(HealthDay News) -- Gardening is a relaxing activity and a great form of exercise. But all that bending, kneeling, digging and lifting can take a toll on your back, knees, wrists and other joints.
The American Occupational Therapy Association suggests these techniques to help prevent injury while gardening:
* Look for tools that have padded handles and grips to ease pressure on your hands and fingers.
* If you tend to get tired easily, get a kneeler seat. This should make it easier to stand up when you're done gardening.
* Don't lift a heavy bag of dirt or mulch. Break it up into smaller bags that are easier to carry, or dump smaller loads into a wheelbarrow or cart. Always lift with your legs, not your back.
* Look for lightweight hoses, and keep them near your garden so you don't have to carry them far.
* Don't do any one activity for too long. Keep changing positions -- kneeling, sitting, standing. And don't grip a tool for an extended period.
Good Gardening Tips
A great reminder--thanks for sharing. I'm guilty of ignoring several of these tips, especially early in the season. I usually am sore for several days after my first long session in the garden!
I pulled a muscle in my back one time by trying to pull out a weed with roots to China. I was too lazy to fetch the shovel and paid for it.
My best garden tip is that we all need to keep a log or diary. Dates, fertilizer, variety names and whatever. It's fun to read and you will learn from it and be a better gardener in the future.