Gardening

Enjoy your gardening with this great advice direct from the British Chiropractic Association.

Clothes
– Don’t wear clothes that are tight or could constrict your movement.

Warm Up
– Gardening is like any other exercise; you need to warm up first. Don’t go straight into heavy garden work; start off with lighter jobs, as this will lessen the chance of muscle strain.

Clever spring pruning
– Get as close as possible to the things you are pruning and avoid overstretching to reach the area you are dealing with.
– Invest in some long handled secateurs to reach plants and bushes that are beyond normal reach.

Kneel, don’t bend
– If weeding or planting in beds, kneel close to the area you want to work on – don’t lean in. Using a kneeler will help you get into the right position.

Take a break
– Vary your activity by spending no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing and make sure you take regular breaks.

Plan ahead
– If you are planning a trip to the garden centre to buy heavier items such as compost, buy in multiple, smaller bags as they will be easier and safer to carry.
– If on your own, ask an assistant at the store to help you.

Don’t get caught out at home
A specialist garden trolley might be worth investing in to move heavy materials, especially if you have lots of patio pots to move around as well.

This video should help you see the right way to keep your back in good shape:

[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaycMHEY5qo” /]