When Are You Too Old to Mow Your Own Lawn? Experts Weigh In

Nothing compares to the first flush of spring with its warm breezes, blooming foliage, and sunny days. It’s also the time of year that regular landscaping must begin again, including mowing the lawn, which brings up the common question of what age to stop mowing the lawn.

For some older adults especially, mowing the lawn is a great opportunity to get some exercise while enjoying the sunshine — and a nicely shorn lawn afterward. But there’s a dark side to mowing the lawn. More than 80,000 people are hospitalized each year for lawn mower-related injuries, according to a 2006 study by Annals of Emergency Medicine (via Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health).

Tragically, many of these injuries happen to children. However, lawn mower accidents are also prevalent among older adults who may not be as spry as they once were and who may be more susceptible to overexertion. This naturally leads to the question, “How old is too old to mow the lawn?”

A common response is to suggest that older adults simply not mow the lawn altogether, but experts say there is no specific age to stop mowing the lawn. Rather, being aware of the risks, taking steps to mitigate them, and being aware of one’s own health limits should be the deciding factor. Ahead, we break down advice from experts.

Risks of Mowing the Lawn

Whether you’re using a riding lawn mower or a push mower, mowing the lawn comes with a host of risks. According to the study published by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, “the most common injuries were caused by strikes from debris, such as rocks and branches, propelled by the mower’s spinning blades.” A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that the most common types of injuries were lacerations, fractures, and amputations. The most common injury locations were the wrist or hand and foot or toe.

Emergency medicine physician Jordan Kapper, whose background includes trauma, reveals that after 15 years in suburban and rural emergency departments, he’s witnessed every lawnmower injury imaginable. “The mechanism of injury that haunts our trauma bay [is] the classic ‘cleaning the mower deck’ maneuver,” Kapper says. “Just last month, I treated a young man and seasoned maintenance worker [that] lost three fingers. The blade had stopped visually, but the mower was still on, and once the grass/vine clog was gone, so were his fingers.”

While push lawnmowers are dangerous, riding lawnmowers can be too. Kapper explains, “Riding mower rollovers present a different problem entirely. The injuries typically involve crushing mechanisms — pelvic fractures, flail chest, pneumothoraces — often with delayed internal hemorrhage that becomes apparent only after the initial trauma survey.” Kapper highlights how age becomes a factor with these types of lawn mower accidents: “The age component here is important as well. When that machine starts to tip, you have approximately 1.5 seconds to dismount before physics takes over.” Older adults may not be able to move as quickly as they once could.

Cardiologist Matthew Segar adds, “The major risks of mowing the lawn include falls, musculoskeletal injuries from repetitive motions, worsening of respiratory conditions from grass allergens or mower emission, and heat-related illness. From a cardiology perspective, mowing the lawn in hot weather can cause strain on the heart.”

Kapper adds the following related to older adults and cardiac trouble when mowing the lawn: “The cardiac events we see follow a predictable pattern: deconditioned cardiovascular systems suddenly subjected to high-intensity and consistent exertion, peripheral vasodilation from heat exposure and a drive of many to ‘push through the pain until the job is done’ leads to cardiovascular catastrophe. This can mean heart attacks, deadly arrhythmias or simple heat exertion.”

In addition to the physical risks, lawn mower injuries have substantial financial implications. The same National Library of Medicine study found that mean emergency department charges were $2,482 per patient, while the mean inpatient charges were a whopping $36,987.

How Old Is Too Old to Mow the Lawn?

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According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, most lawn mower-related injuries occur in children under 15 and adults ages 60 and over. Science Direct reports, “Lawnmower injuries increase with age, with peaks in persons older than 59 years.”

With these statistics in mind, many may feel that older adults should simply stop mowing the lawn to minimize the risk of injury. But this would deprive older individuals of not only a worthwhile activity and an opportunity to be outside and even socialize, but could also lessen their chances of staying healthy and fit.

Kapper agrees. “What many safety articles miss,” he says, is that “deconditioning poses equal danger. I regularly admit patients in their 70s who’ve suffered falls simply walking across their living rooms because they’ve eliminated all physical activity from their lives. Their well-intentioned adult children banned them from yard work but provided no alternative activity to maintain functional strength.”

Rather than banning older adults from yard work, Kapper suggests the following: “My evidence-based recommendation isn’t typical. Beyond cardiovascular conditioning, I prescribe resistance training specifically targeting functional movements. Research from the geriatric literature demonstrates that maintaining grip strength and core stability dramatically reduces mortality across multiple domains. For lawn mower safety specifically, the ability to quickly generate force (to jump clear of a tipping mower) or maintain balance (on uneven terrain) directly correlates with prevention of severe injury.”

Segar agrees that there is no specific age at which to stop mowing the lawn. “The decision should be based on your individual health status and physical capabilities rather than chronological age,” he says.

Tips to Mow the Lawn Safely

Much of lawnmower injury prevention involves actions that those who are using the lawnmowers can control.

Kapper advises keeping a few general things in mind: “Mowing the lawn during cooler parts of the day, staying hydrated, and taking frequent breaks can help improve your heart health while mowing the lawn. It’s also important to know the signs and symptoms of overexertion. This includes chest pain, dizziness, and excessive fatigue. Using a self-propelled or riding lawn mower can also help reduce exertion.”

David Bishai, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., senior author of the study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, and associate professor in the Department of Population and Family Health Sciences at the Bloomberg School, recommends the following more specific safety measures.

• Wear goggles, long pants and close-toed shoes with grip soles
• Clear the yard of debris before mowing
• Keep everyone from the yard while mowing
• People with histories of chest, back or joint pain should reconsider mowing
• Use care and wear protective gloves when servicing the mower or changing blades
• Many injuries occur while lifting the mower—get help if needed
• Never service the mower while it is running
• Mow only in good weather conditions—avoid mowing in high-heat
• Do not use a riding mower on steep hills or embankments
• Do not carry passengers on riding mowers or tow passengers behind the mower

About the Experts

• Jordan Kapper, M.D., is a distinguished Emergency Medicine physician and successful real estate investor. With a background in trauma, airway management, sepsis, stroke, and travel medicine, Dr. Kapper is a highly skilled and adaptable physician. He has trained at a level 1 trauma center and is board-certified in Emergency Medicine.
• Matt Segar, M.D., is a board-certified cardiologist and is currently a cardiac electrophysiology fellow at the Texas Heart Institute, where he also completed his cardiology fellowship. Dr. Segar received his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and graduated from Internal Medicine residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Sources

• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: “Injuries from Lawn Mowing Increase Nationwide” (2006).
• Science Direct: “Lawnmower Injuries in the United States: 1996 to 2004” (2006).
• National Library of Medicine: “Incidence, Distribution, and Cost of Lawn-Mower Injuries in the United States, 2006-2013” (2018).