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Posted: Dec/19/2006 2:03 AM PST
One thing I find that helps with bad backs is to use a 'Push Plow', it makes digging weeds a breeze and you don't have to bend over. |
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Posted: Jun/02/2007 5:16 PM PST
If you can get in and out of a bathtub, it is very helpful to add 1 cup of epsom salt to your bath water and soak awhile after your gardening or right before bedtime. My physical therapist recommended it, and it does wonders for me, along with a bedtime celebrex or aspirin. I change positions in the tub and actually slide my head down into the water to my eye level to help relax my shoulder and neck areas. I very bad osteoarthritis in my spine, knees, and hips, as well as osteoporosis. |
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Posted: Jun/11/2007 1:16 AM PST
I looked up what to do to help aches and pains in joints and have found two things that work, one is jello, it was on body building website, apparently jello has in it amino acids that build and repair cartilage, the other was omega 3 tablets, you would not believe the numbers of things this helps including joint pain,(look it up) but over 95% of us do not get our recommended amount per day, so I got the capsules and take them. I make the jello into an iced drink by making it as the box says then adding a couple more cups of cold water and then adding ice, ( I buy the diet jello) making this three times a day helped my knees a lot and the omega 3 is something I have only been taking for about a month now, my Mom says it takes a good three months to start feeling better. She says she feels like a teenager again, she is in her 70's. I do a small amount of work, and then take breaks in the shade if the sun is still out. I too try and only do anything in the garden, if it has cooled down, and as I said I take breaks often as I am not able to work for a very long period of time without ending up flat on my back for weeks, so I have to pace myself. I do some gardening in pots, but I make sure they are close to the house so that I can water them easily with a hose. I also bought a splitter for the hose hookup and now have two hoses hooked up one is in the front yard and the other is three hoses put together to reach farther out into the sideyard so that if anything needs water that has just been planted I have access easily. I use a lot of mulch to cut down on weeds but also to keep things hydrated. I don't like weeding or watering, and with my health I am not capable of doing much of either. I also plant thing just a little closer together than it says so that they fill in spaces quickly giving weeds less room to grow. I like planting a lot of shrubs that grow large (shading out most weeds) and flower on the banks to cut down on having to weed or mow on hilly slopes, hubby is just starting to see the wisdom in this and we will probably be buying more and planting more to get it to where he can just ride the mower and not have to weed eat on any slopes. Fortunately for us a large amount of wild hydrangeas have started growing on their own. Hopefully between the native stuff we want and the flowering shrubs, we will soon get it to where hubby's former time span of 6 hrs of weed eating and mowing a week is cut down to a half hour on the riding lawnmower a week. Though we only have a small veggie garden we will also be using landscape fabric and mulching that as well to save work and energy. I also have planted a few things like tomatoes and peppers in with my flowers close to the house so that on days I want these and don't feel well I can get to them easily without walking down to the garden. |
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Posted: Jun/12/2007 5:08 AM PST
Sounds like some good advice there!! I have been trying for a long time to get things down to riding mower only status! I still have a few places that need mowing, such as the ditch in front of the house next to the road.. no way to get rid of that problem that we can think of. Edging everything low so we can put the rider wheels on it and go has been very helpsul and you cannot have too much mulch.. I keep adding more, but still have a long way to go to get it where it needs to be.. I am trying to get caught up after not beeing able to garden in the spring due to buffalo gnats.. but I am getting there. I tried an ergonomic trowel, you put your arm in it and it has a place to rest your wrist sort of, but it made my rotator cuff worse so that was a waste of money. I sit on the ground every chance I get when weeding..I use an old beach towel and I always make sure that I use sunscreen and Off or something for bugs..dragging a heavy hose around is hard for us, so I hook up shorter ones and attach them as I need to.. we have an acre and about 150 long ''berm'' to care for.. that heads away from the house, plus any nuberous other beds around the property. I have not tried any other ergonomic tools, others might work better? |
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Posted: Jun/18/2007 4:14 PM PST
I had a back surgery in April. I love to garden and have a large area in my back yard to do so. Not this year I thought. I took 2 paletts and some old lumber I had laying in the yard for another project. My 11 year old grand daughter and I drilled pilot holes into the hardwood paletts, nailed 2 boards on each side then put in so cross boards. We took heavy plastic from last year's high tunnel experiment and made a six inch deep trough. Next added our own mixture (like quare foot gardens). and planted away. I can't bend,twist or lift much for months to come. But now I have some not so attractive planters that I can care for. They are filled with peppers, tomatos, basil, egg plant and Chinese cabbage. I built a 2foot by six foot garden on my dear friends fence so she could garden. Great thing is, very few weeds and no wasting water. I know that just because our garden dosen't work for us as we have things hit our lives. Change how you garden. Everyone is amazed at the raised garden. It really growing. Patricia |
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Posted: Jul/04/2007 10:44 AM PST
Those are great ideas. I bet that will get your 11 year old into gardening as well as being inventive, too. |
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Posted: Jul/21/2007 12:18 PM PST
There are some great ideas here! Since breaking my wrist I have had to make revisions. Having a roken wrist has effected everything I do, even makes your balance off and mine is bad to begin with! I have a cart that I take from area to area, has 4 wheels on it and slots for tools, I sit on one of those little Rubbermaid benches and take breaks often to stretch and drink some water. My good arm is taking a beating with being the only one I can use, so I am doing hot packs on it.. should I be using ice instead?? |
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Posted: Jul/24/2007 5:18 AM PST
Being in a cast from toe to hip for the last 2 months... crutches don't do very well after a rain... or early morning.. have to wait for the ground to dry...but the crutches do come in handy when lifting up the bushes in search of beans...looking for a few choice ears of corn for dinner....mmmm yummy...and holding up tomato plants for danny to stake...LOL...as to the muscle aches.. I'm still searching for the wonder cure... can't wait to take a long soak ....but when we come out of the garden and eat some of our pickings... it makes some of the aches go away...LOL..It is always helpful to put everything you need in a basket so you wont have to walk back and forth for something you may need.. I'm always adding to the basket...never know what you may come out of the garden with... here's what I take small knife twine dry wash cloth bottle water and a recent book that I'm reading small shovel small hoe danny put a chair out in the garden... so if i get tired I sit for a spell....or he can sit....LOL happy gardening sharon |
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Posted: Jul/29/2007 8:47 AM PST
I have a bad back, knees and ankles. I find that using long handled gardening tools is a big help for me. Also, I bought a dolly this year, to help move my large flower pots around. 
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Posted: Aug/01/2007 7:51 PM PST
I have knee problems. I like to say it is an old sports injury (remember high-impact aerobics?), but I am just getting a little older. Well anyway, I found this wonderful little garden wagon at a chain store. It is about 12" high with wheels and storage. I use it for everything, including hauling big loads (40#) of dirt and sitting on it when I am planting or weeding. Couldn't live without it! Cathi ---- zone 4 |
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