Back Injury = Digging Dilema

[Nicos]

Camera ready.....

[JennieAtkinson]

Perhaps the fork would be easier ........... ?

[dinah gale]

Is an azara the same as a mattock? I think there was a discussion on this earlier in the year but can't remember. I gave myself a fine old injury using a mattock but, used carefully, it's a brilliant tool aand I wouldn't be without my venerable old thing.

I'm a Pilates disciple, Jennie, and honestly think it could help everyone to keep a healthy back (and generally keep the old body stretched and toned).
I started doing it after years of lower back pain exacerbated by a car crash and , fingers crossed, can dig and heave stuff about withour too many problems now.

Even if you don't do the exercises every day (I don't) once you learn how to use the core muscles to protect your spine so that your muscles are doing the work and not your spine it's useful.

Even my son, whom I suspect thought that all such were a bit poncey, had some one-to-one Pilates lessons on the advice of his physio after a kayaking injuryand says he'll keep it up for life, it's that useful.

Good luck to anyone who wants to take it up. As someone said earlier though, find a good teacher. It's becoming better known so that a few instructors are jumping on the bandwaggon. Here in my part of Devon we have a couple of excellent local teachers and I'm sure there are lots elsewhere.

Enough displacement activity - I'm going up to the allotment to finish planting garlic and do a bit of weeding. We are high on a hill so it'll be pretty windy but the views over the lower moor are beautiful.

[WiZeR]

yes an Azada can also be called a Mattock and even an Adze. They all vary slightly but are basically the same idea.

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Dinah - all very interesting. Will keep my eye out for someone local.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Know this is probably a bit late, but one of my favourite tools is my well, garden claw for want of a better word, (it has four single prongs in a circle which you stick in the ground) but it also has a peddle on it for breaking up the soil.
I used it earlier this year to break up the horrible, solid ground and it worked wonders.
I used it a couple of weeks ago to just go over everything, and it worked a treat! No hard effort at all. Very pleased with it - just don't know what its called! DDL

[number 1 suspect]

if your interested in a cheaper azada take a look at this link. just found it by accident.

http://www.ascott.biz/item1344.htm

half the price of the others ive seen for sale in this country

No 1 Suspect

[WiZeR]

wow sprout, that looks excellent! I take it the straw is used for paths?

[JennieAtkinson]

Wow too Sprout! Can you explain how you do it? Are you mulching with the straw as well?

[Earthbabe]

Looks great sprout.

Wizer - how's the back?

[Snadger]

Just wondered, what happens when the wind gets up supersprout?

[WiZeR]

EB: It's hard to say. I'm still going to Pilates and I think that is helping, but generally it is still quite bad.

I have been doing some bits up the allotment. Strimmed the new plot to the ground and have had my new shed delivered. I'm in no rush to erect it yet tho. I'll leave that until the new year if nescesary.

[Alice]

Great plot Supersprout, thanks for letting us see it.

[Jigje]

Felt I had to comment on this as I would never have found this wonderful place if it wasnt for WiZers blog mentioning it a lot. Now about to post on my second thread, yip!

I think Tai Chi is amazing for backs, IF you find a decent teacher.

I tried the cardboard/ manure mulching method, and had spent some time clearing the perenials before laying it, and it helped a lot but wasnt the magic cure all I had been led to believe. bindweed and couch found there way through perhaps because of gaps in the cardboard. I didnt visit my allotment for 2 months perhaps moredue to moving house mainly, and found a sea of bind weed on my raised beds, luckily it was all coming through the same points rathere than everywhere, so was easy to clear from the surface.

All in all it was a pretty unsuccesfull year.

[Bramble Lover]

Wizer...........hope your back improves. I can only imagine what you are going through as I periodically suffer from severe lower back pain and don't know how people cope with it long term. I'm 6 ft tall so I put my back problems down to that.

I cope in several ways.

The best thing I ever did was to find an excellent masseur. My dad put me onto her and I go for a full body massage once every six weeks or so. Would go more often if funds permitted but it is pure bliss and I consider it a necessity.

Exercise also seems to help it............obviously not when you are in the depths of pain but if you can exercise when pain free as others have said, it does seem to strengthen the back.

Ive just got a new bed as ours was old and not offering a lot of support and although only had 3 nights sleep in it........Im not getting up with as much pain as usual.

The last thing I do which I thought wouldnt work is take cod liver oil every day.

Only just started doing this and cant believe the difference!!

Don't know if its a combination of what Im doing or one specific thing........but touch wood Im not having as much trouble with lower back as normal.