The good news: changing leaves on deciduous trees are a beloved part of autumn. Shades of gold, red, and orange are a beautiful sight on your commute. 

The bad news: these leaves don’t just change. They also fall onto your lawn. 

Is raking leaves part of your fall duties? If so, follow these 10 safety tips for safe raking:

1. Dress in layers: It may be chilly when you start to rake, but you’ll warm up with the physical activity. If you do discard a layer, put it on a porch or bring it indoors. Dropping it on the ground welcomes crawling bugs.
2. Stretch before you start: Warm up your muscles, especially in the back, knees, shoulders, wrists, and neck. 10 minutes of stretching before raking can help prevent injuries, and 10 minutes of raking
3. Stay hydrated: Drink water, even in cooler temperatures. About 8 oz. of water every 15-20 minutes will keep you hyrdated.
4. Wear gloves: Protect your hands from blisters with abrasion-resistant work gloves.
5. Pick the right rake: Choose a rake sized appropriately for your height and strength, as a rake that's too long or short will force you to make unnatural movements that strain your muscles. When possible, also choose one with padding on the handle to help prevent blisters.
6. Keep proper form: Hold the rake close with one hand near the top of the handle for better leverage and stand with your knees bent and your weight evenly distributed. Avoid twisting your body and switch hands every so often to avoid overuse of one side.
7. Lift properly: Wet leaves can be heavy and lifting them is one of the most common injury causes when raking. When lifting wet leaves, be sure to keep your back straight and bend with the knees and hips.
8. Take short breaks: People forget how tough raking can be. Rest, stretch, and catch your breath.
9. Don't overexert yourself: A lot of yard work injuries are caused by overdoing it to get chores complete. If you have a big yard, divide it into sections and tackle 1 or 2 at a time.
10. Listen to your body: Stop working when pain persists. If you're feeling a dull, incessant pain or a sharp, sudden pain, stop working and address it with gentle stretching, a warm bath or shower, or whatever method you prefer to soothe sore muscles. If pain persists longer than expected, talk to your doctor.