15/02/2022
Hi all
here is a copy of another article I wrote for the local Kaiwaka Bugle. This one's about gardening!
My last two columns have been about how much exercise we should be getting and some suggestions on how to get more. This week I am going to talk about the benefits of gardening.
Health benefits of gardening
Did you know that there are non-pathogenic bacteria called mycobacterium vaccae that live naturally in the soil? They increase the levels of serotonin- which is a feel good hormone- in our brains. They have also been found to decrease levels of anxiety. So getting your hands dirty can make you happy because of bacteria!
Gardening will generally help us get our step count up and will often involve some resisted exercise. We should include some resisted exercise at least 3 times a week and gardening can help provide this- for example lifting and pushing a wheelbarrow, lifting plant pots and pulling a hose.
Gardening can help improve our balance by walking on uneven ground and bending and reaching out of our base of support.
It helps us get our daily dose of vitamin D in the winter but we obviously need to be careful in the summer in case we get too much sun.
Exposure to nature in general has been shown to be beneficial to our health by decreasing blood pressure, decreasing anger and stress, decreasing heart rate and decreasing muscle tension.
We can also get a sense of achievement which adds to the feel good factor as well as getting to eat some fresh, healthy produce.
Think of gardening like a sport
Gardening will likely mean some physical activity for at least 30 minutes and this involves preparation- just like playing sport. For example, you need the right shoes and racquet for tennis and you need the correct equipment for gardening. In the winter we tend to wear gumboots which are good at keeping our feet dry but they aren’t very supportive. So we may need to wear lace up boots or get some orthotic arch supports to go in our gumboots. Also make sure that your shoes are non-slip- especially round wet leaves- crocs can be lethal!
Try out tools before you buy them and check for weight and comfort. Choose well balanced, lightweight tools to help prevent stresses and strains in your hands and arms.
Some examples include:
Long handled loppers instead of single handed secateurs
Long handled hoes mean we don’t have to bend constantly for the weeds
Long handled shovel rather than a spade
Use a kneeler with handles that can be used to kneel or sit on
Use knee pads or a foam kneeler
Try secateurs with an angled head to reduce wrist strain, non-stick blades and a wrist strap.
Choose plastic watering cans, rather than metal, as they are lighter and have smoother edges so are less likely to bruise your legs.
Narrow-profile rectangular watering cans can be held closer to your body than round ones, which means you are likely to have a better posture and carrying a full can will cause less strain.
Try carrying two smaller watering cans, instead of one big one, to distribute the weight more evenly.
A flexible rubber bucket with two handles will carry cuttings and other debris, or tools. It is easy to carry against your body
A great place to get garden tools is the garden aids shop- www.gardeningaids.co.nz in Wairau park
How to garden to avoid injury
Make sure you are well hydrated- especially in the summer
Like sport, take time to warm up! Make sure you dont just launch yourself into heavy lifting, digging or anything repetitious without having at least a bit of a build up.
Take some time to plan. What tools do you need? If you are sore, prioritise your jobs. If you have a plan you can pace yourself and vary your tasks. Varying tasks could mean not doing all the pruning at once. Prune one tree then stop and pick up the prunings before going on to the next tree.
Pacing- if you do have some aches and pains you may recognise the “boom and bust” approach. You have a good day and push through to get as many jobs done as you can ie a “boom”. You get a lot done but you pay for it with increased pain the next day or 3. When this happens, take note of what you did and next time plan to do half. Be strict and make yourself stop, even if you feel OK. Have a break- a cuppa or a completely different task. Then go back to the job later in the day or the next day. With this approach, you take control rather than being dictated to by the pain.
Plan how you are going to tackle a task. For example when digging use a shovel, stand on it, use the lever of the long shovel to lift the dirt, use your legs, step don’t swivel. Carrying more but smaller loads.
Also look at designing your garden so that it won’t stress your body too much eg raised beds, plenty of seats around, a shed with a bench at a good height for potting on seedlings, handy water supply.
What if you injure yourself?
In 2015 The most common ACC claims were for soft tissue injury, suffered by 35,121 gardeners. Lacerations, puncture wounds and stings were the next most common injuries, with 12,060 claims.
Concussions or brain injuries were the cause of 73 gardening-related claims last year, according to ACC.
If you suffer a strain or sprain you can come straight to physio and we can sort out your ACC claim and provide treatment.
Hopefully, if you follow the above advice this won’t be needed!
We've been helping our local community for almost 47 years with sales and service of only the best gardening equipment. We know what we're talking about when it comes to gardening gear! Contact us today.
