Having spend this my first year digging a new plot and now suffering back pain...I was wondering how other gardeners coped with it ?
Duke:)
Hi, have you had back pain before, or has it only started since you have been gardening, I have had back trouble for years and I took on an allotment in April this year, I always try to have a hot bath when I have finished at the lotty,and before I do any back breaking work I take painkillers, I also only dig for about 10 to 15 mins at a time then I have a rest for 5 to 10 mins, and so on, I also try to do weeding kneeling down rather than bending down.
I find my back is always worse when I dig in damp ground, I know that sounds a bit silly but it is true, I am waiting results for a MRI scan that I had a couple of weeks back,
I have found that since I have been digging my back seems to be getting stronger, fingers crossed.
Hope this helps you in someway.
When I hand weed I sit down,those cheapie kneelers from the pound shop are great to sit on.
I am always careful to bend at the knee when lifting.
I straighten up regularly,never bend for long periods.
Sometimes with my job I am digging for long periods,I break off regularly.
Do not use tools that are to small for you to use comfortably,I find the longer handled versions much better to use even though I am not that tall.
Paracetamol when all your muscles are screaming. ;D
I wear an elastic corset arrangement purchased from a physio. It looks b..... awful but it helps if my back is painful. I had a back injury about 8 years ago and so I do the prescribed excercises too. This helps me. ;)
I agree with Betula, pay attention to how you move. Make your habits good. I spent 5 years doing absolutely brutal manual work and quite honestly the best way to deal with back pain was ignore it and carry on if at all possible. That's not easy to do when there's an easier option available but it did work for me, and still does. Obviously I was in a decent physical condition generally.
I think one thing is to keep it going. Hard work regularly is better for you than occasionally. Digging fitness is slow to gain and quick to lose. Hopefully if you keep it up you will get stronger and have less trouble.
The hot bath thing I don't like. Last time I tried that with a bad back it took about 10 minutes to get out.
All the above + I use a small two channel TENS machine I bought for £20.00 from Lloyds the pharmacy.
some people find cold as opposed to heat helps as it reduces swelling and blood flow to the affected area, frozen peas in a bag are good (tescos or other cheapies) certainly not lottie grown as the bag moulds to the shape you need but if they defrost and you refreeze them dont eat em lol ;D
Hubby suffers with a bad back and we find doing 'cat stretch' exercise helps. on the back of a chair or all 4's stretch your back slowly up in an arch (like a cat stretching) then down as low as you can.
He takes ibuprofen and paracetamols and a warm shower.
If its very bad we run the ibuprofen gel into his back
Little and often with the digging till you get lottie fit ;D
Suddenly doing heavy garden work is a certain method of ensuring that back pain will strike. In most cases it is simply the proof that the muscles in the back, the lower back and the thighs are weak and lack oxygen. The simplest way I have found, is to do a daily long walk or/and to do toe-touching exercises throughout each day summer and winter.
Back pain and headaches are a result of our way of living - we all need to move and put strain on our bodies.
I find bio freeze gel works well for me, also, as others have said, kneeling for weeding jobs...but, I have arthritis in my spine etc so can't do the digging thing, anyway :)
Agree with more or less all of the above. I've had back problems for years.
Keep active. (We have two dogs who have to be given a long walk through the woods every morning, regardless of how we're feeling or what the weather's like!)
Keep changing activities - ten minutes digging followed by ten minutes weeding is better for you than ten minutes digging followed by ten minutes sitting.
Warm up before you start. Yes, I know it sounds silly, but an sportsman wouldn't dream of doing anything strenuous unless they'd done a proper limbering-up session first.
A hot shower for me, rather than a hot bath.
And a regular appointment with my chiropractor!
Certainly agree with other suffers! whatever the activity - little and often, belt & braces for me tens machine, belt support, chiropractor, even tried acupunture lets not forget the dreaded medication and don't beat yourself up if you are having a really bad day theres always tomorrow!
I can agree with manic. She recomended Biofreeze and it really works. Cost about £8 from Holland and Barret but worth every penny
I used to get lower and upper back pain a lot and found the mckenzie technique good as its just a few simple extension exercises such as lying on your front and carefully pushing upwards to bend the trunk back and holding for 20 seconds then repeating. Think about getting the book, its uncomplicated and good.
I'd also suggest no sudden jerking movements when digging or pulling around the plot. Keep everything smooth and slow down, but keep it up doing small amounts initially and gradually increasing.
I actually found that my back got better after getting the plot, it was sitting at the comouter doing nothing for hours then suddenly doing stuff that did my back in.
Also long handled forks and spades are good if your taller.
I have a friend who is a GP and keen cyclist, if anyone complains of back problems he says "get on your bike". You can't very well argue against his suggestion when he does it himself.
Well I have a dysfunctional SI joint so getting on a bike is not an option. At the moment I can't do any work on my plot without dosing up on painkillers before hand. I've had a problem with the joint for 18 1/2 years and I'm still waiting for a diagnosis from an 'expert' though I know what caused the injury and it was diagnosed 16 years ago by a GP. It hasn't been a real problem having been partly cured by an accidental manoeuvre 15 years ago it reappeared with a vengeance after I was given Blood Pressure medication in fact 48 hours after taking the first tablet...apparently that is coincidence!
