For many people, gardening is more than just a weekend hobby or a way to put fresh produce on the table, it's a passion. Many people get great satisfaction and relaxation from all different types of gardening. Many other people, on the other hand, consider it to be burdensome labor. They look forward to it about as much as they do a trip to the dentist. Now obviously, like anything else, gardening isn't for everyone, and the people who don't like it probably won't do it. For the others, however, the difference may be in the hand gardening tools they use. Any job you do is going to be less enjoyable if you don't have the proper tools. There are many options available when it comes to hand gardening tools, but some are definitely better than others.

What Does Ergonomic Mean?

The term ergonomic simply means that something is designed with a person's safety and comfort in mind. In the case of hand gardening tools, you can see how important this can be. Tools that are ergonomically designed will have all of the functionality of any other tool, but they will also add a comfort and ease of use that the others do not offer. Some of these added features are quite simple, but the results will be quite noticeable.

Technological advances over the last several years have led to the development of many power gardening tools that have taken the place of the more traditional hand gardening tools. Many people, however, still enjoy the feeling and satisfaction they get from working the ground with the older style tools.

When choosing ergonomic hand gardening tools, there are a few things to keep in mind. Make sure you choose tools with comfortable grips. Larger grips with indentations for finger placement are much more comfortable and easy to hold on to. Tools with longer handles will also save your back by keeping you from constantly bending over. Telescopic handles are also useful, and can allow you to work at many different angles and distances.

Many tool manufacturers offer complete lines of hand gardening tools that are specially designed for the purpose of being ergonomically correct. Instead of bending down on your hands and knees, there are special weed pullers that allow you to stand up, which greatly reduces back strain. More and more hand gardening tools are being designed with special handles to allow for the proper hand and finger alignment.

Some other common items that many people do not consider tools are gloves, stools and others. Hand surgeons have designed special gardening gloves that have extra padding in the areas that experience the most pressure and stress. They will not only prevent callouses, but they also reduce soreness in certain areas from repetitive use. Several different gardening wrist wraps are also available to prevent strain on that area of the body. Using some kind of stool or seat that allows you to sit instead of kneeling will lessen the strain on your knees as well as your back.

Investing in some of these hand gardening tools and accessories will improve your health as well as the quality of your work. If you're more comfortable you can concentrate better on what you're doing instead of the pain in your back and arms.