Gardening to improve your fitness

I really recommend gardening as an activity, because it can be really helpful for improving your strength, mobility, general fitness and mental health. As with any activity, it's important to start gradually and build up over time as your strength improves.

Movements you can do in the garden that will help your mobility:

- Bending down to weed a border or plant something.
- Reaching forward into a border.
- Pruning plants overhead and tying plants to trellis/canes etc.
- Digging and hoeing.
- Raking.
- Watering using a hose.
- Walking around the garden.

Movements that improve strength:

- Lifting plants and pots.
- Digging and hoeing.
- Watering using a watering can.
- Repeated movements such as planting or weeding.
- Mowing the grass.
- Digging up vegetables.

You can read more advice about gardening on this previous post and learn about tools that can help here.

I hope this inspires you to get out into the garden. Being outdoors is great for physical and mental health. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions!

Zoë Clark is an osteopath trained at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London.

Practising in Howe, near Norwich, (01508 558373) and Burston, near Diss, Norfolk (07543 557746).

Call now to find out more about osteopathy or to book an appointment.