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Gardening with…
Arthritis
In his second article for Sláinte, award-winning horticulturist Fiann Ó Nualláin looks at how even aching joints and reduced mobility should be no hindrance to enjoying your garden.
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Page 47 Gardening - Sláinte Magazine
Arthritis does not mean you cannot
rewards for people living with
increases your fitness levels as well
green your thumbs. In fact,
osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
as boosting your immune, respiratory
gardening may be the very thing you
and cardiovascular systems,
need! Around the world, arthritis
The truth is that gardening benefits
strengthening pinch force, improving
health advocates are proclaiming
your health no matter what condition
balance and coordination, and
that “movement is the best
you are acclimatising your life to. The
generally acting like a tonic.
medicine”. And gardening is the
great news about gardening is that
perfect way to garner some exercise opportunities in a
as an activity it is a means of aerobic,
Now it is not surprising that many
isometric and isotonic exercise, the
people with arthritis are reticent
relaxed and pleasant setting,
combination of which benefits
about exercise, anticipating a flaring
as well as delivering many
general health, but specifically
of joint or muscle pain. But not
enhances your strength, endurance
exercising will lead to a loss of joint
other sizeable health
and flexibility. As a result, it
motion, stiffness, tightness and depleted muscle strength.
A “green gym” Exercise can help decrease arthritic pain and complications, but to really be effective, exercise is best done on a regular basis. Gardening as a hobby incorporates exercise into your lifestyle. It can become a sort of a green gym, yielding anything from a gentle exercise to an invisible workout.
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Just think, the exertion of
garden, but what tips are
then you should change
less exertion? You might have
mowing a lawn with a push
there to make it even more
positions often.
heard of the “no dig”
mower for an hour burns
painless?
technique that is claimed to Alternate stances to move
make gardening more
weight bearing, and consider
manageable. I know it sounds
strenuous activity such as
Make it easy on yourself
switching tasks every 15-30
like a spoof, but it does really
chopping wood – while
“Have the right tool for the
minutes so that different
exist – and it really works.
turning a compost pile for
right job” is always great
muscles are worked over the
around 15 minutes can burn
advice, and in this instance
course of your gardening day
The “no dig” technique has
more than 100 calories, and
we can apply a twist to that
and also that pressured joints
had many exponents. It
lifting a gallon watering can full
workman’s mantra to suit our
are rested at good intervals.
began with the eminent
of water in each hand is
own ends. So use a long-
equivalent to lifting 8-pound
neck sheers for every
We all know that a change is
Masanobu Fukuoka back in
hundreds of calories – just as many as pursuing some
Japanese microbiologist
dumbbells. Of course, all of
sheering task to limit the need
as good as a rest, but don’t
the 1930s, who developed
that also highlights the
to stretch and bend. Similarly,
forget to rest, too. If you are
the philosophy of “Do Nothing
potential pitfalls of gardening
look for long-handed trowels
new to gardening, go slowly,
Farming”. And from the
to arthritic joints, but only if
and forks, or modify your own
listen to your body and avoid
Australian permaculture
you steam ahead without
with replacement handles cut
any over-exertion. Soon
movement of the 1970s to the
caution.
to size from broom handles
enough your endurance will
present day, no-dig has
(insulation tubing slips over
build over the months and, as
become a sort of uber-organic
The best way to proceed is to
most handles for a more
the gardening activities begin
practice among many green
approach gardening tasks
padded grip). Get the right
to reduce inflammation and
and organic movements
with a brief warm-up: simple
kneeling pad, get a garden
build your stamina, you’ll
prospering globally today.
“joint-looseners”, a gentle
seat or milking stool to meet
notice a New You blossoming
stretch-up, a slow-motion
the garden at a good height,
along with your flowers, fruit
No-dig is a way of describing
shooing of geese with the
or bring the garden to you by
and vegetables!
a technique of above-ground
wrists, marching in place, or
building raised beds.
gardening where you
movement exercises.
Develop “best-practice”
The no-dig technique
Warming up will improve your
techniques, such as using the
If you were an active gardener
material, rather than into
circulation and gently increase
palm of your hand to carry a
before arthritis kicked in and
worked soil.
the temperature of muscles
bucket of compost, not your
are now missing the garden
and joint structures, reducing
fingers. Think too about
for fear of causing damage,
stiffness and increasing
maintaining good posture –
then how about returning
mobility. Now you’re ready to
long tools and raised gardens
to it, but with
sit and complete a range of
will help eliminate stooping, but even
effectively garden into layers of organic and composted
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The idea is to not break the
So, get out there and enjoy
Fiann Ó Nualláin is an award-winning garden designer,
soil, which will turn up weed
your living environment. Let
outreach horticulturist and ethnobotanist. He has worked
seeds, expose earthworms to
nature refresh, de-stress and
with many health agencies to create gardens for optimum
scavenging birds and disturb
enrich the quality of your life.
health. You can get more information from Fiann’s website
other beneficial macro- and
And remember, the
at www.inspiringgardens.ie.
micro-organisms which
management of any condition
contribute to the soil web and
is improved by a sense of
the health of your plot. This
personal wellbeing.
low-impact, low-maintenance way of gardening would be ideal for anyone living with arthritis, but who doesn't accept that the condition should curtail their gardening pleasure.