Cultivating Strength – Stepping Stone Fitness Series

Many gardeners experience pain in their low back, knees, and wrists (Park et al., 2008, as cited in Nicklett et al., 2016). By targeting common muscle imbalance and rebuilding vital movement patterns we can potentially reduce pain from gardening as well as the risk of future injury (Burton, 2008). While there are many reasons for knee, hip, and lower back pain our series aims to focus on the musculoskeletal connection to it. Our body’s kinetic chain is interconnected, meaning if we have a muscular imbalance or poor movement mechanic in one area, it can lead to injuries and pain in different areas that are distal from the problem site (Almansoof, et al., 2023). 

Some of the often underdeveloped or forgotten muscles are the glute medius, groin, tibialis anterior, rotator cuff muscles, and the core. Poor stabilization of our feet, knees, and hips can lead to the common pain we associate with gardening, but it can also be managed with dedicated efforts. 

Read more about muscle imbalances: https://www.eastsidefamilyhealth.com/blog/why-muscle-imbalances-are-the-hidden-cause-of-knee-degeneration

Week-to-week we will post a set of 3 exercises. One for your core, upper body, and lower body. These exercises are designed to be simple and easy at first and progress as the weeks go on. We will also include regressions to make the exercises easier and progressions to make them harder. 

We suggest doing each exercise atleast 2x / week. After completing the recommended reps for an exercise take a short break then repeat the exercises 1-2 more times. If you want to make your chosen exercise easier/harder add or subtract 1-2 reps and increase or decrease the length of your holds to a more manageable level. 

Week 1:  https://edmontonhort.com/stepping-stone-series-week-1/

If you are beginning a new fitness program, it is highly recommended that you complete the standardized Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). This is educational material and not professional medical advice. If you have any medical conditions, injuries, or concerns about your readiness for exercise, it is best to consult with a healthcare provider first.

https://eparmedx.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PARQPlus2025ImageFile.pdf

Almansoof, et al., 2023. Role of kinetic chain in sports performance and injury risk: a narrative review. Journal of medicine and life, 16(11), 1591–1596. https://doi.org/10.25122/jml-2023-0087

Nicklett et al., 2016. Gardening Activities and Physical Health Among Older Adults: A Review of the Evidence. Journal of applied gerontology: the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society, 35(6), 678–690. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464814563608 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4469628/

Burton, et al., (2005). How to prevent low back pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 19(4), 541–555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2005.03.001