RESEARCH has shown that gardening is good for the mind, body and the soul but it can also be a painful experience for those people who do not follow good ergonomic habits while working in the garden.
Ergonomic habits are designed for maximum comfort, efficiency, safety, and ease of use, especially in the workplace.
But before you do any heavy work in the garden, you must warm up the body before it goes full speed.
Warm up by stretching in various positions to loosen legs, arms and back and don't do those quick-snap stretches that hurt muscles, do it slowly and carefully. Even getting out the tools, pots and other items can help the body warm up before working.
Having good posture is the single most important ergonomic technique to learn and use while working in the garden because good posture prevents many other injuries in the legs, back and shoulders.
Who has not seen someone digging or raking with legs straight but back bent towards the ground as they reach for their work? Not only does the typical bent-back position strain the lower back but it also puts stress on the shoulders and arm, not to mention our resolve.
The proper way to shovel or rake is to stand up straight, keeping the legs at least shoulder width apart to afford a good centre of gravity and with a straight back, bend your legs at the knee to lower your centre to the ground to allow some thrust positioning.
Now, if you try this you'll probably say my back hurts, which is probably due to the fact that your lower back muscles are being used properly for the first time since you started digging in a bent over position.
The next technique to allow you to keep a straight back is to avoid reaching for your work. That's what legs are for, so move instead of reaching.
I see gardeners reaching out and over all the time and it was a particular problem when I was training students.
People reach out and over to get at whatever and consequently they bend their back. Don't reach, stand straight and move to your work.
With your back straight, legs bent slightly and feet apart while staying close to your target work, you can work all day without feeling like a coal miner.
Lifting injuries can largely be avoided by having a good working posture, by lifting heavy items with your legs not your back and by keeping heavy items close to the body.
Sounds easy, right?
But there's one more critical component of good lifting - not lifting with your ego, which is usually more of a problem for men than women.
Use dollies, wheelbarrows, carts, a friend or any other lifting aid to carry heavy items.
Why carry all that weight on your body? We did invent the wheel, so why not use it.
I've seen so many people go to the landscape yard to load their trucks or vans with stones, boulders, pavers or lumber just to save a few bucks on the delivery charge.
What's the point of the saving a few bucks only to wear out your back doing all that extra lifting?
Have heavy items delivered. It gives someone a job and you can spend time on other more important tasks.
If you must lift, check your ego, know your limits, have your feet apart and squat down, do not bend, then lift bringing the item into your body to spread the weight over your legs and arms and walk slowly.
Do not turn your shoulders when you lift, you could hurt your back muscles. Instead, turn by moving your legs and your whole body at once in the direction you wish to turn.
Protecting your hands while working is an absolute must for gardeners, unless you want to have caveman hands.
I have friends who garden that say they cannot wear gloves they cannot feel their work. If you don't wear gloves, soon enough you won't feel anything in your scarred, stumpy and cracked hands.
There's a glove for any job in horticulture, especially with modern technology. There are even arthritis gloves now that provide compression and warm for your hands while you garden.
Admittedly, I do not wear gloves while I prickout seedlings because a very gentle touch is required, but that's about it. I wear gloves for all other tasks.
Wrist guards, tensor bandages and a wide range of orthopedic aids now exist for those people who have wrist, arm or elbow strain issues.
Consult your doctor to get the best possible advice for those items.
So if you plan on digging deep this season, remember to stand straight, bend your knees, move to your work and enjoy the garden.
Todd Major is a journeyman horticulturist, garden designer, writer, consultant and organic advocate. For advice contact him at [email protected].
