Pain Free Tips for Gardeners Part 1

Today’s blog post is written by guest blogger, Judy Micek, OT at Athletico Bolingbrook.

It may have been a long cold and snowy winter, but Spring has finally sprung! Along with the fresh buds on the trees and stems breaking through the ground, April is Occupational Therapy month. In celebrating our profession, soon to be 150 years old, we would like to share some tips for protection and prevention of common problems for those of you who are eager to get back into gardening.  Spring and summer are great times to be outside and work in the garden. It can be a great stress reducer and a way to get some after work exercise. Sometimes being over zealous can lead to pain or injury. A few tips to get you and your greens thumbs off to a good start this gardening season are:

Getting ready:

1. Do some stretches for your shoulders, hands and back before heading out to garden. Shoulder shrugs, rolls and over the shoulder stretches help your shoulders and upper back loosen up. Forearm stretches can be done by bending the wrist up and down and fingers should be stretches open to the max several times.
2. Getting some sun exposure is good for vitamin D, but use sunscreen and long sleeves for lengthy outdoor exposures. Bug spray can also protect your skin.
3. Wear a sun visor or sunglasses for eye protection
4. Plan to work only a reasonable portion of the garden at a time to avoid over fatigue to joints. A garden spot close to the house and water supply can save time and energy hauling materials further out.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Tips on Getting Back into the Garden Pain Free!