Horticultural Health

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Ergonomic Considerations for Horticulture
Gardening Smarter Not Harder
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Horticultural and Arboricultural Health Issues

• Repetitive motion injuries
• Back and knee injuries
• Heat stress
• Sunburn and skin cancer
• Pesticides and other chemical injuries
• Noise

• Allergies
• Poisonous plants, insects, spiders
• Lightning

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Repetitive Motion Injuriesor Cumulative Trauma
Disorders

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) - 1
• Tendinitis (tennis elbow)
• Tenosynovitis (trigger finger, chain saw finger,
  white knuckle)

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Carpal (carpus) wrist
• Tunnel a hollow conduit
• Syndrome a group of signs and symptoms that
  occur together and characterize a particular
  abnormality

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

• wrist and finger pain
• "pins needles
• reduced grasping strength
• numb hands and fingers
• cold fingers

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome contributing factors

• repeated motions/activities
• improper body positions
• poorly designed tools
• low temperatures
• prolonged heavy lifting or exertion
• pounding or pushing with your hands

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"Non-occupational" CTS contributing factors

• age/gender
• pregnancy
• diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis
• congenital disorders
• vitamin B-6 deficiency
• prolonged alcoholism

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome prevention and relief

• do stretching and strengthening exercises
• vary activities and rest
• correct body positions
• grasp items - don'ts pinch or grip
• don't push or pound with your hand
• stop activities if painful

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome prevention and relief

• use wrist supports
• use heat and cold
• medications
• surgery

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome prevention and relief

• use mechanical and electrical assistance
• use ergonomically-designed tools

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Ergonomics
The science of designing or modifying work
environments, tools, and equipment to suit the
worker (body).
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Characteristics ofergonomically designed tools

• Tools that are proportionate or adjustable to
  ones body (handle lengths and sizes, etc.)
• Tools that are lightweight (made of plastic,
  aluminum, or composite materials vs. wood and
  steel)
• Tools with larger handles and shafts

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Characteristics ofergonomically designed tools

• Tools with handles attached at an 80-90 degree
  angle
• Tools with softer handles and handles contoured
  (especially handles) to the hand/fingers
• Tools with moveable parts to that the tool, not
  your body, adjusts to the task

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Unifork 2007 Organic Gardening magazine
Editors Choice award
Unirake
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Characteristics ofergonomically designed tools

• Small hand tools with extension or telescoping
  handles
• Small hand tools with arm cuffs that keep your
  wrist in the neutral position
• Short-handled tools (spades, forks) with D-grips
  on the handle or shaft top

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Characteristics ofergonomically designed tools

• Tools (especially pruners) that allow you to use
  your left or right hand (ambidextrous)
• Power tools (mowers, string trimmers, chain saws)
  that cause minimal noise and vibration

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Making existing tools more ergonomic

• Shorten handle lengths
• Cover handles with padding (plastic, foam,
  rubber) to make them larger and softer
• Attach D- and T- handles to straight-handled
  tools

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Making existing tools more ergonomic

• Attach extensions to small hand tools
• Add arm cuffs to keep tools (and wrist/hand)
  stationary)
• Keep tools clean, sharp, and in good condition

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www.cdc.bog/niosh/docs/2007-131
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TCI April May 2007
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Important Carpal Tunnel Syndrome wrist positions

• neutral - wrist in the "rest" position
• hyperflexed - wrist bent forward
• hyperextended - wrist bent backward

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Problematic non-horticultural positions

• Fetal position sleeping
• Defensive postures
• Pensive postures

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You need to change your thinking, habits, body
posture and positions, equipment and tool
selection, etc. for every part of your life!
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