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Tips & Techniques

my knees ache

16 years ago

My knees ache so much because I bend them too much when I garden. Any way to eliminates it? I don't knee down too much because I have to move constantly around. Thus, I can only squat down and bend the knees. Hours and hours of work........ it hurts..... Any suggestions? Thanks

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Comments (7)

digit
16 years ago
I carry a hoe around the garden. Not so much that I'm using it to kill weeds constantly (should be doing more of that ;o) but, rather, that it gives me something to lean on.

The hoe also helps me stand again if I need to squat down. The hoe I like has a very small blade and it stays out of the way a little better than a wider blade. I suppose, it would be almost as helpful to carry just a hoe handle.

Good luck with those knees, Chueh.

Steve's digits (and not his knees)
chueh
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you so much. I heard that gardening was hard work, but I never think that it is. It's so much fun, and it's addictive. I guess that we just have to know how to protect ourselves a little bit more. Gosh.......... I have gotten slight cuts on my fingers, I have been bitten by ants constantly with severe reactions(too many ants around), and I have had all sorts of pain afterward.
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Your post caught my eye as I am also recovering from knee surgery, fractured patella. Cant stoop, lose my balance easily, am slower than I was, but determined to garden. I am an RN, and this is what I would do were I in your position. First......gauntlet gloves that are as long as you can buy them. Then, protective clothing like something you can get from Cabella's, Eddie Bauer or other high end hunting store. They have overalls, jackets, shirts made for people who hunt in very rugged country, get the clothing that is impenetrable to thorns. Next, I would keep close at hand a first aid kit with items you would need to immediately clean a cut - I swab on 7% iodine when I get a cut - [use this in my horse barn on navels of newborn foals] or a strong Betadine solution [again...I use the strong scrub I keep for horse wounds I get from my vet - its stronger than what you can buy]. Or ask your pharmacist what he would recommend. Keep swabs, gauze pads, bandaids of several sizes in this kit. It will be handy, you can clean any wound immediately. Next, I would let your DH do some of the initial pruning, and let you do the finer touch up work. That way, the bigger branches would be gone by the time you started. And do all this early in the day to avoid heat. You have a beautiful garden, but you must take care. I get scratches all the time, never pay them any attention, but you must put yourself first, so you can get back to gardening sooner! And you are only 3 weeks post op? You really have to take care not to lose your balance! I shouldnt talk though, I was sneaking out on crutches the first week to plant some early roses that came so my boyfriend, who was at work, wouldnt catch me at it. Try to look at the long term consequences......[the first few weeks were the hardest for me] and know that you will improve weekly - but you really must take care. What kept me in line was the fear I would hop around too much and end up back in surgery again. Made a believer out of me! Found out today though that I will have to have the pins out at some time or other, more surgery, more down time, but not as bad. Let others do the grunt work, you fine tune, and be careful! Good luck! Judith
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Exactly squirrel! That is how our doctor works! He would do an exam, studies, etc. and then determine IF we needed to see someone else. He is very good about that. I think it cuts down on alot of unnecessary visits to specialists, etc. And I feel so much more comfortable with my own doctor who knows us and history so well. I also though the radiologist is who would read the x-rays, scans, ect. I trust our internist. Also, in regards to cost, it would only cost me $25 to see my internist, lab work, x-rays, scans, etc. would be no cost. A visit to a specialist would be $30, so even if I saw both, it would cost me very little. I would think it would be a waste of a surgeon's time if it were something minor such as a sprain, arthritis, etc. My internist is also very willing to work with specialists, and therapists. He would not send me to PT without knowing that was what I needed. He can also do injections (cortisone, etc.), if needed, although I have never had that done. My problem was minor and did not need a surgeon. I'm not saying yours is. tina
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digit
16 years ago
Wear gloves as much as you can.

I'm quite a believer in methyl salicylate, Chueh. The liniments available at the Asian markets are really nice. Wood Lock is a favorite (they should have a motto, "when if feels like you are locking up like wood . . ." ;o).

Acetylsalicylic acid is aspirin and I suppose these compounds all have somewhat similar properties but don't know. Aspercreme contains trolamine salicylate.

They all can help.

Steve
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
16 years ago
Hello chue...

We are very aware of how we move in the garden at our house because someone in the family has a back injury and has been to the Physical Therapist on numerous occasions. We were told that over half of the people that come in to the PT, have back injuries and a great number of those injured their back in the yard.

One of the cautions, which it sounds like you are aware of, is to use your knees and keep your back straight. Sounds like you do that so much though that your knees are suffering.

I am not sure why you have to move so much and can't kneel? Are you just in too much of a hurry? I ask because one of the suggestions the PT made to my husband was to kneel on one knee, which is usually the easiest on both knee and back and keep changing positions. We also have one of those rolling seats, which I use constantly. Maybe something like that would be of help?

Good luck :-)
pm2
sylviatexas1
16 years ago
Elevate everything you can:

Use a worktable for re-potting & such,
put your tools within easy reach, &
try not to put anything on the ground that you will need to pick up (shovels, rakes, even mulch & compost).

There may be some useful hints on the Accessible Gardening Forum.
buzzy
16 years ago
I know you posted this last October, but maybe you're still watching for answers. I've got the best one.

Two years ago I almost had to stop gardening because my knees and other joints were so painful, and kneeling was out of the question. Mentioned this to helpful lady at Garden Center and she told me about Glucosamine. I checked it out at the pharmacy and my druggist recommended it highly, too.

It's an over the counter supplement, you can find it at your supermarket or drug store, Costco has it, so does Walmart. I get a combination Glucosamine/Chondroitin, take it two or three times a day

I am now a gardening fool! Kneeling and hand weeding is my favorite gardening activity and I can do it for an hour at a time now.

It can also help to get one of those benches that is a kneeling pad with handles so you can push yourself up, or turn it around and it's a little garden seat.

I hope you get this message, cause if you can't garden is life worth living???
packratherself
16 years ago
I hope you are checking back to see the newest suggestions, all of which may help your situation. I have a couple more, one involves practicing medicine without a license! - if arthritis is the problem with your knees - ask your doctor if you are a candidate for Synvisc or Hyalagan injections. I've had them, (a flu shot hurts worse) and they have greatly helped. It's a fluid that replaces the synovial fluid in the joint that gets absorbed as we grow older. Six months relief is considred a success, and insurance companies will pay for them. Cheaper than surgery! Worth looking into.

Two summers ago, we made a "Square Foot Garden" and built two 3 ft.x 8 ft. boxes with 24 planting squares each, and one of them (it has a bottom on it) we placed on cinder blocks. I can plant,water and harvest standing up! It is small, so we do succession planting. You know it's my favorite spot. We plan on adding another this year. If you need more details just holler. I'll check back here. Dorothy

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