Comments on: Your Gardening Body: Digging Without Strain or Pain http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/ Helping you take joy in creating and maintaining the garden of your dreams... in the Pacific Northwest Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:22:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Donna D http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-8063 Donna D Sat, 04 Jun 2011 18:52:10 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-8063 Dear Anne, I'm not sure if I have pulled a groin muscle. I was doing alot of digging of sod at the beginning of the gardening season. The next day I felt sore and wanted to stretch, so I did some yoga excercises. As the day went on I felt more and more pain in my upper joint area thigh connected to my pelvic area. I find it difficult to walk up stairs , getting in my car. It has slowed me down. I am going on 2 weeks and thnking about making a doctors appointment. Any suggestions. Thanks Dear Anne,
I’m not sure if I have pulled a groin muscle. I was doing alot of digging of sod at the beginning of the gardening season. The next day I felt sore and wanted to stretch, so I did some yoga excercises. As the day went on I felt more and more pain in my upper joint area thigh connected to my pelvic area. I find it difficult to walk up stairs , getting in my car. It has slowed me down. I am going on 2 weeks and thnking about making a doctors appointment. Any suggestions.
Thanks

]]> By: Jerry http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-6965 Jerry Thu, 10 Mar 2011 02:44:46 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-6965 Would a Leanlever help? Dig with your legs and hips, not your back. Would a Leanlever help? Dig with your legs and hips, not your back.

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1778 Genevieve Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:22:53 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1778 Wow, Town Mouse, Thanks so much for the tip about the Rolf Method. I had heard about that in the past but didn't know anything about it. I'm going to go check them out. Wow, Town Mouse, Thanks so much for the tip about the Rolf Method. I had heard about that in the past but didn’t know anything about it. I’m going to go check them out.

]]> By: Town Mouse http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1777 Town Mouse Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:20:28 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1777 What a great post! Yes, the twist and bend motion is so dangerous. In addition to Feldenkrais, the Rolf Method of Structural Integration is an excellent way of finding alignment with gravity. Structural Integration practitioners release tightness in the connective tissue and help you feel more centered (the release can also help a lot if you've already hurt yourself). See www.rolfguild.org for some information. What a great post! Yes, the twist and bend motion is so dangerous.

In addition to Feldenkrais, the Rolf Method of Structural Integration is an excellent way of finding alignment with gravity. Structural Integration practitioners release tightness in the connective tissue and help you feel more centered (the release can also help a lot if you’ve already hurt yourself).

See http://www.rolfguild.org for some information.

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1725 Genevieve Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:22:30 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1725 Gayle, I asked Anne about your blister issue and she said: "The only thing I could add might be to watch how much pressure/hand strain you are working with when you dig with the trowel. Again, see if there might be a way to get power from your trunk/core body that you can transfer to your hand via shoulders and arms, rather than making the poor little 'ole hand muscle through all that work. Think of the wrist as an unbroken extension of the arm - try not to work with it bent in any way." Hope this helps! Susan and Christiane, thanks so much for commenting! Both of you guys' experiences really echo mine. After years of barreling through my gardening, I've recently started having problems with a few areas (and definitely hurt my back a few times!). Taking the time to try and work certain muscle groups (stupid crunches!!) and learn how to move better has made such a difference in keeping me active. Thanks to Anne and Cathy I've really learned a lot. Gayle, I asked Anne about your blister issue and she said:

“The only thing I could add might be to watch how much pressure/hand strain you are working with when you dig with the trowel. Again, see if there might be a way to get power from your trunk/core body that you can transfer to your hand via shoulders and arms, rather than making the poor little ‘ole hand muscle through all that work. Think of the wrist as an unbroken extension of the arm – try not to work with it bent in any way.”

Hope this helps!

Susan and Christiane, thanks so much for commenting! Both of you guys’ experiences really echo mine. After years of barreling through my gardening, I’ve recently started having problems with a few areas (and definitely hurt my back a few times!).

Taking the time to try and work certain muscle groups (stupid crunches!!) and learn how to move better has made such a difference in keeping me active. Thanks to Anne and Cathy I’ve really learned a lot.

