Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

From my experience as Organic Urban Farmer and my educational Background as Certified Horticulturist and Certified Massage Therapist, I have learned a lot about how to use my body when I do Garden or farming chores.

People who come to my Organic Gardening Class here in S.Florida forget to ask me about how to garden using their body as a TOOL.They are mostly focussed on the OUTER IMAGE whether of their garden DESIGN .They need to educate themselves how to cope with the OUTDOORS CLIMATE of TROPICAL S.Florida FIRST>

The human body adapts to the environment once we expose ourselves to the heat and humidity of SF.Gardening in the air conditioned COMFORT ZONE is not practical.

Here are some ERGONOMIC and Anatomy and Pysiology  tips to follow :

1-Use your body weight when you garden, especially:When pushing,pulling,digging,lifting etc..Use correct  postures hwen maneuvering your body in the garden chores.Listen to your body.

2-Use -and be MINDFUL of -the Gravity factor , when you position your functional and structural movements to do garden work.Remember that gravity encounter resistance from your body, so the less focal points of resistance exerted by your body the more efficient your work.

3-Study Anatomy and Physiology of the HUMAN BODY .There are plenty of learning channels especially if you check out INTERNET resources.

4-Choose the less STRESSFUL time to garden in S.Floida.Early morning or late afternoon where the temperature is not so HIGH  for example.

5-Put on Garden Gear:Wear a hat,a sun screen .Drink plenty of water etc

6-Visit your health professional,chiropractor and make sure that your body is fit for gardening work.

7-Train your muscles gradually.Do stretching exercises to counter the constrictions of musles.Yoga is my best stretching exercise .Massages are very helpful too!

8-Use ERGONOMIC TOOLS that are fit for your body.Try them before you BUY THEM.There are so many tricks to sell you tools just to make a BUCK!Women and men have different standard tools to use depending on their body weight,size  in addition to mental and physical muscular strength/endurance.

9-Train with an  ERGONOMICS educated and gardening experienced farmer /therapist/mentor.

10-Sign up for Ergonomics classes and learn how to keep your body fit and safe while farming or gardening.It is good to KNOW!

Happy Ergonomic gardening!

The word ERGONOMICS was first used by the GREEKS .Hippocretes the father of medicine used it in explaining the use of the right tools as applied to surgery .The Egytians also knew and used the tem as applied to the work environment and tools used by the different workers.

The meaning of ERGONOMICS :The originof the word as mentioned is GREEK.ErGO means WORK and NOMICS means LAWS.The laws of work as to fit the human worker .Today the cognitive meaning can be stretched to cover the physiolgical,cognitive,organizational,social and environental factors to say the least.

Most applied techniques of egonomics address the industrial and manufacturing environment to define the best tools,seats ,machines etc that fit into the use of a human.

We do not have much research and study material that adress the farm and garden work.Physiacl therapy,massage therapy and TCMTraditional  Chinese medicine do touch on the repetitive motion and musculr and skeletal injuries through alexander technique and trigger point fo example.

As farmers and gardeners who use their body to do physical work , we need to be aware of the methods and mechanisms that protect and prevent injuries to our body systems as we use fuctional garden movements and work related tools.

The first thing we find available when we try to do a research on the subject is the deluge of business related articles that promote sales of Garden Ergonomic tools forget to explain methods and mechanism to help the human body avert injuries through proper body mechanism.

I have adressed this subject in an earlier article "TheTen Commandments of Ergonomics".That will also be of help if you wanted to get a closer look and better grasp.Check it out. 

WELCOME  TO MY GARDEN> NOW PUT ON SAFETY GEAR AND FOLLOW GARDEN ERGONOMICS PROCEDURES.WHAT?

Ever heard of the MSDS? Ever EXPERIENCED: BACK ACHES-NECK ACHES-MUSCLE ACHES -CARPAL TUNNELS-KNEE INJURIES-HIP INJURIES?There are no safety guidlines for gardening.There are no curriculum that teaches farmers and gardeners how to use their body and garden tools to AVOID BODY INJURIES WHILE WORKING THE LAND,LIFTING,PLANTING,HARVESTING,PUSHING CARTS,PULLING WEEDS ETC..

aLLOW ME TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE ANCIENT ART OF SAFE FARMING .If you do YOGA then you must know WHERE Yoga was INVENTED ? INDIA. NAMASTE !  ATCHA ! SOUNDS GREEK?

