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Gardening – Looking After Your Back

27th May 2014

Spring is surely coming soon….and when it does, many people will be out working in their gardens or allotments. Muscles can tire quickly with sustained fixed postures or repetitive tasks, causing aching later on and sometimes joint pain.

To help ensure you’re fit for the tasks ahead I recommend having regular short breaks from any one position or task. You can stop and admire your work for 5 seconds every 5-10 minutes or alternate tasks so that you can change position. A kitchen timer can help mark time passing. In addition, depending on age and fitness, a 10 minute break every 30-40 minutes may be useful.

It’s the fixed and static, or repetitive postures/positions which are most likely to lead to pain in the next few days. Breaks will help your muscles to recover between tasks, and may save an unplanned visit to your Osteopath!

Bring on the sunshine….

Tom

22 March 2013

About Jeni Briggs

Jeni Briggs is the founder of The Courtyard Osteopaths, a practice she established in Bristol in 1994. With over three decades of clinical experience, Jeni brings authoritative insight and expertise to every article she writes.

As a registered osteopath with the General Osteopathic Council and a Fellow of the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy, Jeni's credentials reflect her commitment to the highest standards of practice. Her extensive postgraduate training in cranial osteopathy, combined with her eight years working alongside a highly experienced cranial osteopath in Bath, has given her exceptional depth of knowledge.

Jeni specialises in several areas including paediatric care, pregnancy support, and osteodontics - working collaboratively with Bristol's leading orthodontists. This diverse expertise allows her to address complex health topics with clarity and precision.

Throughout her career, Jeni has treated thousands of patients with varied conditions, from newborns to older adults, giving her a wealth of practical experience that informs her writing. Her ongoing professional development ensures her insights remain current and evidence-based, making her blog posts a reliable source of information for readers seeking to understand and improve their health.

  • Founder & Principal Osteopath
  • The Courtyard Osteopaths
  • Fellow of the Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy
  • Registered with the General Osteopathic Council

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5 Star Review for The Courtyard Osteopaths in Bristol for .
Sam was able to successfully guide me back to a pain free life and, crucially, back to running.

Joe - July 2025

5 Star Review for The Courtyard Osteopaths in Bristol for .
Colette has been amazing at helping with this, and was able to diagnose that the feeding issues were related to tightness due to circumstances during the birth.

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5 Star Review for The Courtyard Osteopaths in Bristol for .
Collet has done an amazing job at fixing the tight side which has also helped my partner who no longer suffers in pain. Couldn’t recommend enough.

Ryan Tucker - July 2025

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