]]> By: Christiane Holmquist http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1711 Christiane Holmquist Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:21:21 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1711 Gen, what timely advice and suggestions on how to protect our bodies during our gardening activities. I know how I have hurt my back many times, and how easily I forget to bend forward correctly, or rather come up from a bend-forward posture to a straight back (especially when pruning my perennials, or picking up garden waste), and your suggestions on how to turn our whole body with the shovel instead of just twisting it when emptying it, came at a great time, now that I am going to replenish my mulch, shoveling it from the pile into the wheelbarrow and then distribute it in the beds. Thanks! Gen, what timely advice and suggestions on how to protect our bodies during our gardening activities. I know how I have hurt my back many times, and how easily I forget to bend forward correctly, or rather come up from a bend-forward posture to a straight back (especially when pruning my perennials, or picking up garden waste), and your suggestions on how to turn our whole body with the shovel instead of just twisting it when emptying it, came at a great time, now that I am going to replenish my mulch, shoveling it from the pile into the wheelbarrow and then distribute it in the beds. Thanks!

]]> By: Susan Morrison http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1710 Susan Morrison Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:36:04 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1710 No question, just a comment to let you know I like the post. I started seeing a chiropractor this year for persistent, low level shoulder pain. I thought I was fairly well educated on health and wellness, but I've learned so much about how interconnected the body is and how easily it can stop functioning at peak levels. I'm much more thoughtful about how I go about certain tasks now (plus much more disciplined about working my core). P.S. Am heading outside now to spend some quality time with my shovel, now that I know the importance of the two of us establishing a relationship. No question, just a comment to let you know I like the post. I started seeing a chiropractor this year for persistent, low level shoulder pain. I thought I was fairly well educated on health and wellness, but I’ve learned so much about how interconnected the body is and how easily it can stop functioning at peak levels. I’m much more thoughtful about how I go about certain tasks now (plus much more disciplined about working my core).

P.S. Am heading outside now to spend some quality time with my shovel, now that I know the importance of the two of us establishing a relationship.

]]> By: Genevieve http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1708 Genevieve Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:58:08 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1708 Gayle, thanks for commenting! I'll ask Anne to address your question, but what I am wondering is if your gloves might be a loose cloth kind rather than a fitted kind? I use either the atlas or flex tuff gloves with cloth that are dipped in a rubbery substance so your grip doesn't slide, or if you like a thinner gloves the atlas nitrile gloves can work. I've gotten blisters from the normal cloth ones sold at hardware stores because the extra fabric chafes, and there is nothing grippy to keep your trowel from sliding in your hands. A more fitted glove with a grippy surface might solve your problem from two angles. Let me know if that helps at all, and I'll ask Anne for another opinion. Gayle, thanks for commenting! I’ll ask Anne to address your question, but what I am wondering is if your gloves might be a loose cloth kind rather than a fitted kind? I use either the atlas or flex tuff gloves with cloth that are dipped in a rubbery substance so your grip doesn’t slide, or if you like a thinner gloves the atlas nitrile gloves can work. I’ve gotten blisters from the normal cloth ones sold at hardware stores because the extra fabric chafes, and there is nothing grippy to keep your trowel from sliding in your hands.

A more fitted glove with a grippy surface might solve your problem from two angles.

Let me know if that helps at all, and I’ll ask Anne for another opinion.

]]> By: Gayle Madwin http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2009/10/gardening-safety-digging-shoveling/#comment-1707 Gayle Madwin Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:43:35 +0000 http://www.northcoastgardening.com/?p=1789#comment-1707 I get blisters on my thumb and palm every single time I use a trowel. Wearing gardening gloves helps slightly, but I still get blisters after about five to ten minutes of trowel use. Winding several layers of first-aid tape around my thumb before I put on the gardening gloves helps quite a bit with the thumb blisters (which tend to be the worst), but the tape doesn't stay as well on my palm. I never get blisters from shovel use, but some digging tasks really don't work so well with a shovel. What else can I do that might help prevent blisters? Is there a special type of gardening gloves that would protect my hands better? I get blisters on my thumb and palm every single time I use a trowel. Wearing gardening gloves helps slightly, but I still get blisters after about five to ten minutes of trowel use. Winding several layers of first-aid tape around my thumb before I put on the gardening gloves helps quite a bit with the thumb blisters (which tend to be the worst), but the tape doesn’t stay as well on my palm. I never get blisters from shovel use, but some digging tasks really don’t work so well with a shovel. What else can I do that might help prevent blisters? Is there a special type of gardening gloves that would protect my hands better?

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