Preparing the vineyard pruning season like you would a sports season

ldquo;From equipment, diet and hydration to recovery time, you have to prepare yourself like a high-level athlete to last the entire pruning and bending season”, claims Bruno Farthouat, a consultant with the French farmers’ health scheme MSA. Every year, he organises workshops to raise awareness among Charentes vineyard workers of the risks they run during winter vineyard work. In the wine industry, one in two accidents occurs during pruning and bending, followed by planting, trellising maintenance, tying up, de-budding and lifting. He gave growers tips on how to avoid musculoskeletal disorders. “As we are in Charentes, I focus on the upper limbs. In Champagne, where the vines are low, it would be the opposite”, he explains.

Bruno Farthouat insisted on the importance of having good footwear. “You can add a sole to your boots to insulate your feet from the ground. You can also wear sports socks or thick winter socks, it's up to each individual to find what suits them best”.