The first warm weekend of spring pulls people outside, trowel in hand, ready to dig, plant, and prune after a long winter indoors. What starts as a relaxing afternoon in the yard, however, can quickly turn into days of stiffness, soreness, or sharp pain that keeps you off your feet. Gardening involves repetitive bending, twisting, lifting, and kneeling, and without proper technique, the cumulative strain on your spine can be significant.