Gardening with chronic back conditions- suggestions please!

[glenniedragon]

I have just been diagnosed with a chronic progressive back condition that is forcing me to rethink how I do things now, and how I intend to do things in the future. I have ligament problems in all the major joints and up to now have been able to keep on top of it all, however anno domini is now making things more awkward as bending, stretching and heavy lifting are to be excluded. I think raised beds may be the way forward (raised to about 1m high so I can sit and weed for example) but looks financially draining I can't make anything too permanent like brick or brieze walls at the allotment, but I don't want to give it up either. Anyone any experience of veg gardening with chronic back pain?

kind thoughts
Deb

[red]

havcne't got any advice.... spose you could look into the no dig method...

but wanted to say - sorry to hear this..

[pskipper]

Do you know any local companies who might want rid of pallets, get a friend to cut them appropriately and you'ld have free walls for the raised beds. They'ld also be non-permentant enough for the allotments.

Sorry to hear about it and hope you can find some way to keep enjoying your allotment!

[Thomzo]

Hi Glenniedragon.

I am really sorry to hear that. I would say that raised beds are the way to go but make them narrow so that you can reach into the middle easily.

My company has loads of pallets (good idea PSkipper) but it's getting them from Swindon to Wellington that's the problem. Have a scout around the back of any local industrial parks and you should find skips piled up with pallets. Loads of businesses get them and it's very expensive to get rid of them so if you ask they would probably be delighted to give them to you.

You will find, however, that they tend to be very cheap wood and won't last 5 minutes. They'll also be really rough so watch out for splinters. If you can find a company that imports from the far east or south america, however, you might have better luck as they might well have pallets made from harder woods. A company near here used to import doors and they arrived on pallets made from mahogany!

I do hope you find a way to cope.

Zoe

[Milims]

Hi Glenniedragon - we have a similar situation here too - Chris was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis last year which has greatly and very suddenly affected his ability to do all the things he wants to - so you have lots of empathy from here. We have made raised beds with wood rescued from the building site I was working on - so if you have any friends in that line its worth an ask - the stuff they for wooden framing in the walls and roofs is best - or the stuff they use for fencing. There are also tilted stools available - from an OT I think - so you can take the weight off without actually sitting down. Chris has also found using long handled tools very useful and I know we picked ours up quite cheaply from a local "sells everything" store! We also seem to be growing tall stuff - like peas - so there's less bending at harvest time. After that, we are training the children! If I do notice that we've come up with anything else I'll let you know - and likewise if you come up with anything please tell!
We send you empathy and a gentle hug (a big sqeeze might hurt!!)

[Shirley]

Blimey Deb - that's a real shame. Hugs to you mate... not really got any suggestions other than those that have been made already... other than training up the kids and the OH to do the hard stuff.

[baldowrie]

There are shovel and fork that are made for people with bad back, I can't remember what they are called and they are expensive. The basically have a foot lever to lift the shovel up so you push the shovel down and lever it up.

Look up arthritis gardening aids, you may come across them

[glenniedragon]

Thanks for the hugs and suggestions guys, greatly appreciated! I have always had Hypermobility syndrome (where I have very lax ligaments so my joints move out of the natural range) and I've had a nagging back ache on and off since I was 19, and I'm afraid 9 years of Nursing before no-lift policies existed, 2 pregnancies, carrying a *little* ahem extra weight, HMS and full on enthusiastic gardening have taken their toll. I don't want to stop what I do as I love being a Mum, growing my own, keeping chooks and bees, I want to change the way I do it. It will take more time, but hey from September Son no2 fledges to school so I'll have it. I'm having physio, on NSAIDS and have various supports to wear (all rather unpleasant american tan tights colour!) so fingers crossed it won't become that debilitating. But its something I'm now gonna have to consider. Thanks again guys you're great virtual shoulders!

Kind thoughts
Deb

[baldowrie]

hello fellow sufferer!

[Milims]

Thanks for the tip about arthritis gardening aids - we'll look it up too!

[ina]

Hi Deb, sorry to hear about your trouble! I can understand how you feel - my back only troubles me at times, but it's bad enough if I then have to leave the garden alone for a couple of weeks - always just when I would have had the time, and the weather is right... Mind you, a GP told me 20 years ago that I should never even consider working on a farm again - guess what I do for a living... I don't really have a lot of other suggestions at the moment, either, but I do a lot in containers now, having them sitting up on something or other rather than on the ground. And I tend to cover areas of the garden with black plastic for periods of time, when I'm not using them - keeps them weed free, and I don't have to work them (hoe or dig) again to get rid of the weeds before I start planting.

[Wombat]

Hey Deb!

I am sorry to hear about your problems too, and echo the responses from all above.

Have you considered hydroponics? There are a number of simple set-ups and techniques that can be acrried out at any height. I know that they use chemicals to feed the plants but organic nutrients area also possible and you could even add to our store of knowledge by doing your own research.

Nev

[farmerdrea]

Hiya - commiserations on the back problems!! Not a happy place to be, and I feel your pain (literally!!). I have back problems, partly genetic partly due to injuries, and have had them creeping up on me over the years. I am converting all my garden area to raised beds, using straw bales, as I can sit on the edge while I tend them with hand tools.

I work carefully, slowly, pausing to stretch often (I don't know if your condition makes this possible for you), and know my limitations well. As soon as I feel a twinge, I stop and go in and put a heating pad on it, and that usually really helps. I'm to the point now where I can work for about 3 hours at a series of different farm activities, but only spend about 15 minutes doing each one. It's kind of a pain, because I used to really like getting stuck in to one activity, and plugging away until it was done. I can't make a raking motion, so I've learned to use the rake like a broom, and that works really well, again, as long as I don't do it for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. I also warm the real trouble spots with deep heat before I go out to work, and really helps trouble from happening.

Sorry to ramble on so, but I know what it's like to work with those kinds of limitations. Hey, could be worse, not meaning to be flip, but I'm not in a wheelchair. Yet.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Millymollymandy]

I'm sorry to hear about your back problems too.

One thing I find helpful is one of those garden stools which, when you turn it the other way up, is a kneely pad with handles which you can lean on to get up again. As a stool it would be helpful when tending raised beds.

[glenniedragon]

You've given me food for thought, I'm gonna do a bit of searching for tools, Hydroponics and Straw bale wall building-you don't have any piccies of your set up do you Farmandrea? for a bit of insipiration? Straw bales are something I can get hold of quite easily.
Once again thanks you guys

Kind thoughts
Deb