Ergonomic tool advice in Exmouth

### 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 Exmouth/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