The pain of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can take away the things we love most, and those we sometimes take for granted—like cooking, playing with our kids or grandkids, crafting or gardening.
With your doctor’s help, you can manage your RA symptoms with the therapies that work best for you.
But because gardening often involves a fair amount of bending, kneeling and digging, it can be especially hard on the joints.
Don’t let your arthritis keep you out of the garden during planting season. The ideas below will help you enjoy a colorful spring in the fresh air.
TIPS AND TOOLS FOR GARDENING WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
- Loosen up. Don’t go from zero to zinnias! You can reduce joint inflammation by doing five to 10 minutes of gentle stretching. Try these eight essential everyday stretches before you even slip on your gardening gloves.
- Make a portable seat. Turn a 5-gallon bucket into a lightweight seat that you can carry with you (and use the inside for tool storage if you like). Hot-glue a stool cushion onto the lid for extra comfort.
TIP: If your RA is so severe that you can’t get into the garden, try creating a container garden instead. You don’t need to shell out for ceramic pots if you don’t want to. Instead, try recycling tin cans, old bowls, mugs, drinking glasses or mason jars.
- Invest in your comfort. Tools that used to be comfortable might cause you pain these days. Why not replace them? The Arthritis Foundation has a list of ergonomically designed tools that will reduce the amount of twisting and gripping you need to do—plus a suggestion for the best padding to put under your knees.
- Get help for bigger tasks. Don’t be afraid to outsource things that might stress your joints, such as digging deeper holes or lifting heavy bags of soil. Save your energy for the parts of gardening you love most.
TIP: As much as you might want to, don’t garden during flare-ups. Give your body the time it needs to heal.
- Time yourself and take breaks. Time flies when you’re in the garden—but barreling through all your seed packets at once can spell joint pain and flare-ups later. Make sure you’re not spending too long in one position. Take frequent breaks to get some shade, rehydrate and stretch.
- Be mindful of lifting and holding. Instead of pinching the edge of a seedling pot, hold it flat in your palm with your fingers extended. If you need to carry something, hold it close to your body. These techniques can be tricky to remember, but they help take the stress off smaller joints (like the knuckles and wrists) and distribute it among larger, stronger joints (like the hips and pelvis).
With a little creativity, you don’t have to give up gardening!
We’d love to see what you plant. Tag us on Facebook, or drop us a line to let us know how these ideas work for you.
Resources:
http://www.medprorx.com/drug-therapies/other-intravenous-therapies/therapies-for-ra/
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/8-essential-everyday-exercises-for-ra-pain
http://www.arthritistoday.org/what-you-can-do/everyday-solutions/do-it-easier/yard-and-garden/garden-tools.php
The information herein may not be construed as medical advice. The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. It should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. It is best to obtain medical recommendations from your physician.