Love to work on your lawn or in the garden, but tired of having your muscles complain mightily the next day? Physical therapist Shannon Harris offers these pointers on proper gardening posture and techniques to avoid aches, pains and injuries:

¢ The first step is to stretch the legs and trunk for five minutes before beginning.

¢ The two most common mistakes gardeners make are not lifting properly and twisting their bodies.

Before lifting, assess the load. Move the object from side to side or push it a little to see how heavy it is. When you are ready to lift, don’t bend at the waist, but at the knees. Your shoulders should always stay in line with your hips.

Raking and shoveling are the two activities that place you at most risk for twisting. To avoid injury, don’t plant your feet and twist from side to side with a load. Instead, pivot with your feet so that your shoulders and hips stay aligned.

¢ Use knee pads when weeding on your knees. Set a timer for 20-minute intervals, then stand up, stretch and get out of the forward, hunched position.