Fitness Works
Gardening Without Pain
May 7, 2008
There are physical, mental and spiritual benefits of gardening.
The U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity concluded that accumulating 30 minutes a day of moderate activity, like gardening, can reduce risk for numerous chronic conditions; including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and colon cancer. It can aid in weight maintenance and overall physical functioning.
Consider the following:
1. People often bend from the waist and use their backs to dig and weed, which can result in back strain. Instead, bend your knees and use your leg muscles to do the work. When lifting, hold the item with both hands close to the body, keep feet about shoulder-width apart for a support base, squat instead of bending over, and lift with the legs rather than the back, tightening the lower abdominal muscles. Lunge and weed. Using a hand weeder you will lunge with on leg straight back and bend one knee in front of you.
2. Be sure to alternate grip and stance when raking, digging or hoeing and vary the tasks you do to avoid repetitive motion injuries. Alternating tasks side-to-side strengthens muscles throughout the body and divides wear and tear. If a task only can be done on one side, carry equipment back to the garage using the other hand.
3. Avoid twisting, move your feet instead or pivot, rather than twist. Keep feet, hips and shoulders facing the same direction.
4. Bend both legs in a kneeling position and place a rolled mat underneath the knees.
5. Sitting: If you're knees, feet or legs won't permit much bending then sit and garden. Exercise your arms and waist. Keep abs in and shoulders relaxed. Use long handled tools.
Other helpful hints:
-Warm up with a nice walk around the block for 10 minutes and stretch before and after you garden: Try the: Spine stretch, Hamstring stretch, Quad stretch, Shoulder stretch.
-Bring your mat outside to do the stretches and it can double as protection under the knees while you are working.
-Break gardening sessions into two-or three-hour periods to avoid 6- to 10-hour marathons.
Hope these help!
Keep Moving!
Molly Tittle
MFitness
Mfitnessonline.com
Copyright © 2008, WXIN
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Each Wednesday morning fitness expert Molly Tittle looks at the latest trends, gear and workout routines!
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