Gardening has so many rewards for our health but can also lead to injury and illness if we're not aware of some of the hazards and risks. Can you think of a few things that could happen while you're gardening that could impact your health and safety?
Lets see if you came up with some of these items.
Muscle Strains
Gardening can involve a lot of pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying and kneeling for periods of time which can lead to aches and pain. If you're lifting heavy bags of soil you will want to keep the weight close to your body, turn instead of twist to put or pick up loads, use equipment like wheelbarrows to carry weighty items around the yard to reduce the likelihood of injury. Using knee pads or garden pads to kneel on when gardening will help reduce the strain that can be placed on your knee when you're kneeling for periods of time. Bending over from your waist can lead to lower back pain as your back is trying to handle the heavy load of your upper body. To prevent this, consider planter boxes that are higher off the ground so your don't have to crouch over to plant. Lastly, take breaks, stretch periodically and use these breaks to get some much needed water.
Sun and heat exposure
Consider how much time you spend out in the sun and heat. You might want to choose a cloudier day to do more gardening where the clouds will provide some periods of shade. Wearing a hat and sunglasses will help reduce some sun exposure and of course, you will want to apply sunscreen. Know the signs of possible heat exhaustion which can include, heavy sweating, dizziness, fatigue, musical cramps, low blood pressure upon standing and moist skin with goose bumps. If you or anyone with you starts feeling any of these symptoms, go and cool down inside or in the shade and drink water. Go back to gardening another day and take a well deserved break from the yard work. Sun exposure can lead also lead to skin cancer so reducing the exposure can reduce the potential long term damage that can occur.
Power tools and equipment
Using tools and equipment makes the job easier, but it can lead to serious injuries. Take time to read the manufacturers instructions, how often do people buy equipment and bypass the manual and just start figuring out how to use the equipment? The manual is there for a reason and taking a few minutes can help ensure you know the safety features and safe use of the equipment. Even if you've used similar equipment from a different brand, still take a moment to review the manual, all brands are not equal. Find out if you need any personal protection like safety glasses, or protection for your precious hearing before using the tool. Another helpful tip is that most of these brands will have videos on their website or reviews on YouTube from other users that might help you better understand the tool or equipment before you have to use it. You will also want to keep the tools and equipment away from children so they don't accidentally get injured.
For more tips and info, check the Health Canada tips here
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