Spring Gardening and Foot Injuries: What to Watch Out For
The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer and suddenly the garden you happily ignored all winter is demanding attention.
There are weeds everywhere. The lawn needs mowing. Something needs pruning. There are bags of soil to move. And that “quick hour in the garden” somehow turns into an entire Saturday.
Spring is a great time to get outside, but it can also be a surprisingly busy time for your feet.
Gardening involves plenty of standing, squatting, lifting, climbing, pushing and walking over uneven ground. If you haven’t been particularly active over winter, suddenly spending hours doing all of the above can leave your feet and legs wondering what exactly happened.
So, before you declare war on the weeds, here are some of the common foot problems we see around gardening season – and a few ways to keep your feet happier while you tackle the backyard.
Why Can Gardening Cause Foot Pain?
Gardening might not feel like exercise, but your body may disagree.
Think about everything involved in a decent gardening session. You could be walking back and forth across the yard, crouching to pull weeds, pushing a lawn mower, carrying bags of potting mix and repeatedly going up and down steps or ladders.
You might also be doing it for several hours without much of a break.
That can be a big jump in activity, particularly if your weekends during winter involved considerably more couch than compost.
Like any physical activity, doing much more than your body is accustomed to can place extra stress on your feet and lower limbs.
Sometimes you feel it straight away. Other times, you wake up the next morning, take your first few steps and realise your gardening enthusiasm may have got slightly ahead of you.
Heel Pain After Gardening
Heel pain is one problem that can become noticeable after spending a long time on your feet.
One possible cause is plantar heel pain, which can involve irritation of the plantar fascia – a strong band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot.
You may notice pain underneath the heel, particularly when taking your first few steps after resting or getting out of bed in the morning.
A long day standing, walking and working on hard or uneven surfaces can sometimes aggravate the area, especially if you suddenly do much more activity than usual.
The shoes you garden in can also play a role.
Which brings us to an important question…
What Are You Wearing on Your Feet?
We know.
They’re your gardening shoes.
They’re old, muddy and have probably been living beside the back door for the past eight years.
But if your gardening shoes have a completely worn-down sole, very little cushioning or no longer fit properly, spending several hours in them may not be doing your feet any favours.
Thongs and very loose slip-on shoes can also be less than ideal for bigger gardening jobs. Apart from offering limited protection from sharp objects, tools and falling branches, they may not provide the stability you need when working on uneven ground.
For longer gardening sessions, consider wearing a comfortable, enclosed shoe with a secure fit and a sole with decent grip.
You’re not entering a gardening fashion competition. Your feet would much rather be comfortable.
Uneven Ground Can Be Tricky
Gardens are rarely perfectly flat.
There are garden beds, tree roots, holes, pavers, rocks, slopes and that one section of lawn that seems determined to twist your ankle every time you walk over it.
Uneven surfaces can make your feet and ankles work harder to keep you balanced.
If you have a history of ankle sprains or poor balance, take extra care when carrying objects across the garden. It’s much harder to see where you’re placing your feet when you’re carrying a giant pot in front of you.
Good footwear with adequate grip can help, but slowing down and paying attention to the surface under your feet is equally important.
That extra trip is probably preferable to attempting to carry six things at once.
Watch Out for Achilles and Calf Pain
Gardening can involve spending quite a lot of time crouching, bending, reaching and pushing.
Your calf muscles and Achilles tendons can get a surprisingly good workout, particularly when you’re pushing a heavy wheelbarrow or lawn mower, working on a slope or repeatedly moving between standing and crouching.
If you haven’t done much of this over winter, a sudden full day in the garden may leave the area feeling stiff or sore.
It can help to break larger gardening jobs into smaller sessions rather than trying to transform the entire backyard in one heroic afternoon.
Your garden will still be there tomorrow. Unfortunately, so will the weeds.
Don’t Forget About Your Toenails
Toenails may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about gardening injuries, but they deserve a mention.
Shoes that are too short or tight can cause your toes to repeatedly hit the front of the shoe, particularly when working downhill or crouching.
This can contribute to bruised or damaged toenails.
Keeping your toenails trimmed can help, but avoid cutting them extremely short or digging into the corners. Cutting nails incorrectly may increase the risk of developing an ingrown toenail.
And if you drop a pot, brick or gardening tool on your toe?
That is another excellent reason to choose enclosed shoes rather than thongs.
Cuts and Puncture Wounds Aren’t Something to Ignore
Gardens contain plenty of things capable of causing a cut or puncture wound.
Thorns, sticks, sharp rocks, broken pots, tools and other objects can all cause trouble if you step on them.
Wearing enclosed footwear provides a useful layer of protection, but if you do injure your foot, keep an eye on the area.
Small wounds on the feet shouldn’t automatically be dismissed, particularly if you have diabetes, reduced circulation or reduced sensation in your feet. In these cases, even a minor cut, blister or wound deserves attention.
If a wound is deep, contaminated, becoming increasingly red or swollen, or doesn’t appear to be healing normally, seek appropriate medical care.
A Little Preparation Can Go a Long Way
You don’t need an elaborate pre-gardening warm-up routine before pulling a few weeds.
But if you’re planning a serious day outside, it can help to treat gardening like any other physical activity.
Start gradually rather than launching straight into hours of heavy work. Take regular breaks, change positions instead of remaining crouched or standing in one place for long periods, and avoid doing every big garden job on the same day.
If you’ve been relatively inactive during winter, give your body a little time to adjust to being more active again.
And if something starts hurting, don’t assume you have to finish the garden before you’re allowed to stop.
The roses won’t mind.
When Should You See a Podiatrist?
A little general muscle soreness after a busy day can be normal, particularly if you’ve done more activity than usual.
Pain that keeps returning, becomes worse or starts affecting the way you walk is worth paying attention to.
You might notice:
Rather than repeatedly testing it with “maybe it’ll be fine today,” getting the problem assessed can help you understand what is causing it and what you can do to settle it down.
Enjoy the Garden Without Sacrificing Your Feet
Spring gardening is a great way to get outside and get moving. You certainly don’t need to avoid it because you’re worried about your feet.
A few simple choices like sensible shoes, gradual increases in activity, regular breaks and a little more care on uneven surfaces, can make those long gardening sessions much more comfortable.
And if your spring gardening efforts have left you hobbling back inside rather than admiring your handiwork, Hurst Podiatry can help. Bring us the sore heel, unhappy ankle or troublesome toenail. You can leave the weeds at home.
