Like any form of physical exercise, warming up your joints and muscles before heading into the garden to prune, dig or plant is very important.
While gardening is a great low-impact workout, it is still important to protect your joints and muscles so you can enjoy being in the garden for longer.
Joint specialists at Churchill Private Hospital and Specialist Centre advise taking a few minutes before picking up your trowel or spade to do a few gentle stretches.
Here are a few suggestions from Churchill Orthopaedic surgeon Rick Wilson…
Walk
Take a short walk to warm up your knees and hips. Stroll to the garden shed to retrieve your tools, walk around the outside of the house or just stride it out on the spot.
Stretch your back
This is very important as gardening can put strain on your back through bending, lifting and reaching.
Stretch your back by bending at the hip while standing, keeping your feet slightly apart. Alternatively, sit on a chair and slowly bend forward at the hips until your hands touch the floor.
Roll your shoulders
Rotating your shoulders in a circular motion forward and then backward gives your joints a chance to warm up before they’re required in the garden. This is particularly important before pruning or lifting.
Thigh and calf stretches
Place one hand on a solid vertical surface for balance – a tree will do – and bend your knee, reaching behind you to grab the ankle.
Hold it for 30 seconds or so to stretch the thigh. Then lean forward onto the tree or wall with two hands and stretch one leg behind, placing the heel on the ground.
Keep the knee of the front leg bent as you lunge and feel the stretch in the calf muscle.
Don’t forget your wrists
Gardening asks a lot of your wrists.
Digging holes with a trowel, pruning and pulling weeds all require good wrist mobility, so give them the best chance to perform well.
Before putting them to work, stretch your arms out to the front and lift your hand up as if telling someone to stop. Then, stretch your hands down and hold.
Churchill Private Hospital and Specialist Centre is proud to support Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough, 7 – 10 November 2019.
