Gardening is a wonderfully therapeutic hobby and has many health benefits, but it can often be a lot of hard work, especially during the warmer weather. It’s important to be mindful of your posture while gardening, as this will make it a little easier on your back, neck, and legs. You may also want to invest in a couple of tools for more ergonomic gardening. This way you can enjoy tending to your summer flowers, veggies, and fruits with a minimal risk of aches and pains. During the summer, it’s also important to take plenty of breaks and stay hydrated. Here are a few simple ways to protect yourself while gardening.

Bend and lift correctly

Gardening can involve a lot of bending and lifting. Although this makes it a great way to get moving outdoors, you need to ensure you do this correctly. Bend at your hips rather than curving your back, for example, and lift with your legs. If you’re going to do any heavy lifting, get help from a friend or family member to take the load off your back. Take your time and don’t strain. It’s also important to avoid bending, lifting, and twisting at the same time. Be mindful and control your movements.

Get closer to your plants

If you can find a comfortable position closer to your plants this will reduce the amount you have to stretch and strain. Sit down on the ground on a blanket, mat, or knee pad and keep yourself steady. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. Throw on some old trousers or overalls and get to work. Getting closer to your plants will also give you more control over your tools so you’ll minimize the risk of having accidents with these. Here are a few more gardening safety tips.

Invest in the right tools

It’s a good idea to invest in a few of the best gardening tools that have an ergonomic design. These will help make your life easier and take the strain off your hands, wrists, and back. It’s also worth getting a couple of knee pads to kneel on. These will protect your joints. If any of your tools are getting blunt or worn out, it might also be time to replace them so they help you do a better job in a shorter time.

Get a gardening buddy

Get someone to help you out in the garden with bigger jobs. You could even get the kids involved. Gardening is very beneficial for children and adults alike. It helps to relieve stress and improve your mood. Gardening can help teach children respect and a new perspective. It allows them to get in touch with nature and learn about ecology. If they help you out in the garden this will, therefore, benefit them as well.

Protect your posture in other situations

If you’ve noticed back or neck problems, or health issues you think might be related to poor posture, be mindful of your posture in other situations as well. It could be that your workstation isn’t an ergonomically correct setup. In this case, you could speak to your employer about getting a chair with back support and ergonomic electronic equipment. If they fail to provide you with a healthy working environment, you could contact an injury lawyer to report this as negligence. It’s important to protect your posture at all times, not only in the garden.

Try exercises to improve your posture

There are several exercises to improve your posture that you can try. These will help you stretch out and relieve tension. You could also do yoga, Pilates, or other core strengthening workouts. These are great for your posture. Find the activity that you prefer. It’s also always a good idea to have a long stretch out after working in the yard. You could also try other relaxation techniques such as taking a hot bath, massage, or acupressure.

Be mindful of your posture

The more aware you are of your posture, the better. This can even help to boost your self-esteem. If you remind yourself to look up and stand or sit up straight, you’ll immediately feel more comfortable, stronger, and more confident. You could try leaving little post-it notes at your desk or even in your gardening shed to remind you to improve your posture. It’s easy to get distracted and fall into a bad posture, so find the method that works best for you. Then you can enjoy gardening more comfortably for longer.