When you think of exercise, you probably picture somebody working out at the gym or jogging on a trail. But some of the activities that people take for granted are exercises in their own right, and they need to be approached with caution in order to avoid serious injuries. A new report out of Hanford, California, takes a look at one such activity, gardening, and offers some key insights into how to limit stressful actions that could take their toll on your body.
The first thing to realize is that you have to warm up with gardening just as you would if you were going to go for a run or lift some weights. If you’re outside for any significant amount of time, you’re going to tax your muscles while you go about your task. Therefore, you need to get your body ready with some light stretching and maybe even a short cardio workout in the form of a light jog or power walk.
Repetition is going to be your enemy during gardening. While it may seem necessary to engage in the same mundane tasks over and over again, strive to avoid this in excess. Instead of going down the rows of plants and stooping down repeatedly in order to dig out tufts of dirt for planting, dig out a few and then switch it up with some planting or another task. That way, you won’t be at risk for an overuse injury the way you would if you went through everything in lengthy bouts.
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