DON'T VEGETATE: CULTIVATE!

• 30 minutes of gardening give general health benefits similar to going for a forearm brisk walk
• gardening tasks require bending your joints and stretching your muscles - preserving flexibility
• lifting and repetitive tasks around the yard build strength and endurance

GET READY...BEFORE YOU GO

• avoid pain and injury when you begin gardening by keeping your body in shape all year round. Do regular physical activity and stretching
• plan ahead have the right tools for the job - maintained and ready for safe use
• keep your supplies within easy reach - consider using a carpenter’s apron
• plan the work area for your comfort
• rehearse the movement prior to your task to give the muscles a stretch
• have to crouch? Warm up with trunk, hip and knee bends
• plan to reach? Stretch your neck and shoulders to mimic the activity.
• warmup stretches should be slow, sustained 10-20 seconds, and painfree

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

• match the size of the gardening tool handle to the size of your hand
• hold your tools in a loose comfortable grip. Holding too tight may cause injury
• choose tools that you can hold so that you keep your hand positioned in line with your forearm
• use tools to reduce work use a wheelbarrow or wagon to transport supplies use power tools for repetitive work
• use an extended handle to reduce the reach
• keep digging and cutting tools sharp
• consider using a low, padded kneeling stool, with side handles to help you stand up, when working at ground level
• be creative! Adapt or create your tools for your comfort pad the handle for hand comfort
• use knee pads or a foam pad for kneeling
• wrap a slippery handle with tape to improve your grip on it (hockey stick tape will do)

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

• Be realistic! Your body is only ready to perform at the level of effort and endurance it is regularly used to, so work within your physical strength. Occupational Health Standards list safe lifting loads as: 64 lbs for middle aged men and 28 lbs for women, but a safe lift is less than this when the load is
  • low to the ground or overhead
  • deep in a truck or difficult to reach or
  • an awkward shape
• Pace yourself. Take a break when you’re tired spread heavy lifting and digging
  • spread heavy lifting and digging tasks over a week rather than a weekend
  • spread major projects throughout spring, summer and fall. Take time to recover between projects
• Avoid overuse: by working in different positions and by doing different activities throughout the day

"POSITION" YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS

• find your “easy zone” - a comfortable posture for your body to work in
• try to do your work in the “zone”
• be warned that continuous activity outside your easy zone may cause sprains and strains
• avoid “out of zone” postures by:
  • moving with your work. Keep your work in front of and close to your body to avoid reaching and twisting
  • using tools to assist you (eg. stools, sprinkler, hose caddy)
  • positioning your body at the height of your work
• can’t avoid an awkward position? A slow reverse stretch every 15 minutes will reduce strain
• lift with your knees slightly bent and your back straight. Avoid twisting or reaching
  

• Movements should be slow and controlled;
• You should feel a gentle stretch of the muscle stretching should not be painful;
• Once you feel a stretch, hold the position 10-15 seconds do not bounce or jerk;
• Repeat each stretch 2 or 3 times.