Your Green Toes

If you look around, the first signs of spring are making their usual appearance. The weather is warming and our snow is turning to rain. The sun is making more frequent appearances, and some of the early season flowers are already pushing their way to the surface to enjoy its light. Many trees and other plants are starting to get their spring buds. For many people who make gardening a hobby, this is a very exciting time! They are preparing indoor plants for transfer, raising their seedlings for transplant into their gardens, planning their lawn care, conditioning and replacing their old tools, and likely humming little tunes to themselves through the smiles they are beaming. Spring preparation is very important for your garden, as the choices you make now will affect the way your plants grow later. So if you like growing flowers for beauty, fruits and vegetables for taste, or just want to have the best landscaped house on the block, now is the time for preparation.

While you are prepping all your tools, seeds, fertilizers, and big ideas, don't forget to prepare your feet as well. Just like deep, healthy roots hold up massive trees, your feet are responsible for holding up your entire body. They need to be healthy as well. Exercise is one of the best ways to care for your feet and your entire body. Obesity places extra stress on your feet and can lead to problems. So getting out is important. Gardening helps in this endeavor. Spending all day outside with lots of walking, bending, stretching, digging, carrying, and other gardening activities helps with your over-all health. And high intensity chores like digging up bushes or building a patio are even better for you (but of course they should be undertaken according to both your activity level and your home improvement expertise). So being out in your garden is good for you! And not only is it good physically, but it certainly is a great stress reliever. This is one reason why the hobby is so popular. We want you to be aware of how good gardening is for your feet, but we also want you to prepare them accordingly. These tips will help you have a long, productive season on your green toes:

First of all, protect your feet. Gardening exposes you to lots of dangers: lawn mower blades, shovels and other tools, debris, and other things are always a risk to your feet. Take your time when doing chores to avoid stepping on any of these instruments or having an accident involving them. And wear the appropriate shoes, socks, and clothing for the job you're doing. Shoes will help protect you from debris and other obstacles on the ground. And they will protect your feet the whole way around, including the top of your feet. If you are moving a lot of heavy objects, like pavers or rail road ties, you may want to wear steel toe boots to protect your feet from any dropped objects. Think about the footwear requirements of any job before undertaking it. For example, trimming with an electric cord trimmer or "weed whacker" often results in fast moving debris which can sting and cut the skin on your feet, ankles and legs. Wearing closed toes shoes with either high socks or pants will prevent you a lot of irritation and minor cuts while doing this task. Also, your shoes will provide support for your feet when you are walking and working. Without this support you can develop problems like plantar fasciitis. We often use old shoes for yard work, but in most cases they lack the necessary support that our feet need. It is best to purchase a pair of hiking boots or tennis shoes specifically for yard work. You still won't mind if they get dirty, but they will support your feet.

Secondly, you need to be careful about how you sit and kneel when working in your garden. Patients who or diabetic or have poor circulation should especially be concerned about this. As you sit to weed or plant, you may cross your legs. This can cause problems with circulation, especially if you sit like this for long periods of time. You need to be mindful of how you are sitting, and possibly give yourself some breaks to stretch and allow your blood flow to return to normal. Perhaps you can do a little of these types of jobs, then do a job that allows you to stand for a little while before returning to your original task. Another good idea is to purchase a gardening seat. Often these come with places for tools, or as part of gardening wagons. This will make your work easier and help prevent any circulation problems.

Be careful around all the moisture that is associated with gardening as well. When you are watering or in the dirt, a lot of moisture can get into your shoes (they can even get soaked!). Although this is part of the chores, try to save it for last. This way you can remove your shoes and give them time to dry before you need to wear them again. Fungi grow the best in warm, moist, dark areas. Wet shoes certainly fit this bill. Make sure you let your shoes dry before you need to use them again to avoid the fungi that cause athlete's foot and toenail infections.

We also want to remind you to wear sunscreen when gardening. You need to protect your skin form the sun's rays, even the skin on your feet. If you will be gardening in sandals or bare footed, you need to remember sunscreen. A hat which shades your face and the back of your neck is usually recommended as well. And don't forget to take the appropriate precautions form insects as well. We hope that you are able to find lots of enjoyment in your gardening this season and that your hard work is rewarded with great bounty.