Gardening injuries

Unless you are retired and can spend as much time as you wish, and the weather allows in the garden. Most of us try and tame an unruly garden in whatever time we can spare, which often leads to overuse injuries or worse.

How can we help ourselves?

1. Warm up-unlikely, I know but worth the effort. A short walk followed by a few gentle stretches gives you body a fighting chance!
2. Don’t try and get everything done in a day! Spreading your efforts over a few weekends is better than injuring yourself and being unable to do anything for a few weeks.
3. Vary your position and take regular breaks! If you are weeding for instance, the tendency is to reach as far as you can to either side, risking strains, rather than getting up and repositioning.
4. If possible, invest in tools that make job easier-with long handles or maybe powers cutters so speed up the task and allow for regular movement.
5. Don’t be too proud to ask for help! As we get older particularly, things that we always used to be able to do become more of a problem, balance is often an issue, so maybe someone else would be better able to spend the day perched on a ladder cutting the hedge while you provide Tea and biscuits?

Come and see your Osteopath sooner rather than later to prevent aches and pains getting worse, and for practical advice.