Avoid Injuries While Working Around The House
When we think of gardening, we probably don’t think about it being a particularly dangerous activity. In fact, about 87,000 people experience injury due to gardening that requires medical treatment each year, by some estimates. From lawnmowers to garden hoses to unpowered tools like shovels and rakes, it turns out that gardening can be extremely risky.
Now, some of those injuries come from carelessness or misuse of equipment. But that doesn’t negate the risk of injuries to the body that are the result of poor technique, clothing, and posture. If you have a green thumb, then it’s important to know how to do the work without getting hurt. Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can do what you love safely.
Start With A Warm Up!
You may not be working in the garden for as long as you’d run a marathon, but like any other physical activity, it’s still a good idea to stretch out before you dive in. This will not only help you maintain flexibility, but will also protect your body in case you turn the wrong way or try to lift something that’s a bit heavy. Start with doing some light stretches, such as leg and calf stretches, shoulder stretches, or even planks to help warm up your core. Also, consider going for a short, brisk walk around the hard, or do a few jumping jacks and/or pushups. Once the blood’s flowing you’ll be ready to tackle the garden.
Wear Protective Gear
No matter what type of gardening activity you do, it’s a good idea to wear protective clothing and equipment. For example, if you’re mowing the lawn, wearing steel-toed boots is a great way to protect your feet. Or if you’re doing hedge-trimming, wearing protective eyewear is essential. Even if you’re doing some basic planting, it’s a good idea to wear knee pads, as it’s easy to wear down the cartilage in that area. Gloves are also a good idea if you’re working with tools to ensure you don’t develop any blisters. Lastly, most people tend to do their gardening when the sun’s out. And that’s great, as long as you remember to cover your head and put on sunscreen. No need to get a sunburn while making your garden look its best!
Avoid Repetitive Tasks
Activities like raking, digging, and pulling weeds can be very repetitive. And the more repetitive an activity is, the more chance you have of developing a repetitive stress injury. Be sure to take regular breaks, every 15 minutes or so to ensure you’re not overdoing it.
Want more ideas to help you garden safely? Schedule an appointment with one of our medical professionals to get some personalized recommendations for the best ways to avoid injury while making your garden beautiful.
Call us in Maryland at 301-703-8767, in Pennsylvania at 724-603-3560, or in Virginia 540-433-1905 to make an appointment or use the form on our site to send us a message.