Hi all. I was wondering how many of you would admit to physical health issues when gardening. Just gardening - bending, twisting, lifting weights of various kinds, reaching a little beyond our comfortable range, can take its toll. The use of machinery, whether heavy or light, repeatedly, month after month and year after year just adds to the toll. How do you avoid wrecking your body? I was a career change gardener so didn't start when really young, but have now been at it full time for around 13 years. In the last few years, though I've been finding I have a lot of shoulder/neck issues and this year it's got so bad I'm in a little pain even before I have done any gardening so am dreading the season really getting going.
Things like my knees and hips and ankles aren't too bad, but I sometimes also get twinges in my wrists and a few years back I had to have physio for 'scar tissue' in my hand - I used to lean on my trowel handle and reach for weeds with the other. I had treatment, did massage on it and it's vastly improved. I also don't lean on my trowel handle anymore.
A while back I was talking to another gardener who does the 'big stuff' for my client - the tall shrubs, trees and so on, nearly all with a hedge cutter and he wasn't yet 40 but was complaining of shoulder issues. I said if he wasn't careful he may not be able to do the job in another 10 years and potentially he could have 20 at least ahead of him if he doesn't wreck his body.
So what issues have you had and how do you treat them/avoid them/live with them? Is it simply a matter of fitness? Is it possible to garden with serious machinery after a certain age? Should you do so or are we storing up years of pain in our later years when we finally put the machines down for good when arthritis and nerve problems get worse?
Views: 2347
Replies
50 years of age this year and been in this gig for five years now - I've had a lot of injuries in the past from broken and snapped bones to compound fractures and ripped ligaments etc. but for muscle soreness I use cherry concentrate with magnesium supplements which work wonders and cold showers to fully remove inflammation in my lower back (cold showers are a game changer for this!). Strong CBD oil for arthritis in my shoulders, upper back and neck (old injuries) which really work if you get the right product. In the off season from December to March I'm in the gym everyday no matter where I am working on strength and conditioning with some Bikram and Ashtanga yoga wherever possible (don't knock it till you try it:) All the best!!
Hello and a great question Angela. I'm currently a 63 year old granddad, 5' 5" and weigh just over 9 stone and after 30 years in offices & also driving around the South East the wonderful credit crunch of 2008 set me free! (I was 5' 6" and 10 stone then
) My first paid garden job July 2009, first major injury January 2010. Put my back out laying sleepers, although my back was weak from a previous injury, so from that point onwards I have always worn a lower back support, even when doing non gardening work at home. I've also always worn knee pads and some years ago discoverd leather knee pads with thick padding, they are great.
Over the years I've had the usual aches, pains, strains and twists from doing a physical job and getting older at the same time, but as I'm self employed you just have to get on with it. Although I considered myself fit when I started it was very hard, but as others have mentioned gardening is like going to the gym for hours every day.
About 8 years ago I injured my left shoulder. I did it taking my Stihl KM off of a shoulder height shelf in my van. Heard & felt a click, bit of sorness but just carried on. Did not do anything about it, just took pain killers when required. As the years went by it became worse, especially when holding equipment at or above shoulder height for any length of time and I could not move my left arm/shoulder in the same way as I could my right or sleep on my left side. Two years ago it became unbearable and if I did a "big" job I would end up taking the next day off to recover.
I had spent hundreds of pounds on physio's and chiropractors, plus hundreds of hours watching YouTube physio's and doing all sorts of weird and wonderful stretches and exercises. All to no avail. But now I am pain free, in fact this is the best I have felt for years!
I believe I had a rotator cuff injury or impingment and in December 2023 I was in sooo much pain, I could not move my arm away from my body, I could have cried with the pain. So, back to the YouTube video's. I discovered "hanging" and this has completely cured my shoulder problem and I have full movement of my shoulder. I can actually scratch the top of my back!
You are all intelligent people so do your own research on shoulder problems if you are suffering as "hanging" may not be for you.
In case anyone is interested this is exactly how I cured my very painful shoulder problem; first I found somewhere that I could safely hang from. As my discomfort was quite high and I was petrified I would do more serious damage to my shoulder I only hung for a count of five every day for a week. Then I added another one count to my five for another week and so on until a 10 count, Then I added another 5 count until I got to hang for a count of 30. Obviously it took me a few months to be at the position I am now, but it was after a few weeks that I started to feel much better. I only hang two or three times a week now and also whilst walking about I keep my shoulders back and chest out as poor posture can affect the shoulders and back. I'm now using a dumbell to try and build up the muscle wastage that has occurred at my shoulder as I definitely have a weakness on the left.
As for the future? Who knows.
Love and light to you all.
Paul
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next