Stay injury-free and gardening all season long! Do this by taking the passion you have for all things green and tempering it with respect and appreciation of the body. This is often a massage therapist’s busiest time of year as people get outside and attack their yards trying to achieve long pent-up plans that have been stewing during the grey and wet season. Aching or tweaked shoulders, sore lower backs, and stiff necks abound as underused muscles complain at the unreasonable demands suddenly placed upon them. Treat gardening and yard work as you would a sports event and build up slowly and consistently.

Here are a few tips to help prevent yard work injuries this spring.

1. Warm up and cool down

Start the day with some easy, non-repetitive work. Plan the order of tasks so that you don’t do unnecessary work. Make sure your muscles are warm by having a hot shower or doing some gentle stretching (or both!) before going outside. End your day the same way, paying more attention to gently stretching muscles that feel tied or are sore from the day.

2. Enjoy the process

American playwright Thornton Wilder said, “Enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate.” No one will care as much about your yard and garden as you do, so enjoy every moment in it. Don’t race through a task just to get it done – this is often when injuries occur. Take it easy, stop to watch the birds, chat with a neighbor, listen to the breeze. Enjoy how your body feels as you move and cultivate gratitude for being able to do what you are doing.

3. Breathe

Don’t add unnecessary muscle tension to your body by holding or clenching your breath. Your muscles need oxygen to do their job and they work more efficiently when you take full, unrestrained breaths.

4. Lift right

Back muscles are not designed as well as leg muscles are for lifting heavy weights. To lift any object:

• Face it squarely and bend your knees while keeping your back relatively straight.

• Grasp the object close to your body and straighten your legs as you exhale.

• Do not twist your back or move your feet as you lift.

• Don’t lift heavy objects when you are very tired or first thing in the morning.

5. Mix it up

While it can be tempting to finish a project in one session, it is often more productive to bite it off in smaller chunks. Most shoulder injuries are a result of repetitive injury: too much overhead work all at once, for example. Give each muscle group a rest as it gets tired and you will find you are able to accomplish more in the end.

6. Use the correct tool

Just as you wouldn’t try to write a novel on your smartphone, don’t prune your 50-foot hedge with hand clippers. If the job is something you are likely to do only once, borrow or rent the tool. If it is something that you do every year or two, buy the tool, and buy the best quality tool you can afford.

7. Ask for help

This may be the hardest one of all. We all know the saying “many hands make light work,” and while you may not have an army of friends wanting to help with your project, it is a lot more fun to tackle a job with a few extra hands. I have often found that in an attempt to be “independent” I was robbing myself of the chance to build friendships and community. After all, it’s much more fun to sit back with that beer or lemonade with a friend and admire the work you’ve done than to do so by yourself.

8. Maintain

Just like you need to keep your tools sharp, oiled, and in good working condition to get the job done well and with the least effort, make your own body at least as important by investing in your health. Do some light cardio exercise three or more times a week, stretch regularly or go to a yoga class, and get some good manual therapy to keep your body strong, balanced and flexible this year, and for every year to come.

Anthony McMorran is a massage therapist and yoga practitioner with more than 25 years experience helping people with manual therapy. He is a new resident of Eau Claire and practices at Eau Claire Myofascial Release with his wife, Katie McMorran PT.