Stretch a little, work a while,
sit a spell
Whether it’s spring planting, summer cultivating, or autumn cleanup, time spent in the garden can be healthful and rewarding.
One good piece of advice: Don’t work for more than two hours at a time. After that, save your back. Sit down in your garden chair, ponder nature, and let your body recover.
Doctors at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine say more patients are seeking treatment for lower back pain, and that many of those patients are gardeners. People forget that their bodies can’t stand sustained labor and have to be gently limbered up before beginning. Their advice:
Stretch before you start. Work with a spade instead of a shovel for less back strain. Bend at the knees, not at the waist.
Use a cushion when kneeling on the ground.
Don’t work for more than two hours if you haven’t done any gardening for a while. If you have a very big garden, you can work up to a longer time.
Some people do their best thinking while sitting in an old chair next to the rows of vegetables, watching the corn rise and the sun set. Whether you do or not, you’ll find your chair by the garden to be a peaceful, restful spot.
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