Moving rocks out of car trunks, digging out old shrub roots, and pruning hedges 20 feet high — that is how we spent our Saturday morning. And it was a lot of fun!

As part of Salmonberry Days in Dunbar, we did a talk on how to Garden Pain-Free. If you missed the talk, do not fret. Here are a few tips you may want to consider when gardening.

A little at a time
We physiotherapists see as many gardening injuries as sports injuries! Gardening is strenuous, so do the heavy jobs a bit at a time. This allows your body to adapt to the activity. A runner trains before doing a marathon-so should a gardener!

Bend with your knees, not your back
Avoid large twisting movements. Turn your whole body, moving your feet. Sit on a stool when weeding to avoid bending from the waist.

Vary the tasks
The body doesn’t like prolonged positions. Move into a different posture before the aching starts. Alternate crouching with upright positions.

Shorten the reach

Prolonged overhead reaching makes the shoulder tendons and the back vulnerable to injury. Keep your elbows bent. Stand on a ladder to work at chest level, and get as close to the hedge as you can. Take time to position the ladder safely-we see a lot of gardeners who have fallen off ladders!

Select good tools

Keep clippers sharp to avoid strain. When shoveling, step onto the blade, using body weight, not arms, to lift soil. Use the lightest shovel, with the smallest blade that will do the job. If your knees or hips hurt, use long handled tools.

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Injuries holding you back from enjoying the activities you love? Book an appointment today with our expert team to get your body back on track.