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Longer days, plants sprouting new leaves, and birds chirping remind us that spring is just around the corner. It's the time of year when people are itching to get outside and start spring gardening. While early March is a good time to begin cleaning up your yard by removing tree limbs and branches, patching fences, and weeding, it is best to wait until after the last frost to do more extensive gardening and planting. Early spring is also a good time to check out your gardening inventory. Ensure you have proper tools, well-fitting gloves, and other equipment to improve your gardening biomechanics, such as kneeling pads, benches, lawn carts, and wagons. It is also a good time of year to start raised garden beds, which can be helpful to those who have trouble bending or stooping to low surfaces. Another consideration during early spring is our own body’s fitness and capabilities. If you do not regularly exercise, now is a great time to start improving your strength and mobility to reduce the strains the repetitive nature of gardening can cause. My favorite strength exercises to prescribe that are specific to gardening include bent-over and standing rows, farmer carries, suitcase carries, squats (or modifications to sit-to-stands from a chair if you can't squat), and plank varieties (including modifications using an elevated surface if you cannot do a full plank). It is also essential to ensure you have the appropriate range of motion to perform bending, reaching, and twisting tasks. Restricted mobility can cause us to compensate and alter mechanics, leading to pain, muscle strains, and other injuries. Below are some stretches to help improve your flexibility and increase your ease with yard work and gardening.
Regular yoga participation, whether in a live or virtual class, can also help improve flexibility and balance, optimizing conditioning for garden activities. Additionally, to learn more about proper gardening and farming mechanics, sign up for the Body Mechanics and Gardening Workshop hosted by Therese High at Freetown Farm on March 25, 2025. ** As always, these are just suggestions for stretches and exercises. Always consult a doctor before initiating an exercise program, and be sure to tailor the stretches to your individual needs.** AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures. We are very proud of the impacts of our day-to-day work and of special achievements that warrant extra celebration, sometimes in the form of a press release. Here are our press releases through the years: CEI’s Nourishing Gardens Program Is Bringing Back the Lost Art of Growing Food in Howard County, Maryland - 2025 
CEI Dedicates Gray-Howell Community Engagement Center - 2023
CEI Becomes New Steward of Green Farmacy Garden - 2022
of exercise can also improve your mood, memory, attention, and ability to process information. It can also help with sleep, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve your quality of life. So, how much exercise do you need? The American Heart Association recommends that adults get the following amounts:
best to do a dynamic warm-up. Start with a slower pace or intensity for a few minutes and gradually progress the intensity. After exercise, perform a 5-minute cooldown. Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise routine. Older adults should be more careful with sudden, quick bursts of activity, such as shoveling snow, particularly if inactive and not used to physical exertion, as this increases the strain on the heart. Exercise in extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, is also more strenuous for the heart. The best form of exercise for you personally is the type that you are most likely to do! Some tips to stay motivated and improve accountability for exercise are as follows:
Finally, make a goal this Feburary to learn more about heart health. Education and knowledge of health help to reduce the risks of long-term illnesses by enabling informed choices and the ability to create healthy habits. Know signs of heart problems with exercise, such as sudden onset of dizziness, chest pain, or excessive shortness of breath. Finally, consider taking a CPR course, as you never know when this could save someone's life. Have a great Valentine's Day, and stay heart-healthy! AuthorKaryn Dulaney, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist who has practiced in outpatient orthopedics for almost 2 decades. She enjoys helping patients achieve their personal goals and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. An avid outdoor enthusiast and competitor/participant in various adventure sports, she is passionate about helping others explore outdoor activities for the mental and physical health benefits that come with them. Karyn co-founded the Community Gear Closet, which lends outdoor gear so others can have opportunities for their own outdoor adventures. |
AuthorSThe Community Ecology Institute co-authors the material on this blog with the support of several team members. Categories
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