Experts have failed to identify the problem even after being told they won't look in the right place....mainly because they're not specialised in that so they won't look at it.
Anyway my treatment is:
I have a elasticated support belt I wear when it's really bad.....I don't wear it all the time because I'm also trying lots of different excercises to build up the strength of all the muscles in the lower back, abdomen and legs.
Ibuprofen doesn't work for me so I use Asprin, paracetomol and codeine ...the later only when in really bad pain and as infrequently as possible as it is addictive and causes constipation as well. I usually alternate painkiller use so i don't use the same one though I sometimes have to take all three together.
When working on my plot I do some stretching before I start and go for a walk around occasionally and only do short bouts of heavy work followed by something less strenuous.
I have a Tens machine...you can get one quite cheap from a Lloyds Pharmacy and it does work.
Try deep chill if deep heat doesn't work for you, the cream the Dr gave me didn't work....Had Ibuprofen in!
Get a wheat pack/ice pack and use when needed. A wheat pack can be chilled as well as heated just takes a bit longer.
Find a stretch that alleviates your pain and use it frequently as well as other exercises.
Try relaxing....it's usually muscles in spasm causing the pain and sometimes you can relax them mentally if you try.
Scousers recommended Biofreeze some time ago on one of the posts and its what I use now, cheers Scoursers. ;D ;D ;D
no probs, ck..I like the fact that it works, smells nice and is made of natural stuff ;D
I'd recommend you give a Tens machine a try... like Baa says. I use one every day forabdominal pain, rather than back pain. Was very sceptical until tried it, and it doesn't work for everyone, but having got to max dose Co-codamol with Paracetamol in between to no effect I was prepared to try anything...
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Thanks for all these suggestions ~ I will try to find some bio freeze tomorrow ! I haven't always had back pain but since we started digging back in March my bag has become more painful. I think I have a twisting action of my body when i dig - I have tried to correct this but find it hard. I am also looking for a tens machine. I have a shiatsu electric massager which helps but I think I need something to strengthen all my muscles.
Duke
Another thing try!!!! I'd recommend finding a good reflexologist. All parts of the body correspond to parts of the foot and there are several points which often have a surprisingly quick and effective response. OK it won't work for everyone, but my reflexologist has a number of patients with bad backs who have managed to seriously reduce their dependence on painkillers etc when she has treated them and shown them how to treat themselves.
I don't have a major back problem, but it does twinge sometimes, especially after having fallen downstairs whilst carrying my youngest - he was fine, as I twisted myself to protect him, I definitely came off worse, but now I know which points in my foot to massage it really does help.
Mind you I would recommend reflexology for almost anything!!! I'm a convert and she definitely keeps me sane!
Quote from: Duke Ellington on September 17, 2008, 22:19:28
I am also looking for a tens machine.
Don't go to Boots unless you have money to burn. Try your local pharmacy first.
Physio Med are good for those hard to find consumables (http://www.physiomedhomecare.com/)
Two channels are twice as good as one, but not twice the price.
One with a CMB (Conventional, Modulation, Burst) setting is even better,
more options = better chance it will work for you
Note TENS machines don't work for everybody.
Thanks for your suggestions!~ my local poundshop has those gel heat pads. As they only cost £1 i think its worth a try and I will shop around for a tens!
Duke
I think it's important to find out exactly what kind of back injury you've got. Years ago I got back pain, thought it was muscular and carried on regardless when in fact I'd slipped a disc. Did myself more serious damage which took two years of daily pain to sort out. If I get a recurrence (rare these days) I take some non steroid anti inflamatories (Naprosyn) and lie flat for a day, then get moving again. Basically I now know how to move properly and I can tell early if it's coming on. I don't think you can ever be free of back pain completely once you get it, you've just got to learn by trial and error what works for you.
Btw - tens, osteopaths, chiropractors, GP's and consultants didn't work for me, but a sports physiotherapist did.
Quote from: Kea on September 17, 2008, 16:58:54
When working on my plot I do some stretching before I start
Athletes always warm up, so should you, do as Kea says and you will not damage yourself so easily.
I have a very strong back. Of course I ache after a hard day, but who wouldn't, but a warm up each time I'm about to do some graft stops me pulling muscles etc. Why waste money on quack cures and quack doctors, when you can stop it happening to start with.
I use Physio Med too Baa.....
I bought this TENS machine http://www.lloydspharmacytensmachine.com/ though it was on special offer £9-99 and I find it works really well. I got my husband to try it last night on his shoulder/neck area and I have to say he didn't enjoy some of program it does and he only had it on 1...he was so scared of it he wouldn't relax! When it was finished though he said he felt better and would probably quite like it once he got used to it. I think he thought he was going to be electrocuted or something!
my tens machine is no good on my neck and shoulder, it makes me go dizzy, also, not on my elbows or knees..it's good on my 'fattier' areas, hips etc.. ;D
www.bowtech.com
Or give me a bell!
I guess your pain is in your lower back?
Digging is a sure way to give you bad pain. As others have said, you should bend your knees not your back (not as easy as it sounds).
Limit your digging to 30 mins a day, max
You have strained your muscles by bending forwards at the waist - so strengthen those muscles by bending backwards instead ... the Cobra position in yoga (Google it) is brilliant for this, but take it easy to start with.