Do you love gardening but find that at the end of the day, you are sore and tired?  The problem may lie with the gardening tools that you use. Gardening shouldn’t be painful if you are using the correct, ergonomically designed tools. Here is what you need to know.

What are Ergonomic Gardening Tools?

Ergonomic gardening tools are tools that have been designed to work well with your body and to reduce strain wherever possible.  Well designed tools eliminate or greatly reduce the problems associated with gardening such as sore backs, sore wrists and hands, tired muscles, difficulty getting up and down, repetitive strain injuries and so on.  Ergonomic garden tools leave your body in a natural position as you work.

What to Look For in Ergonomic Gardening Tools

There are many gardening tools out there now that have been ergonomically designed in the hopes of making your gardening work easier. 

1. If you have to work on the ground, use a specially designed gardening kneeler that has padding for your knees and that has handles to help you get back to a standing position.
   
   
2. To stop you from bending or stretching so much, look for tools that allow you to work standing up. These include telescoping tools (where the handles can be lengthened or shortened as necessary) such as rakes, brooms, shovels, and pruning tools.
   
   
3. The wheelbarrow is one of the most used gardening tools but they are notoriously hard on your back. Instead of opting for the standard single wheeled barrow, look for a wheelbarrow that has two wheels as they stabilise the load.  Alternatively, use a garden cart.
   
   
4. Look for gardening tools that have padded handles with special grooves for your fingers to fit into. The tools should be lightweight but perform their tasks easily.  Lighter tools means less work goes into handling them and your muscles won't tire as quickly.
   
   
5. Pruning is a necessary job in any garden but you can make it easier.  Choose pruning tools that have a ratchet fitted to it. These work by inserting the stem into the clipper area, squeeze the handles until the blades meet the stem, and then release, so that the ratchet applies all the cutting force instead of you.
   
   
6. You can also find special planters that make it easy for you to plant seedlings, bulbs, vegetables and even small shrubs.  These have a long handle and make it easy for you to plant numerous plants without bending over and straining your back. 
   
   
7. There are also weed removers that allow you to remove weeds while you are standing up – no more bending on your hands and knees for hours!