HEALTHY AND ACTIVE | Growing a beautiful (and pain-free) garden

The sun is out and the days are long, which means we are more anxious than ever to work in our yards and gardens. There are great health benefits to gardening, including improved endurance, flexibility and strength. But with these benefits also come risks for injury. 

There are several things you can do to enjoy your work while improving your safety. 

Before pulling the first weed go for a 10-minute walk through the Washington Park Arboretum or along the waterfront to get the blood flowing and joints loose. 

Collect all the tools you’ll need and have them close by to resist using the wrong tool, or no tool, for the job. Keep unused tools out of the way to avoid a trip and fall, which could lead to an ankle sprain or broken wrist. 

Supportive footwear should be worn — leave the sandals for strolling on Madison Beach.

Protect your back and shoulders by using a basket or wagon to bring hand tools and waste bags to the garden area. If carrying a basket, use both hands, and keep it close to your body to decrease stress on the arms and back. 

Sit on a garden stool to decrease back strain during weeding and planting. If you’ll need to get down on your knees, wear kneepads to prevent pain and bruising. 

Use the strong muscles of the legs and hips to lift heavier items by squatting down to get closer to the object.

Even the most beautiful garden has bacteria that could lead to hand infections. Wearing gloves will protect you from not only infection but also painful blisters. 

Use a hand rake or shovel when digging in unfamiliar soil to prevent a cut or tendon laceration from buried sharp objects. 

Decrease your risk of tendonitis of the wrist or elbow by using both hands, or alternating hands, when carrying bags of soil. 

Avoid repetitive and forceful gripping, and divide chores into smaller segments to avoid overusing muscles and tendons. 

Using garden snips and pruners for more than 10 minutes continuously can lead to tendonitis of the thumb or elbow. 

Take the time to step back and enjoy your progress by taking a break every 30 minutes to hydrate and change your body position. 

Gardening and working outside should be a fun experience, not a painful one. Plan ahead and you’ll not only feel great but also have a beautiful lawn and garden to enjoy!

AARON SHAW is an occupational therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist at MoveMend (www.MoveMend.info) in Madison Valley. To comment on this column, write to MPTimes@nwlink.com.