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"Dear David and Trish…

Well, Spring is in the air, and it is always around this time that I start working on my "Victory Garden" in my yard here in Downtown Annapolis. I love to garden, but sometimes I overdo it, especially early in the season when there's so much work to do. Any hints on how I can prevent back strain and really benefit from my "sport"?

- Diggin’ Debbie in Downtown Annapolis

Dear Diggin’ Debbie…

Yes Debbie.. Spring has finally sprung, and getting back in the garden is great! Most people "jump into" their gardening tasks, invigorated by all that balmy fresh air. They normally spend the first sunny day of Spring digging, planting, lifting, and hauling. Then… "OUCH!".

Your thighs quiver. Your back tightens with every step. Even your wrists are sore at the end of the day.

There's a reason for all those aches and pains.

Let’s examine the dynamics, risks, and rewards of gardening…

Digging, weeding, raking and lifting bags of soil or heavy plants are all forms of resistence exercise, and are all potentially dangerous. A lot of the problems stem from the fact that there is a good chance that you‘ve spent the winter being a couch potato (except for your daily trips to the Dairy Queen Ice Cream… you naughty girl you!). So let’s first discuss how you need to prepare for ANY new physical regiment, then we will talk about the specific challenges of gardening. As we often like to remind you, beginning ANY new physical endeavor deserves a check-in with your physician. There you can discuss precautions and limitations that are based on your known medical history, and present condition.

One of the greatest benefits, and risks, of gardening has to do with the bends and angles of movement inherent in the activity. Unfortunately, many people end up injuring themselves not because of the actual strain of the movements, but because their muscles and tendons were just unprepared for the range that they are moving. To avoid these "cold muscle" injuries, pre-activity stretching is mandatory.

Before heading out into the garden – especially in the morning when the back, shoulder, and other major areas of movement have been shown to be more injury-prone – take about 10 minutes to warm up and stretch.

Here are some basic static stretches that you should learn and practice:

• Lower Back Stretch: While lying on your back with knees bent, grasp one knee and pull it up toward your chin. Hold for a count of 10, then release. Repeat this stretch 5-10 times for each leg.

• Side Leg Stretch: While your supporting foot remains flat, you extend your other leg to the side. Flex your outer thigh for three seconds. Relax. Then stretch your inner thigh until you feel tautness. Hold the stretch for no longer than thirty seconds. Repeat with the other leg. Do just one repetition of each stretch.
• Side Split: Spread your legs out as far as possible. Flex your hips and thighs for three seconds. Relax. Let your weight nudge you down until you feel pressure in your inner thighs. Hold for up to thirty seconds.
• Butterfly: From the forehead to toes position, grab your ankles and push your knees toward the floor with your elbows. Hold for up to thirty seconds.

1. Warm up before you stretch (about five minutes of light to moderate movement).
2. Hold each stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds. As you become more flexible gradually increase the time to 1 minute.
3. Don't stretch to the point of pain. You should feel tension, but not pain.
4. Don't bounce when stretching. This can cause muscle pulls, or worse yet, muscle tears. Keep the tension constant.
5. Focus on breathing WHILE stretching. Many people hold their breathe… BAD MOVE!
6. Stretch ALL of the muscles for best results (even if you don’t plan to use them!). The muscle groups to stretch are: lower back, upper back, chest, shoulders, rear thighs, front thighs, hip flexors, calves, shins, neck, arms, and wrists.

Instead of bending at the waist to pick up a bag of mulch, pull it up on your thigh close to your body and then stand up. Assume a "scissors stance" while raking by placing your right foot forward and left foot back. After a few minutes, reverse this position, putting your left foot forward and your right foot back. Periodically reverse the position of your hands on the rake.

The same goes for lifting a heavy pot or bag of soil or fertilizer. Bend your knees, squat, pull the load toward you, straighten your knees and use your leg muscles to rise with the item. Under no circumstances should you bend from the waist and extend your arms to lower a heavy load. This greatly increases stress on discs in your lower spine.

When hoeing or raking soil, avoid bending forward and working in a jerking motion. Stand right above the area you're cultivating and adopt a gentle motion.

Pace yourself. Work for 15 to 30 minutes and take an additional stretch break. This will ease the tension on the muscles, tendons and joints, and allow you too determine if your technique is proper. Put the gardening tools down, stretch your arms over your head, and generally move your ENTIRE body in different GENTLE positions (not jumping jacks. Take your kitchen timer or baby with you to remind you to take a break (babies will ALWAYS remind you to stop!).

As with ALL exercising, remember to stay properly hydrated. Water or a non-sugar drink should be consumed every 20 minutes, and for warm days, every 10 minutes.

Don't stay on any one task too long; rotate actions to avoid strain on individual muscle groups.

Sandals or lightweight running shoes are dangerous if you're doing a lot of digging. Treat your feet well by wearing thick-soled work boots, gardening clogs or rubber boots.

Listen to your body. Pain is the body's way of saying "enough!". Never, ever "work through the pain"; what hurts today often lays you flat tomorrow.

Gardening, like any activity that requires physical exertion, is really beneficial. Not that you will get a full cardio vascular workout there (unless you have one heck of a big yard!), but there truly IS an opportunity to enhance your fitness (muscular strength, flexibility and endurance), and make Annapolis a more beautiful place (invite us over for tea… we LOVE downtown). You exercise all your major muscle groups and help tone your body.

With activities such as weeding, trimming, and raking—gardening burns roughly 450 calories an hour for men and about 350 calories an hour for women (don’t ask us why THAT is!). Besides adding to your overall physical fitness, tilling the soil can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic ailments.

If you garden regularly, you can expect to get stronger, increase your range of motion, and become more fit. A recent study found that people who walked or gardened for at least one hour a week lowered their risk of heart attack by 66 percent compared to those who did not exercise at all.

Besides being good for your body, gardening can lift your spirit as you revel in the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. Research shows that just viewing plants and trees makes people feel better. Getting your hands dirty results in even more positive benefits. We love to nurture, and the greatest satisfaction comes from watching something develop because of our care.

It is important to think of gardening as a workout, and schedule 30 minutes to an hour of it at least three times a week. Break longer gardening sessions into two- to three-hour time periods instead of all-day undertakings. The 30 minutes before sunset can be a particularly tranquil time to schedule your "workouts."

Please, as with all exercises, do NOT work through aches and pains. They are a signal that either you are over-doing it, or doing it wrong. As is the case with any workout, you should supplement your gardening with other forms of exercise for an all-around healthy body. This is NOT an aerobic exercise. So you STILL need to maintain a program that strengthens your heart, circulation and respiration. As a regular reader of this column, you know that Trish and I recommend walking, biking, swimming, or chasing Poodles around the neighborhood as the best aerobic activities. Or, go to your nearest Health Club, and join up! But keep them flowers growing!

• Remember to warm up! Take a walk around your yard a few times to loosen up (or about 100 times if you live in Downtown Annapolis… but don’t get too dizzy!). Or, better yet, take a walk around town and let your Poodle do some olfactory(sniffing and general carousing!).
• Limit the amount of strain placed on your lower back. Let your arms and legs do the work when pulling a rake or pushing a hoe or shovel. When weeding or planting, sit on the ground or kneel on a foam pad.

• Do the easier jobs first. As you progress, periodically switch to other jobs to avoid overusing one muscle group. You should also alternate difficult tasks with less taxing ones. (And be sure to take breaks to smell the roses… Trish said that!).

• Limit the strain on your back when lifting heavy objects.

So, keep digging, raking, weeding, planting, pruning, digging and watering. You will be healthier for it, and your soul will blossom along with your beautiful flowers!