Ergonomic Tips Make Healthy Gardeners
“Gardening is a source of pleasure and exercise but
don't overdo a session.”
We must keep in mind that the most
important gardening tool we have is our
body. When we begin to hurt, it takes us
away from the activity we enjoy so much, so
it’s worth the time and effort to learn to
garden ergonomically. Proper body
positioning, well designed gardening gloves
and tools and frequent rest breaks are the
keys to being a healthy gardener.”
Preparation for
Gardening:
The Warm-up
Gardening Ergonomics: Gloves
● Always use gloves. Not only do they
protect against cuts, scrapes, chemicals
and blisters, they also provide padding.
● Gloves should be made of material
appropriate for the specific task
(example: gloves for working with
chemicals as opposed to gloves for
pruning rose bushes or working with the
soil).
● Gloves should be form fitting covering
the smallest area of the hand possible,
without being restrictive.
● Thin gloves are preferable even though
they will generally not last as long. Too
much padding will decrease the feeling
in the hand and decrease hand strength
by as much as 30 percent. This decreases
overall hand coordination and power
grip.
You wouldn't play
basketball or softball
without warming up, so why
would you garden without
warming up. Gardening is a
very physical activity
requiring use of the entire
Gardening Ergonomics: Tools
body. Proper preparation is
the next facet in injury
● Choose the proper tool
prevention. Spend 10
for the task at hand.
minutes doing a warm up.
● Look for ergonomic
tools. Just because the tool
Gardening Ergonomics: Neck
says it is "ergonomic"
● Keep your work close to you. Minimize
does NOT mean it is
reaching. Use long handled tools instead of
ergonomic for you! It must
reaching.
fit YOUR body.
● Maintaining your head and neck in an
● Try out tools before you
extended position (looking up) for more
buy because handle size,
than five minutes at a time will create
weight, and length of
tremendous fatigue.
spindle are all key when it
● If you must work with your arms
comes to using a tool.
extended out in front of you, don't round
● Telescopic and pistolyour shoulders. Keep your shoulder blades
grip handles require less
pulled together.
energy and keep the body
in proper alignment.
Gardening Ergonomics: Back
● Put leaves and garden debris on a canvas
tarp and slide along the ground to eliminate
● Handle diameter is important. For
lifting.
some people, a fatter handle feels more
● Introduce raised beds, containers and
comfortable at the wrist. However, a
trellises - bring the garden closer to you fatter handle will fatigue your grip more
the closer your garden is to waist level, the
less bending and the less strain on your
lower back.
● Furrow rows with long PVC pipe cut at a
slant on one end; drop seeds through the
pipe to plant.
● Alternate sitting and standing positions at
30-minute intervals.
● Keep your work close to you. Minimize
reaching. Use long handled tools instead of
reaching.
● Digging should be done with intermittent
breaks in order for your body to rest from
the repetition.
● Bending over for any length of time can
very quickly become painful to the lower
back and legs.
● Ice your back for 15 minutes after you
garden.
Gardening Ergonomics: Knees
● Use kneepads to protect your knees.
● Ice your knees for 15 minutes after you
garden.
Gardening Ergonomics: Shoulders
● Work below shoulder level when possible.
When that is unavoidable, perform the task
for five minutes or less.
● Use both arms whenever possible.
● When necessary to work above shoulder
level, perform the task for five minutes or
less; then take a break or perform another
activity before continuing.
Gardening Ergonomics: Elbows
● When possible, work with the forearms in
a neutral position (i.e. thumbs up).
● Keep the elbows partially bent while
gardening, especially when doing resistive
activities requiring elbow strength.
● Keep your wrists straight (in line with
your forearm) when pushing, pulling and
grasping. This decreases the tension on the
elbow and wrist.
quickly.
● Look for a depression in the handle for
your thumb. This keeps your hand in
proper alignment.
● Shorter tool handles provide greater
leverage control (best for small hand
tools).
● Use long-handled tools to reduce
strain on your back, knees and hips
instead of reaching.
● If tools have wooden or metal handles,
consider adding padded tape or pipe
insulation foam. You can also modify the
grip on your favorite tools. To determine
the size of your grip, make a circle with
your thumb and index finger. A bicycle
grip, baseball tape, foam, and electrical
tape all can be used to pad the handle.
● Keep blades sharp and oiled. Dull
blades require more force to get the
same job done.
● Load tools, supplies, rocks and other
heavy items onto a vinyl snow sled; pull
it around to work stations. A
wheelbarrow is another option.
● In a need to get your
tools and other materials
to the designated area
don't aggravate your
body by trying to carry
everything at once. Make
several trips.
● Be aware of the
dangers from gardening
tools and equipment.
Don't leave tools or hose
pipes in places where
they are likely to cause
an accident.
Gardening Ergonomics: General
Tips
● Gardening is a source of pleasure and
exercise but don't overdo a session. Plan
● Avoid twisting the forearms back and
forth on a repetitive basis (example: pulling
weeds by twisting the forearm palm up and
then palm down). Consider using a weeder.
Gardening Ergonomics: Wrists
(Grip)
● Rules of "thumb": 1) thumb and
forefinger should meet when wrapped
around a handle, and 2) indentations in
tools should encourage the neutral position
(thumb up, wrist straight).
● Work with wrists in a neutral position by
avoiding the extremes of motion (up, down,
and sideways).
● Hold objects with a light grasp or pinch,
avoiding a tight, sustained grip.
● Keep your wrists straight (in line with
your forearm) when pushing, pulling and
grasping.
● This decreases the tension on the elbow
and wrist.
● Grip strength is at its maximum when the
wrist is in a relaxed or "neutral" position.
People lose up to 25 percent of their grip
strength when their wrist is bent.
● Avoid repetitive pinching and pulling
with the finger and thumb.
Article written by:
Performance Physical Therapy & Rehab,
Fort Collins, CO
for breaks and switch tasks often. Move
from an intensive task to a light activity
after 30 minutes. If you experience pain,
stop working.
● Rotate activities. Muscles will typically
fatigue in less than a half hour of
repetitive activity; therefore, rotate each
gardening activity with ones that require
different muscle groups and different
body positions. Spread the gardening
tasks over a number of days versus
performing all of them the same day.
● Let your daily physical activity level
serve as your guide for how long you can
garden. For example, if you are
physically active one hour a day, you
should be able to garden an hour a day.
Even if you do not feel fatigued, take a
break for a few minutes each hour.
● Wide garden paths allow for safer
walking and favor use of labor saving
wheelbarrows, carts and dollies.
● Think about who uses the garden when
designing features such as a steps, paths
or ponds. Will it include elderly people
or young children? A steep drop from
one level to another can be an accident
waiting to happen. Be careful of uneven
surfaces.
● Water weighs more than 8 pounds per
gallon; so design your garden with easy
access to hoses and water sources.
Consider an efficient automated drip or
soaker hose system.
● Be sure to drink plenty of water to
avoid dehydration while you are
gardening.