Dig In The Dirt & Avoid Injuries!

Dig In The Dirt & Avoid Injuries!

At the first sign of warmer weather and chirping robins gardeners begin counting the days until they can gleefully dig in the dirt. After a long winter season though, many of us have been lacking in exercise and are generally unconditioned for the heavy tasks that gardening can bring such as lifting, shoveling and excessive bending. This makes us susceptible to strained muscles and nagging injuries. Some common sense tips and proper ergonomics can make all the difference in maintaining your health while gardening.

  

 Common Sense Tips To Avoid Gardening Injuries:

• Warm up before you begin. Get your heart rate up by taking a 10-minute walk followed by some stretches for your upper and lower back, neck, arms and legs. Roll your shoulders back in a circular motion and slowly move your head from side to side a few times to loosen up.
• Don’t over do it. Be mindful of how the body feels. If you experience an aching back or neck, slow down and stretch or stop and switch to a different task.
• Use a garden cart or wheelbarrow to move tools and heavy planting materials.Don’t kneel on both knees. Keep one foot on the ground to give your back more stability. If you have to kneel use knee pads or a pillow to absorb some of the pressure.
• Change positions frequently to avoid stiffness or cramping.
• End your gardening session with a short walk or some light stretching. Take a warm bath or shower to help prevent next-day soreness.

STAMINA Ergonomic Tip For Gardening Longevity: 
This tip will dramatically decrease your chances of unnecessary injuries! Any gardening activity should be performed with your feet and legs in neutral or internal rotation. In other words feet are positioned straight ahead and make sure your knees are closer together when kneeling. 

If you garden with your feet or knees in external rotation this will cause loss of strength and stability in muscles and joints and lead to potential injury. Be aware of this simple tip and see the difference it makes in preventing injury while doing your digging, planting and pruning!