Autumn brings a whole raft of garden tasks; time to cut back the dead plants, clear up leaves, do winter planting and get ready for winter.
Our bodies are very well adapted to a variety of tasks, but we need to be careful not to take advantage of this and push our bodies to breaking point!
Clothes – Don’t wear clothes that are tight or could constrict your movement.
Warm up – Gardening is like any other exercise; you need to warm up first. Don’t go straight into heavy garden work; start off with lighter jobs as this will lessen the chance of muscle strain.
Clever pruning – Get as close as possible to the things you are pruning and avoid overstretching to reach the area you are dealing with.
Invest in some long handled secateurs to reach plants and bushes that are beyond normal reach.
Using a ladder
– When using a ladder or steps, make sure you are always facing it, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction.
– Rather than leaning or reaching, move the ladder or step regularly to keep up with where you are.
– Any kind of ladder must be firmly and safely planted in position and, if possible, have someone else there to keep an eye on things.
Take a break
– Vary your activity by spending no more than 20-30 minutes on any one thing and make sure you take regular breaks.
Watch our video for tips:-