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Avoid Injuries in the Garden
27 October 2020

June

The signs of a British summer are finally here! T-shirt tan lines, hay fever, battles in the supermarket for the last disposable BBQ kit and one which I’m sure we are all guilty of, the constant moaning and repetition of “it’s too hot”.

It's finally time to get stuck into gardening and create our summer wonderlands. With the cold winter stiffening up our bodie,s we need to make sure we follow some precautions to avoid any injuries.

Warm up

Like any kind of physical activity, preparing your body mentally and physically is vital to preventing injuries. Simply take 10-15 minutes to stretch or take a short walk before you jump into your gardening jobs.

Take a break 

Don’t spend too much time on one job! Most of the online advice I found said that you should take a short break every 30 or 45 minutes. So go and make a brew or more appropriately, a cold drink or grab an ice cream.

Protect your skin

In relation to the sunny weather I haven’t been able to take advantage of, make sure you wear sun cream. Apply inside and wait around 10 minutes to allow the solution to fully soak into your skin before you endure the sun.

Practise your lifting

Technique is everything when it comes to heavy lifting. Make sure you conduct with the correct posture and use your legs, don’t arch your back when picking objects up as this can cause injury.

Patience

All good things come to those that wait. Rushing tasks by going at a pace you are not used to simply to finish a job quicker can cause injuries. Take your time or get another set of helping hands, this is a great way to get your kids into the garden over the summer holidays.

Use the right tools

A poor works man will always blame his tools. Well this time you can! Ensure you have the right tools for the jobs you are handling. Gloves for grip, long handed tools, foam pads for your knees are just a few ways you can utilise resources to avoid injury.

Stop when you feel any aches or pains

The no pain no gain approach may apply to Arnold Schwarzenegger, but not for us gardeners – I think this is where I went wrong over the weekend. If you feel any muscle pulling or joint aching then stop. Sometimes sore means injured, so there is no need to fight through the pain, just take a break and return later to the task at hand, your plants aren’t going anywhere.

Alternate your jobs

you can spend some time on your hands and knees weeding and then alter to trim your larger hedges so your body is experiencing various positions and movements.

Don’t work straight after eating

Familiar with the phrase “don’t go swimming straight after eating”? Well the same applies for gardening. Wait around half an hour after your lunch to head back into the garden. Allow your food to settle so don’t feel uncomfortable.

Stretch and cool down

Your jobs are finished, the sun is setting and the kettle is boiled. The ideal time to sit down and put your feet up. Hold on a minute! A lot of injuries occur prior to gardening when your body comes to an instant stop. You must let your body know that you are finished by repeating the same methods you use in your warm up.

Exercise

Staying healthy and active are effective ways to prevent injuries as your body becomes familiar with strenuous activities.

Good night’s sleep

Prepare your body with a good night’s sleep. If the weather forecast says the next day is a suitable day to spend in your garden, then get to bed early so you feel refreshed in the morning, ready for a productive day.

Eat your bounty

Grow your own food full of healthy nutrients.

There are a number of ways you can prevent yourself from picking up any injuries from gardening and trust me, you don’t want to be in the same painful position as me. So use some of the advice above and avoid hurting yourself in the garden and enjoy the sunny weather summer has been so kind to provide.