Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

WHAT DOES REALLY MATTER:THE ECONOMICS OF GARDENING or GARDENING ERGONOMICS?

Gardening is a therapy as per the programs and degrees now available in colleges as :HORTICULTURAL THERAPY.Could it be a CHALLENGING PAIN IN THE BACK AS WELL?It all depends how we use our body to carry on the gardening functional movements.

As a certified Massage Therapist and a Master Gardener , I studied  the anatomy and physiology of both plants and the human body.I have learned how to work my muscles in a way that will not spoil my passion for gardening.

Now I want to share my story with you gardeners and farmers who learned about everything except HOW TO USE YOUR BODY ERGONOMICALLY!

Repetetive motion of the wrist and knee and shoulder and back.Watch out for the OUCHES and ACHES when you abuse your body.There are ERGONOMIC Garden tools in the market , but I am not trying to SELL YOU anything .Beware those sales people who come to you wearing different masks in the name of ORGANIC GARDENING.We all need to make a living but the best way is the DIRECT HONEST WAY where we use no gimmicks or games to make the buck.There are so many so called false prophets so beware !Here are some suggestions to be ERGONOMICALLY fit:

1-Use Ergonomic tools.Look them up at the web and make sure that you buy the least .Check out weights,angles,materials.Try them before you buy them and feel them for their safety ,flexibility and comfort!Remember that the tools must rotate not your wrist .So they must be strong ,safe and reliable not to break or cause you injury.

2-Check out with your health care provider if you are clear to stear free in the garden or the farm and that you have no conditions that might impair your gardening and put you in HARMS WAY!.

3-Get a good GRIP on your tools.Use your wrist ERGONOMICALLY :The wrist is vulnerable, once we abuse it  we might end up straing a muscle,twisting or injuring a tendon by applying  inappropriate  muscle or body movement .

4-Learn more about your body anatomy and physiology.Take responsibility.:The hand for example employs FLEXERS and EXTENSORS that host the nerves and hand muscles  which have been vulnerable for CARPAL TUNNEL and TENNIS ELBOW  syndrome/injuries from employing repetetive hand motions either in Gardening or in Tennis exercises.

5-Study ERGONOMICS :The word originates from the GREEK language.Prefix -ERGO:WORK MOVEMENT,and Suffix- nomix:Study.The study of work movement!Voila! 

6-Ask the experts and the EXPERIENCED:Gardeners or farmers who studied horticulture and anatomy and physiology are to be trusted to advise you.There are self proclaimed teachers who ONLY know how to SELL and EMPLOY their mouth and the muscle of their tongue to twist your dollar out of your pocket for lessons and books they sell without even having a garden or a farm.Check out that they do HANDS ON CLASSES first and do not be distracted by the presenatble paper work or fashion.I will follow the farmer or gardner in rags who has experience in the feld ,knows what he/she  is doing and saying rather that the well dressed ,well versed one just fakes it!You know them by their FRUIT(garden)!If they dioo not have one.You know what to do!

7-Place your body in harmoney with the gravity of the universe and the earth.When pushing,pulling,digging etc..use your  body weight.

8-Keep on learning and applying what you learn in the garden or the farm .Be patient.Be flexible.Be safe!Wear on the garden safety gear:hat,gloves,sun-glasses and DRINK SPRING WATER!

9_Stretch your muscles after a garden work or take a yoga class.

10-Rest your body often.

Have a happy and SAFE Gardening!

LOcalharvest.org/farms/M20618