Following this advice can help you safely enjoy your yard.

Virtua's here to keep you active and injury-free!

If you need care for an orthopedic injury, Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics offers a full range of services from physical therapy to minimally invasive procedures.

We want to help you find the right specialist for your needs. Request an appointment now or call 609-267-9400 for an appointment or information.