Gardening without pain

The gardening season is getting underway and it seems timely to give some tips on how to look after yourself when gardening.

I will talk about a different task in each blog.

It is important to be able to stand with a relaxed poise and lengthened spine before you start.  This takes practice and for many people,  Alexander Technique lessons are needed to provide the awareness required and experience of standing effortlessly.  However, I aim to show poor use and good use when standing.

Standing while pulling down
Standing while pulling down
Standing with lengthened back
Standing with lengthened back

When standing we can find our full height, not by bracing and pushing up but simply by learning not to pull down which is what most of us do most of the time.  The picture on the right shows our tendency to pull down, giving rounded shoulders and a tendency to pull the head back (causing neck and back tension) as well as unnatural tilting of the hips and bracing in the back and legs.

We need to notice when we do these things as through habit they will feel completely normal and right.  We  need to want to change this. Observe what other people do and then yourself.   Tell yourself to stop pulling down but do not try to do anything, stop tensing the neck and think up away from your feet with the top of your head, eyes facing forward.  Your weight should be going through the front of the heel pad and then spreading through the foot.

Being able to return to a relaxed but lengthened standing position during gardening sessions is essential as it is the starting and ending of most of the movements that we will do.