Allotmenting and Arthritis (OA)

[Piglet6]

Are they a fairly compatible mix?

Have problem hands (thumbs and some fingers). Now feeling the tell-tale signs in both knees, right hip and occassionally right shoulder.

Oh well, won't be far to go after my allotmenting....the cemetary is next door. LOLOL

p.s. still don't have the much-dreamed-of allotment yet. Still No.1 on the waiting list.

[robo]

i have is in both knees and toes, like a lot of things in life you have to get on with it or give up and site down waiting for the wooden box to come to carry you away

[Ricard with an H]

I'm so glad I logged on this morning, mostly I used this site for help and encouragement with very few opportunities to offer help because i'm so inexperienced though the experienced of the unexperienced can often be valuable.

I don't have an allotment, I do have over an acre to care for together with last years project of raised beds for vegetables.

I have suffered from poorly hips or many years, I now have re-surfacings. My knees are going to the point I have to use sticks for walking, fingers, toes, elbows, shoulders and low-back are all at some time or other painful with the odd occasion when just about anything that is supposed to articulate freely is painful.

How I manage is to try to avoid self-pity, it's amazing how the boost to your day comes if you are positive. If you want to be an allotment gardener you'll find ways of overcoming your painful fingers and other joints. If it's something you have to do you'll find it a chore.

If you do some research you'll find very few people are pain-free, even comparatively young people suffer from debilitating back pain. I once asked everyone I met and spoke with about painful joints they have, very few said they have no problems, and they cope, so getting yourself an allotment and enjoying it could be fantastic help.

This is not a, 'Pull-yourself-together and pull-your-socks-up' message so much as knowing what you're going through and having to cope myself. Just last year I discovered I rarely need to use a spade or fork because I found digging hoes. Fantastic help.

If sitting down hurts, stand up. If you can't unscrew a wine bottle cork get a tool that helps or get a helper but keep a smile, you're in good company.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I'm in the same state as most of you, osteo arthritis in most joints and my neck- my back is OK though, so far.

I think it is far better to do some exercise every day rather than letting everything seize up doing nothing. If it gets really painful I take a strong Ibuprofen tablet before bed for three or four nights, then none until it gets bad again as it upsets my stomach. Eating celery is extremely good for clearing the crystal deposits out of creaky joints, and avoiding foods and drink that increases the acidity of your body also helps. Have you noticed how your joints all feel worse when you've eaten lots of strawberries, tomatoes or peppers? I'm not saying I avoid these, but know I'll probably suffer the consequences afterwards.

Like Richard says you can always adapt how you do things and what you do, but no reason to stop altogether, just try not to do too much when you are enjoying a good gardening session. Also, try and vary what you are doing so you don't upset one particular set of muscles/joints, and if you have a heavy day one day, do something lighter the next, or garden on alternate days. I'm sure I'm stating the obvious, but it doesn't hurt to have a reminder.

My father kept quite a large garden until he was in his late 80s and had his regular times to come in for a cup of tea and a nap - it was surprising how much he got done.

[robo]

i find i can only work in fits and starts, i manage 10 minutes working then sit down for 5 minutes then start again its amazing what you can get done over a few hours, ive only had the plot since the end of october and it was a right mess it had been used for a dump for 12 years i was 3 weeks clearing the first 50 square feet it put my daughters fiancé in bed with a bad back and he only did 1 day but we kept at it , i planted some leeks after the first bit was cleared just to give me and the wife a bit of green to look at as we cleared the rest of the plot, we now await spring with baited breath

[Ricard with an H]

Brilliant.

Another example, a few years back I had a mountain of top-soil and a space to create grass for a lawn within our domestic area. Paid help was out of the question and I really did want to do it, so, just how robo illustrates I got myself a chair and a table on site.

Once the level pegs had been arranged (With a laser-level) I set small targets and though I don't remember those targets (Another problem) it was along the lines of two barrows of soil then a sit-down. After a while I needed to rake-and-level so I set myself comfort targets.

I don't always manage to control myself, often I wake-up feeling good, then go-for-it only to pay the pay the price. I'm still amazed I managed to build and fill those three raised beds I created last spring. Right now I have onion and garlic sprouting and still have winter salad in the cold frame.

[Piglet6]

Thanks Lads & Lasses, it's good to know (well, not GOOD to know you have joint problems, but you know what I mean!) that some of you also have pesky problems, but manage ok.

I'm totally 'chipper'. If something hurts there is usually a way around the problem. We'd probably all laugh at some of our 'ways around things' that we have devised.

Fortunately my job keeps me very mobile - working in a busy warehouse. On my feet all day.

Also, hubby & I did some fairly major gardening a few months ago. It involved 7 tonnes of gravel. Hubby estimated that I shovelled approx 6 tonnes of it!! How did I fall for that one?!?!?!

We are going to 'do' the back garden this year - without fail. If hubby hasn't come up with a plan for it by May, I will be taking the sledgehammer out there myself. He knows this, and he has known me long enough to know I mean it this time!

So looking forward to the 2013 growing season.

[Ricard with an H]

I'm totally 'chipper'. If something hurts there is usually a way around the problem.

I'm not pretending I don't get 'down'.

Over the years whilst waiting for an appropriate time to push for hip-replacement and then having to run the gauntlet of the waiting-list and NHS 'jiggery-pokery' to cook-the-books I have gotten so down I cried. In hindsight, the crying was more desperation than depression.

The problem with pain is you are mostly alone, others can't see you're pain. If pain was indicated by blue smoke coming out of your ears others might appreciate the difficulties. Even health professionals are rarely trained in understanding pain and it's effects.

The favoured resort to hospital staff when dealing with a whinging bloke is to bring up that story about the 90 years old lady who never complains through all her difficulties. When it comes to pain-control sexism is rampant on hospital orthopaedic wards.

I could share more stories but this is now digressing from the topic so i'll not.

Have you looked at the Chillington digging tools ? Oh-my, they are a fabulous help for me. I rarely use a spade or fork these days.

Some years ago I was to have an operation on a very painful bunion, I don't know what a bunion is or what it was exactly that caused my pain. It was suggested to me to wear clogs and flip-flops instead of shoes. This solved two problems, I didn't have to bend down to get in-and-out and when you walk in clogs or flip-flops you actually bend your toe joints and use them. The problem ceased to be a problem enough to be a surgical-target and after 5/6 years the toe still hurts but sometimes not enough to bother.

[Urban Fox]

Piglet - you might want to have a look round this site

http://www.fredshed.co.uk/about.htm

Fred is a paraplegic and reviews tools for abled and disables gardeners.

you should also take a look at

http://www.carryongardening.org.uk

which has suggestions for tools for anyone with a weak grip

http://www.carryongardening.org.uk/gard ... -grip.aspx