The Spring is the time of the year when most gardeners start back in the garden, after Winter has fled & the beginning of the season is when most injuries occur!!

Here are a few tips to help keep you free from injury whilst gardening, although if you have a recurrent problem, or are at all concerned, we can advise/assess you as an individual, & give treatment & tailor-made advice to address your personal requirements.

• Warm up first, & keep warm

• Try & keep your back straight as much as is possible, & practical

• Start by tackling light jobs first, which do not require too much bending

• Alternate between 3-4 jobs, which put you in different positions, using different muscle groups, every 15 minutes or so, & limit how long you are out for

• Use long-handled tools where possible to minimise bending, & increase mechanical advantage

• Small spades/forks reduce the weight lifted

• Digging is best done with plenty of breaks & only for short periods

• Kneeling mats protect knees & insulate from the cold ground

• Use secateurs with wider grips/handles to minimise strains to the forearm such as tennis/golfer’s elbow

• Invest in a small trolley from a DIY shop to help you move heavier items around

• Try and avoid lifting heavy pots, either use a trolley, or roll them on the edge of their base to manoeuvre them

• Remember to keep drinking fluids, as you are exercising. Re hydrating will give you better stamina, & maintain muscle function better

• If you feel pain, STOP!!!!!

• Stretch after gardening, & if possible follow with a warm bath/shower

• If you do develop a problem, seek help for early diagnosis & treatment