RSI-Relief

Sarah Jackson, writing in the The Olympian (Tackle Yard Work Wisely), discusses safe gardening techniques and tools.

Some of her ideas and tips for a safe and productive gardening workout include:

• Get on the ball - Use an inflatable exercise ball as a base for garden work
• Bring the garden to you - Use raised beds, containers and trellises to reduce the amount of bending
• Kneelers, kneepads - Prevent scrapes, bruises and dirty knees
• Sit down - A cart, bench, or stool can keep you in a more comfortable position
• Use effective tools - Clean, sharp, well-oiled, long-handled tools can reduce back, knee and hip strain
• Go ergonomic - Fat, soft handles are better for gripping than those that are thin and rigid

This article echoes an earlier blog entry (Gardening With RSI), for those who enjoy a garden but want to minimize the potential problems, or work around an existing RSI condition.

Here’s another interesting article on the subject of yard work (in this case, raking leaves): The Raking Game: Warm-up routine and gear you need to survive the season.