I hope it's not too late in the year to pass along some advice to gardeners.

Physiotherapist Jackie Sinkeldam spoke at White Rose nursery last week, urging
gardeners to stretch their muscles before getting their hands in the dirt.

Even if you're just planting a row of petunias, you run the risk of injuring more than
your green thumb she said, adding that the lower back, shoulder and neck areas,
and the forearm and wrist are the major muscle groups at risk by fervent gardeners.

"We treat traumatic things too. Broken bones and sprains from stepping into
buckets, tripping on garden hoses or falling in holes. These are far less common
than injured muscles though," Sinkeldam said.

Those who love it already know that gardening is harder than you think. Bags of soil
weigh about 20 pounds, three yards of soil fills about 50 wheelbarrows, garden
rocks -- even the small ones -- can be deceptively heavy, and the mountain of
limestone screenings piled on my driveway weighs about a tonne. I'm not nearly as
excited at the prospect of moving that much snow and therefore take precautions in
winter, stretching my muscles before lifting a shovel.

Sinkeldam said we should be just as diligent when heading to the flower beds.

"Flexible muscles are important to avoiding injury, so stretch before, during and
after gardening," she said, adding it's particularly important for hamstrings, back
and forearms.

Sinkeldam cautioned people to pace themselves in the garden and to break up
repetitive activity like raking, weeding and planting with chores that use different
muscles.

"We advise people who work at their desks to get up and move around every 15 or
20 minutes. It's easy for an hour to pass in the garden and you're still in a crouched
position.

"Stand up, stretch, take a water break and do another job for a while," she said.

Sinkeldam said ergonomic tools can help reduce repetitive strain injury and a
simple kneeling pad can go a long way in saving your back.

Sucking in the belly before lifting and carrying items close to the body both lessen
lower back strain as well.

"It's normal to feel a little stiff the next day, but look after those aches and pains.
Rest if you're sore but if pain persists, see your doctor or physiotherapist."

Sinkeldam said that while working in the garden can build strength and flexibility,
it's no substitute for cardio-vascular activity. "Add a brisk walk before and after and
it's a good workout though," she said.

For my part, I joined a gym in January so I'd be in shape for the gardening season.
Broken bones and weakened muscles kept me from doing the heavy lifting and
major planting I had planned last year.

So I've been using a treadmill, lifting weights and touching my toes faithfully for five
months and happily report I can last longer, lift more and stretch further.

As Sinkeldam predicted, my muscles are still sore after a day in the garden --
nothing quite simulates the real thing.

But the best advice she offered was to end a day in the garden with an evening in
the tub.

Sinkeldam said preventing injuries is really just common sense.

As we all know however, hard core gardeners are never common, and we're not
always sensible either.

Joanne Shuttleworth is a Mercury reporter. Her column normally appears each
Thursday.

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