Well , the INDIANS INVENTED AYEURVEDA THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.THEIR CULTURE DEPENDED ON AGRICULYURE.THEY USED THEIR BODIES DAILY PLANTING AND FARMING.THEY FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION FOR THE BACK ACHE NATURALLY.IT WAS YOGA.SIMPLY PUT:FARMING CONSTRICTS YOUR MUSCLES AND YOGA STRETCHES THEM.YIN BALANCES THE YANG.SOUNDS CHINESE?ANOTHER ANCIENT THING!

I WANTEDE TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF MY BACK ACHE AFTER TRYING SO MANY PILLS THAT NEVER WORKED..SO I WENT TO SCHOOL AND STUDIED MASSAGE THERAPY .YUP.GOT ANOTHER CERTIFICATION HANGING ON THE WALL!!BUT I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY.i LEARNED TO USE BODY WEIGHT INSTEAD OF MUSCULAR POWER.

HERE ARE SOME SAFETY GARDEN ERGONOMICS TIPS  IN A NUT SHELL:

1-WEAR GARDEN SAFETY  GEAR!

2-USE ERGONOMICALLY CERTIFIED GARDEN TOOLS.

3-APPLY GARDEN ERGONOMICS PROCEDURES WHEN FARMING OR GARDENING.TO LEARN MORE USE YOUR LIBRARY AND DO SOME HOMEWORK OR FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR FUTURE ARTICLES ON ERGONOMICS.

4-ALWAYS SEEK MEDICAL HELP/CHECK WITH A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE AND AFTER YOU FARM OR GARDEN OR EXPERIENCE ANY INJURY OR PAIN .TO FIND OUT IF IT FITS YOUR ABILITY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT GARDEN SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS,TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBLITY.IT IS YOUR OWN BODY AFTER ALL!

BENEFITS OF GARDEN ERGONOMICS:

1-SAVES YOUR BODY INJURIES WHETHER FUNCTIONAL(MUSCLES) OR STRUCTURAL(BONES).

2-USES BODY WEIGHT INSTEAD OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH GRAVITY AND  MUSCULAR FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT .

3-SAVES ON MEDICAL BILLS.

4-MAKES FARMING A PLEASURE AND MORE ENJOYABLE ...NOT PAINFUL!

IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE OR HOMEOSTASSIS.SOUNDS GREEK , EH!

BE  SAFE .

Understanding what causes lower back injuries to farmers and gardeners ,may help in the  prevention of same from happening.

Where does the lower back injury and pain occur  ?What causes the pain?What prevention methods to use?

To answer those questions from the Farmer/Gardener point of view ,we must understand   some basic anatomy and physiology of the human body  specifically about  :The structural and functional systems .Disclaimer:This is only my  personal story .If you have back injuries or pain ,please seek  help from PROFESSIONAL HEALTH PROVIDERS . The body is supported by the bone structures and functions thanks to the Muscles.Lower pain  occurs in the LUMBAR SPINE area between the L1-L5 vertebrae.The lumbar muscle gets strained triggering muscle spasm and  pain .Rushing to take pain killer pills and treating the symptoms is not enough.

Understanding how to take charge of our own body is our own responsibilty.Prevention is the key to radiant HEALTH.

I found out that we are not given enough education to do so on our own, as farmers.I am lucky because I am a certified massage therapist ,as well.I have learned how to use my body weight and proper garden ergonomics to stay fit in my garden .Here is how:

What I usually do when I am gardening is start with breathing exercises to warm up my body.Putting my MUSCLES to work right away as they are cold is an invitation to injury.Warm them up!

Going through my farming chores like Digging,Weeding,Bending to sow or harvest,Pulling or Pushing a wheel barrel/cart,and Lifting heavy soil bags for example -I learned to use my body weight and proper functional movements to stay fit.

Those functional movements included:

1-Using my lower body muscles and legs, like instead of doing repetitive spinal bending I use my knees and lower part of my body like in lifting loads .I keep stuff close to my body and my  back spine alignment  at a perpendicular angle to the ground..Working with the gravity of the earth rather than against it.

2-I ballance my movements by alternating the use of upper and lower body and right and left arms accordingly.Harmoney works  internally  like in homeostasis as well as externally like in utilizing muscular  dynamics .

3-I use proper ergonomic tools.You can find those tools on line.Careful not to fall into the shopping until you drop mood.I usually go shopping instead:Drop by drop or one garden tool at a time and I  learn as I go! 

I have tried garden ergonomics and it works for me..My back is right on the track...Give it a try.

Have a HEALTHY Farming Day!

Tony