Prune and Rake without the Ache – a quick exercise guide for Gardeners!
Prune and Rake without the Ache – a quick exercise guide for Gardeners!
Summertime brings on gardening and yard maintenance. Here is a simple routine that will make your gardening easier by addressing the following three components to happy gardening:
- Strength: often you need to move things, dig, lift heavy pots, etc. which requires a certain amount of strength.
- Mobility: you’ll need to be able to bend your knees/spine, get into tight spots, and low down to the ground for your gardening tasks.
- Balance: to avoid feeling wobbly on your feet, stay safe, and avoid falling while gardening.
1. Strength
As a gardener strength in your legs and back are necessary to perform certain movements safely. The following two exercises help to develop vital leg and back strength for safe gardening:
Sumo Squat:
- You can hold onto a bucket, watering can, bag with something heavy in it, or no weight at all.
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart or a little wider with the object you are lifting a little in front of your feet.
- Bend down like you are sitting in a chair and pick up the object with a nice straight back.
- Stand back up by straightening knees and squeezing your buttocks.
- Repeat for a recommended 8-12 repetitions x 3 sets.
Lunge:
- Hold onto something for support if needed (chair, railing, rake) and take a big step forward.
- Drop your hips directly down between your two feet.
2. Mobility
Does your lower back ever get stiff and achy while gardening? Mobility work can help with that stiffness and keep you moving smoothly. Try these 2 exercises for your spinal mobility.
Seated forward fold:
- Sit tall, with feet hip width apart, and hands on knees.
- Start by bending your neck looking down, then roll your shoulders forward, then midback, then lower back sliding your arms down your legs as you go.
- Bending as far down as you comfortably can without pain/discomfort.
- Reverse it as you come back up.
- Repeat for a recommended 3-5 slow repetitions 3-5 times.
Standing extension:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with your hands on your hips.
- Stand up straight and gently arch your back.
- Only go as far as it is comfortable. Hold for 3-5 seconds repeat 3-5 times.
3. Balance
Tandem balance:
- Place one foot in front of the other, so that the toes of your back foot are just touching the heel of your front foot and hold this position.
- To make this easier try holding on to something while you get into position, you can also place the front foot slightly further forward and/or to the side of the back foot.
- To make it harder you can try turning your head left to right or closing your eyes while you balance.
- Try to stay balanced as long as you can and practice for 1-3 minutes.
Balance Reach:
- Place your feet together so they are touching, or as close together as you can get them.
- Reach out in front of you bending at the hips.
- You can also practice reaching side to side/ up/ down.
- To make this easier stand with your feet hip width apart.
- To make this harder stand in tandem like the previous exercise or on one leg.
- Try to stay balanced as long as you can and practice for 1-3 minutes.
Conclusion
This is a small sample of exercises that can help improve your gardening but hopefully it is enough to get you started!
It is important to note that these exercises may not be appropriate for everyone, please discuss with your physiotherapist if they are right for you.
Physiotherapist Danielle Carter wrote this article.