10 Tips for Safe Gardening This Spring

With warmer weather approaching, many of us will be spending more time outdoors gardening.

Follow these 10 safety tips to enjoy gardening and prevent injuries this year.

  1. Warm up before gardening. Walk around your garden for a few minutes and stretch.
  2. Wear gloves when working outside to protect your hands against cuts, soil, insect bites, and skin irritants.
  3. Avoid long gardening sessions or uncomfortable positions.
  4. Check posture often. Kneeling (with knee pads) instead of bending puts less strain on your back.
  5. Rotate your tasks to avoid repetitive movements, for example, after 15 minutes of raking, swap to pruning for a while.
  6. Use tools, not your hands. Sharp objects and debris buried in the soil may cut you.
  7. Use the RIGHT tool for the job. Blisters, calluses, and muscle pain can occur if the finger grips on the handle are too small or too large for your hand.
  8. Keep your hand and wrist in a straight line when using hand tools. Bending the wrist weakens your grip, which can lead to fatigue and soft tissue injury.
  9. Bend at the knees and don’t strain when lifting heavy objects. If the object is too heavy for you, seek help.
  10. Rest frequently, drink plenty of water, and always wear sunscreen.

The specialists at Sheltering Arms treat more than 50 neurologic and orthopedic conditions. If you need us, we are right around the corner at one of our seven convenient locations in central Virginia.

References

https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/gardening-2/gardening-tips-safety/

https://www.assh.org/handcare/safety/gardening

https://handtoshoulderwisconsin.com/2018/05/9-safety-tips-for-healthy-gardening-practices/

https://www.theherbcottage.com/top-14-gardening-safety-tips-for-everyone/

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