This document discusses the health benefits of gardening but also highlights potential health issues it can cause or aggravate if not done properly. It provides guidelines on proper form, tool usage, stretches, and pacing oneself to reduce risks of injuries like back strain, knee pain, arthritis flare-ups, and repetitive stress injuries. Recommendations include using ergonomic tools, taking breaks, stretching, and lifting with the legs rather than back to safely enjoy gardening's physical and mental wellness rewards.

1. Gardening for Your
Health

2. America isn’t Active
U.S. Obesity Level 2009

3. Physical Activity
Requirements CDC
• Adults
2 hours and 30 minutes every week and muscle-
strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week
that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back,
abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

4. Gardening is the ANSWER
to Inactivity

5. Benefits of Gardening
• Allows for moderately strenuous exercise
• Encourages healthy eating habits
• Increases interaction with nature, plants, and
the environment
• Reduces stress
• Promotes physical, social, and mental
stimulation

6. Gardening Can Aggravate
• Skin care and cancer
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Arthritis
• Cardiovascular health
• Back/knee problems
• Heat stress

7. Health Issues and
Gardening
1) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
2) Protecting Hands and Feet
3) Arthritis
4) Sunburn and Skin Cancer
5) Summer Heat
6) Ticks
7) Heart
8) Knees and Back
9) Plant Allergies
10) Power Tool Safety

8. Arthritis Stats
• CDC says 22 percent of the
population has arthritis,
which costs our economy
$128 billion a year.
• Some 21 million adults, or
nearly 1 in 10, say arthritis
limits their daily activities.

9. Exercise and Arthritis
• Strengthen the muscles that
surround your joints
• Maintain and improve bone
strength
• Improve overall strength and
energy
• Help you achieve good sleep
• Help with weight management
• Improve your mood, confidence,
and overall well-being

10. Body Positions and
Gardening
• Gripping
• Bending
• Walking
• Lifting
• Stretching

11. Warm up
• Gentle stretching and warming-up
exercises are always recommended
before starting any workout

12. Bring the garden to you
• Use a form of raised garden
– preferably one that can
be easily tended sitting or
standing – and keeping it
close to your house will
save you hours of bending,
stooping, walking and
lugging tools and supplies.

14. Use correct form
• Keep items close to your body as
you carry them. Stand or sit up
straight while you work, and
change positions often

15. Pick appropriate tools
• Choose tools that are
ergonomically designed and use
them properly
• Choose long-handled tools to let
you work comfortably when
standing or kneeling

16. Tool Ideas
• Wear gloves
• Use ergonomic tools
• Keep pruners sharp and all equipment
in top working shape for easier use.
• Add easy mobility: Use a 5-gallon
bucket and keep tools inside

23. Switch tasks and switch
off
• Take frequent breaks. After
15-30 minutes of work, rest
or do another type of chore
that uses different muscles.
• The more you limit
repetitive physical tasks,
the better you’ll avoid
repetitive stress injuries.

24. Most Common Injuries
• Back strain and knee pain

25. Sample Stretches
You can stretch your back by lying on the
floor, pulling your knees into your chest and
wrapping your arms around them. Hold that
position for a minute, relax and repeat 2
more times.
Stretch your shoulders by holding a towel
over your head. Bring the towel behind your
head, with one hand and lower the other
hand to below shoulder height. Hold and
gently pull on the towel. Switch sides and
repeat.

26. Legs will benefit from a runners stretch
such as bracing yourself on a counter
top while you stretch first one leg
behind you and then the other.

27. Get in gardening
shape and stay there
• Pace yourself. Do the hard stuff first, before
you’re tired out and more likely to overexert.
• Don’t hunch. If you squat when you weed,
keep your back as straight as possible and
move along as you weed, don’t reach too
far.
• When lifting, always bend from the knees,
not the waist, and try to keep your back
straight.

28. • Use your thigh muscles to do the lifting.
Move your feet closer to the object you
are lifting and take a wide stance, to
balance yourself. Keep the object close
to you as you lift it.

29. • Don’t lift and twist in the same
movement.
• Knee on both knees at the same
time to avoid the temptation to
twist or strain. Use a knee pad.
• Use tools with comfortable handles.
Wrap the grip with an old piece of
hose or coat with rubber paint, for
gripping comfort. Remember to
change hands from time to time.

30. • When using long handled
tools, stand straight and
keep your knees relaxed.
• If you need to twist or
pivot, step into the twist to
ease tension on the back.
• Get out that wheelbarrow
or wagon and use it.

31. Wisconsin YouTube Video

32. Comments?