Anyone feeling a bit achy and tight from too much gardening over the log weekend?
As you begin your quest for the perfect garden, its important to remember not to overdo it! There are a number of people who love spending time gardening and would like to do a bit more, but their bodies start to complain.
The following tips will help you stay pain free so you can keep your plants/trees pruned and flower beds weed free.
All or nothing. A lot of people try and blitz the garden in one go and this often leads to waking up in discomfort or feeling stiff the day after. It is better to do little and often or take regular breaks.
Mix and match between jobs. Rather than standing holding a hedge cutter for a couple hours at a time, cut a small bit of hedge, use your rake, collect your cuttings etc… Varying the activity you are doing will engage different muscle groups.
When bending forwards, bend from your knees and hips, not from your back! Try and avoid bending/reaching over if you don’t need to, having the right tools may help with this.
Listen to your body. If your back or anything else for that matter starts hurting whilst you are gardening take a break for a bit, or rest for the remainder of the day and start again tomorrow.
Think of gardening as a sport, it can be very strenuous. Try and have a stretch before and after, and maybe treat yourself to a soak in the bath after a hard day of gardening.
Happy gardening! 
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