With the arrival of fall comes beautiful changing foliage. What accompanies this is the task of raking the leaves in your yard, which can be physically demanding and could put you at risk for injury.
Here are some simple tips that might help:
- Avoid reaching too far and keep the rake closer to you. The closer it is, the easier it is to maintain good posture and save energy.
- Avoid rounding your back while lifting leaves into a bag or twisting excessively while raking. Maintain your lower back in a neutral position, and get in the habit of moving around to work in different areas. Bend with your knees when picking up leaves, especially when doing it repetitively.
- Take breaks as needed, it is better that you divide the task over the course of a day or even several days, rather than strain yourself trying to do too much.
When you start preparing your yard for the winter, understandably many things need to be done. Do a little bit every day, and avoid taking on everything at the same time!
