Ergonomic tool advice in Exeter

Why Tool Choice Matters

Because the wrong tools make gardening painful, and the right ones make it possible.

Standard garden tools were designed for fit 30-year-olds with no joint problems. If you've got arthritis, a bad back, dodgy knees, or just aren't as flexible as you used to be, using standard tools is asking for trouble.

Ergonomic tools aren't just "easier" - they're often the difference between gardening comfortably and not being able to garden at all.

But here's the problem: the market's full of expensive rubbish. Some ergonomic tools are brilliant, some are marketing nonsense. You need to know which is which.

💡 Pro tip: The most expensive tool isn't always the best. Sometimes a £15 long-handled weeder is more useful than a £200 "revolutionary" gardening system. It's about matching the right tool to your specific needs.

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What This Visit Gets You

✅ Tailored Advice	❌ Generic Recommendations
Tools matched to your limitations	One-size-fits-all suggestions
Where to buy them locally	Vague "search online" advice
Technique demos	Just a product list
Honest cost/benefit assessment	Sales pitch for expensive kit

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We'll Cover

🔍 Your Situation

I need to understand:

• What gardening tasks you struggle with most
• What physical limitations you're dealing with
• What you've already tried that didn't help
• What your garden actually demands (size, style, maintenance level)
• What your budget is realistically

🧰 Tool Recommendations

Based on your needs, I suggest:

• Spades & forks: Long handles, D-grips, weight distribution
• Hoes & cultivators: Push-pull designs, stirrup hoes, long-reach options
• Pruners & loppers: Ratchet mechanisms, rotating handles, easy-grip
• Weeding tools: Long-handled, stand-up designs, swivel heads
• Accessories: Kneelers, seats, trugs, handle extenders

📐 Technique Adjustments

Tools are only half the story:

• Lifting technique (save your back)
• Working at the right height (kneeling vs standing vs sitting)
• Tool grip (how you hold things matters)
• Pacing yourself (little and often beats marathon sessions)

🛒 Where To Buy

• Local Exeter/Devon stockists
• Online specialists who deliver quickly
• Approximate prices so you know what to budget
• What's worth paying for vs what's optional

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Common Situations

Bad back, can't bend? Long-handled tools, raised beds, seated weeding, proper lifting technique. You can still garden without wrecking yourself.

Arthritis, grip strength gone? Pistol-grip tools, ratchet mechanisms, larger handles, lighter materials. Makes huge difference.

Knee problems, can't kneel? Long-handled everything, work standing or sitting on a stool. Avoid ground-level work entirely.

General aging, everything hurts? Lighter tools, better leverage, working smarter not harder. Adapt your garden to your body, not the other way round.

Recovering from injury? Temporary adaptations while you heal, then reassess. Don't rush back to old ways that'll re-injure you.

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Pricing

Service	Time	You'll Pay
Garden tool assessment & recommendations	1 hr	£60

Includes written list of recommended tools and where to buy them.

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Perfect For You If...

✅ Gardening's become painful - tools making it worse, not better

✅ You've got specific physical limitations - arthritis, back problems, mobility issues

✅ You're buying random tools hoping they'll help - get proper advice first

✅ Garden's getting neglected - because it's too hard with current setup