Top 10 Gardening Exercises

A new fitness and health website is helping gardeners avoid often painful and sometimes serious injury. May is the busiest time of year in the garden as once again we venture out to battle nature's response to the warmer weather. But beware down that path lies danger! According to the Department of Trade and Industry's Home Accident Surveillance System around 87,000 people go to hospital accident and emergency because of injuries caused by actively gardening or carrying out DIY jobs in the garden. Perhaps not surprisingly RoSPAs list of the 10 most dangerous gardening tools ranks lawnmowers #1, accounting for 6500 accidents a year but second is an inanimate object with not sharp edges – the humble flower pot –which causes some 5,300 serious accidents, mostly by lifting.

Gardening can cause an unusual strain on the body leading to injury especially the back. Kent based health and fitness expert, Josie McKenlay has to deal with more back problems at this time of the year than any other. Josie who founded the Pilates inspired exercise tuition and community website Vitalflow said, “A few sunny days and many people tend to rush out and attack gardening jobs with great energy and quickly find that they are in agony. Just like the garden, the body needs careful cultivation to produce best results.”

Physiotherapist Caroline Allaway (MCSP/HPC) advises Pilates and Vitalflow provide the perfect vehicle for at-home strengthening and warm up exercises. “Pilates is a safe form of exercise and one I often recommend to patients to help prevent back complaints, and those recovering from strains and injuries. With guidance, the video clips from a qualified teacher on a website such as Vitalflow can help enormously.” said Caroline.

Vitalflow is releasing a free video of warm-up and stretch exercises to do before gardening and help handling those dangerous flowerpots on http://www.vitalflow.com/Wellbeing/Free+Videos/Gardening.

Meanwhile, Vitalflow's top ten tips for avoiding stress and strains associated with gardening are: 1. Bend your knees when lifting so that your legs do the work, not your back. 2. Use a wheelbarrow for moving heavy items such as compost, stones, etc. 3. Keep weeds to a minimum by mulching and keep low maintenance plants. However, if you have to get down low, use a kneeling pad or knee pads. 4. Try to use raised beds to avoid bending or reaching and stretching. 5. Do some warm up exercises before digging to prepare the muscles. 6. Take frequent breaks. 7. Use lightweight, long handled tools and power tools where you can. 8. Use a small spade when digging. 9. Have a couple of jobs on the go at the same time and alternate so as to avoid repetitive movements. 10. If you feel even a slight twinge, it's time to stop for the day.

Visit www.vitalflow.com and register for a free two day trial of the programme. Physiotherapist Caroline Allaway can be contacted on 07817 076165.

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Press contact: Jane Owen +44 774 7036050 jane@saxondene.com