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Gardening seems like a leisurely, relaxing activity, but if you’ve ever weeding, composting, or harvesting soil, you know it can be more like a full-body workout. And that can mean sore muscles the next day – for anyone. But if you’re already prone to pain and swelling, like the 1.3 million adults with rheumatoid arthritis (a type of arthritis that causes joint inflammation), even light gardening like watering flowers can be a struggle. The answer is not to throw away the trowel and find a new hobby, but rather to develop strategies for tools and techniques that will lighten the burden. Changing activities to make them more tolerable helps people become discouraged and keeps them active, according to William S. Raoofi, MD, a board certified pain management specialist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
This is key, because staying active is “critical” when you have chronic pain, says Medhat Mikhael, MD, a pain management specialist and medical director of the non-surgical program at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley. Calif. Especially with rheumatoid arthritis, regular exercise helps strengthen muscles to support and protect the joints. It can also improve your mood – never a bad thing – by distracting you from pain, like Dr. Mikhael notes.
And yes, gardening matters! “Staying active doesn’t mean running marathons or lifting heavy weights,” said Robert D. Jongco, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. So, mulching, weeding, and planting seedlings will help you flex your green thumb and your actual thumb (and the rest of your joints).
The key is finding the right tools to make the experience easier for you. Pain management experts swear these gardening and household gadgets can help you get outdoors much more often and feel comfortable doing so.
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Surprisingly, kneeling is one of the most stressful aspects of gardening. It can affect your knees or your back, says Dr. Mikhael. That’s why he recommends using a low-level knee lever that allows you to work comfortably in the garden without leaning forward too much. It’s also very easy to get up thanks to its handles, and it converts into a seat and has side pockets for storing tools up close. Game changer!
$ 86.99
Repeated bending over can put additional strain on your back and exacerbate existing joint pain. If a knee stick or bench doesn’t fit you, Dr. Raoofi in front of a raised bed. These beds essentially lift your yard area up in the air and can be used standing up, he says. The result: minimal stress on the joints in the back. Even when gardening in the raised bed, you can sit on a stool without having to bend down.
$ 99.95
Plants, soil and garden tools can be difficult, so Dr. Raoofi to use a dolly to move plants and tools to reduce the need for heavy lifting or prolonged walking. This caddy has a padded handle for easy gripping that also sits high – meaning you don’t have to bend down to pick it up every time you want to move.
$ 14.99
If you are doing something with your hands and wrists to avoid pain, a wrist brace, according to Dr. Raoofi help ward off future ailments. These “allow a person to use the strength of their forearms and upper arms instead of their hand and wrist to do things like digging or cultivating,” he explains. Just before you go out to the garden and go to work, just tighten it – the brace will keep your wrist in line and provide extra support.
Supportive footwear is critical to protecting your joints while you spend your day, be it in the garden or elsewhere, says Dr. Mikhael. Vionic was founded by a podiatrist, and the company’s shoes are known for their quality and support. These sneakers have no laces – a nice perk for days when your grip isn’t optimal.
$ 9.99
When you’re struggling with pain in your hands, holding everything, including gardening tools, can be difficult. “Choose tools with soft, comfortable handles,” says Dr. Jongco. This trowel has an ergonomic design to reduce the strain on your hands and wrists. It’s also light and easier to lift than heavier counterparts.
$ 48.48
With classic hose nozzles, the user has to press and hold them to spray water, which can be uncomfortable if the fingers and hands are painful. Dr. Jongco recommends tools that don’t require a lot of force or a strong grip, like this hose rod. It’s extended in length so you don’t have to reach up or down to water your plants, and you can toggle it on and off with your thumb so you don’t have to grasp your hose firmly.
Weeding is known to be tough on your back thanks to all of that bending and straightening. With this upright weed remover, you can fish out stubborn weeds and roots without putting unnecessary strain on your back. Longer aids like this “keep you from bending down, which can make your pain worse,” says Dr. Jongco.
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