Thought Bytes...
May 2002

Getting Started in the Garden

I never seem to tire of reminding people that we were not designed to sit. We were designed as hunters and gatherers. We are supposed to be walking and running, picking berries and throwing spears. Sitting at the desk or the computer is quite recent in the evolutionary scale. (Even if you adhere to a Genesis model, Adam and Eve were sent out from the garden to fend for themselves in the fields and forests...).

The problem arises when our bodies have become soft from sitting at desks and computers and then with the warm air and budding trees, we think that we can rush outdoors and resume our ancestral activities. Digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, raking, mowing, pruning... all are a step above throwing spears and swinging from trees, but you get the picture.

It was at the end of gardening season last November when I hurt my back, and I am determined to never let that happen again. So, this spring I have been searching for methods and products to help me use better postures. Probably one of the smartest things I did was to hire someone else to do the heavy stuff. While I was out one day, they came in an power raked, core aerated and edged and left me the bill. Personally, when I compare how long it would have taken me to do the same with my muscle-powered tools (and how sore I would have been), it was well worth the $130 investment.

But, let's look at some of the devices that will make life in the sun and mud more enjoyable:

• Knees - Get a kneeler. Not just a foam pad under your knees, these mini benches raise your knees about 4" off the ground. While the padded surface helps to take pressure off the joints, the wide platform distributes the load over the shins. Because the knees are higher than the toes, the knee doesn't have to be in as acute an angle, so there is less strain on the ligaments and the meniscus and better blood flow from the feet. The kneeler that I picked up at my favourite hardware / garden shop (Lee Valley Tools) also has handles that are raised about 14". This makes getting up and down easier. When working on raised beds or in my containers, I can flip it over and sit on it. No more bending over the pots!

• Gloves - The argument continues to rage about gloves. They have the advantage of improving grip and protecting the hands, but at the same time can reduce tactility. If you can't feel the object, you tend to grip tighter. The solution is to wear the thinnest possible glove for the task and make sure it fits your hand snugly. Make sure the gloves have some kind of rubbery texturing on the palms and fingers to help grip and hold on. Padding in the palm is helpful if you experience numbness or tingling with exposure to vibration (i.e. the lawnmower).

• Hand Tools - The handles on your hand tools should comfortably fill you hand. The minimum diameter is specific to your hand size. If you bring the tip of your little finger around to the tip of your thumb, the tool handle should fill that space. (I would actually prefer to use the longest finger than the little finger, but I don't expect to find any tools with handles of sufficient diameter for larger hands.) The handle should be textured to improve grip-ability. It does not need to be contoured. If there are contours, they need to fit your fingers. Too small or too large contours will create pressure points (and blisters).

• Long Tools - Shovels and rakes that are too short will make you lean forward. This will increase load to the back, neck and shoulders. A long tools should have a handle that extends to your shoulder. That way you can get a good power grip with your hands at waist to mid chest height. This height gives you control and still allows you to reach forward. With shovels, you shouldn't be applying force downward with the hands / arms, but with the feet by stepping on the end of the blade. A longer tool will give you the leverage you need, while maintaining a more upright body position. Padding on the handles will help to prevent blisters as well.

• Pruners and Blades - The sharper the blade, the easier the work. It makes sense, but we tend to think the job will only take a few minutes, so the blades keep getting duller. The consequence is that we have to work harder - tighter grip, more repetition and more twisting (while possibly damaging the plant). Gather up your tools with blades and take them in to get them sharpened if you don't have the tools/skills/time to do it yourself.

• Use the tools properly - I recently saw a wonderful picture of a pruner that advertised that it reduced "effort and hand stress by keeping the handles parallel during the cutting action". Unfortunately the accompanying picture showed the wrist in extreme ulnar deviation (bent toward the little finger) and flexion (palm toward forearm). Two cuts with my hand in that position and my fingers would be numb. Always change the angle of the tool to allow you to maintain a flat and straight wrist posture. This allows the tendons to work in a straight line.

• Take breaks - If I learned anything from my mishap last November, it is to limit how long I spend on a task. Unfortunately, we are creatures of habit. And once we start into a job, by golly, it's going to get finished. At least try to alternate the postures that you use. Do a little work standing, a bit crouching, some kneeling, some bent over. Then get some water to drink (or something stronger, but keep in mind that water is still the best for re-hydrating yourself).

• Buyer Beware - When you see the label "ergonomic" on a tool, remember that there are no guidelines for what is an ergonomic product. I can call my tea cup an "ergonomic" tea cup if I want. Try removing the word "ergonomic" from the label or the advertising. If the product still has merits, it may be okay. At the very least, it should somehow help to improve working postures, decrease force or grip strength requirements, pad parts of the body from pressure points or reduce vibration.

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