Healthy gardening: Injury prevention tips

As spring and summer roll in, many of us look forward to spending time in the garden. However, injuries can sometimes disrupt this beloved hobby. Common issues our Kirinari Physiotherapists often seen include joint pain, tendon irritations, and accidents.

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy while gardening:

• Maintain fitness year-round: Our bodies often don’t respond well to sudden changes in force or repetitive movements. By staying fit and keeping your cardiovascular system in good shape throughout the year, you can prevent overload injuries, especially when tackling seasonal tasks.
• Alternate hands when possible: Switching up the hands you use helps distribute the force evenly across your body, reducing the risk of overloading a single area. This technique is particularly useful for activities like weeding and sweeping.
• Vary your posture and position: Change your body position between bending, squatting, and lunging to evenly distribute force across your major joints and muscle groups. This helps minimise strain on any one area.
• Use well-maintained tools: Keeping your tools and machines in good working order allows them to do the heavy lifting, which reduces strain on your body and makes tasks easier to complete.
• Take regular breaks: Depending on your fitness level and the difficulty of the tasks, short breaks can help reset your posture, allow you to breathe, and give you a chance to stretch before returning to work.
• Prioritise safety: Take the time to properly set up your working environment, such as ladders and digging equipment, to minimise the risk of accidents.

Enjoy your time in the garden and all the benefits it brings!

Disclaimer: Everyone is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to health. You should always seek health advice from a registered health professional. The blog article above is for general informational value only and you should not rely on this as a substitute for health advice.