Now that spring is here, many homeowners are looking forward to working in their gardens. Gardening is a relaxing way to get some exercise and fresh air, but it also leads to many injuries. Over 400,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for accidents related to garden tools every year. Here are some tips to protect your hands when gardening.

•    Only do repetitive tasks, such as raking, digging, trimming flowers and bushes, pruning, and planting, for 15 minutes at a time. Switch activities and take breaks to prevent injuries to your muscles, nerves, tendons, and skin.

•    Watch out for sharp objects that might be buried in the soil. Dig with a shovel or rake, not your hands.

•    Use tools only for their intended purposes. Look for pruners and shears with a safety lock. Always keep sharp tools away from children.

•    Many tools have finger grips, but they are only designed for people with hands of a specific size. If you have large or small hands, those tools could be uncomfortable to use. Look for tools that do not have form-fitting handles.

•    It is easiest to grasp objects when the wrist is in a relaxed position. You can lose a lot of your grip strength if your wrist is bent.

•    Wearing gloves while working in the garden can prevent blisters and protect your skin from fertilizers, pesticides, bacteria, and fungi. If you have a small cut that is exposed to soil, it can get infected. Leather gloves can protect your hands from thorns, snakes, insects, rodents, poison ivy, and other things that could irritate your skin, as well as sunburn and damage to your fingernails.

•    If you cut your hand, apply direct pressure. A minor cut should stop bleeding quickly. If the bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, you have persistent tingling or numbness in your fingertips, you are unable to thoroughly clean the wound, or you are unsure when you had your last tetanus shot, go to the emergency room.

1st Aid Supplies provides many supplies needed to treat common injuries such as cuts. You should have a fully stocked first aid kit or cabinet in your home to deal with common injuries that can happen while gardening or doing other household activities. If you don’t, order supplies today.