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Chronic Pain and the Baby Boomer

I had an aha moment on the subject of baby boomer pain a few years ago. My sister and brother-in-law had come to visit, and we were sitting around the living room with them, shooting the breeze. At some point the four of us decided it was time to get out and do something. We all stood up at once—and let out an impromptu collective groan that could probably be heard down the block. As a Web- and print-based journalist, I sit a lot at my computer. But it’s not like we four, now in our early 60s, were or are couch potatoes. We’re not overweight—or not much. Like a lot of pro-age baby boomers, we’re active. My husband goes to the Y pretty much every day to run on the treadmill, row on a machine, and/or do push-ups and sit-ups. My sister and I are into Zumba, hip-hop, and West African dance. And my brother-in-law—a bricklayer who’s worked in construction for nearly 40 years—relaxes by playing hockey and handball. But pain and pain management are facts of life as our bodies begin to show the wear and tear of decades of use. The precise incidence of pain among baby boomers is difficult to gauge, however.A June 2011 report on pain by the federal Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (I.O.M.) says that “reliable data are lacking on the full scope of the problem, especially among those currently under diagnosed and under treated” (a category that includes “older people”). As a result, the IOM calls for the collection of data on pain and pain management to be prioritized and...

How to Prevent Joint Pain While Gardening (Smart Tools and Techniques)

“Instead of using a tool, I’d use my hand,” says Chicago landscape designer Suzanne Frank of her early gardening experience. “The soil is usually soft in containers, but I should have used a tool—any tool would probably have helped.” Would have helped, she means, in lessening or preventing the osteoarthritis she now has in her hands. Frank was 50 when she began as a home gardener, and approaching 60 when she startedBluestem Gardens. “If you’re not used to using your hands, to applying that kind of pressure, it will exacerbate” joint pain, she says. Not only that: injury to joints can make them more susceptible to arthritis. “Wear gloves with a good grip and a snug fit,” Frank advises. “And never, never, never kneel directly on the ground. Always use a pad.” Osteoarthritis is the most common of some 100 arthritic diseases causing joint pain (the runner-up is rheumatoid arthritis). In a helpful, basic article about arthritis, prevention.com notes that, because there’s no cure, prevention is key. Everydayhealth.com points out that two of three gardeners are baby boomers and provides common-sense advice. Even if you used to garden for four hours straight, for instance, don’t work through your pain; instead take frequent breaks. Containers allow you to garden at waist level. Overall, use the correct tools in the smartest way (see Melinda Myers’ tips). Tools should be sturdy but lightweight, to reduce strain; a small shovel might mean your task takes longer, says Frank, but will save stress on the arms and back. Make sure the handgrip is the right size. “They’re making more tools to fit women’s hands,”...

12 Gardening Tips for Lower Back Pain Management

Gardening: It’s not a contact sport. Yet it can be surprisingly hard on the body, especially in terms of producing short-lived low back pain. I consulted two medical professionals—Dr. Rajive Adlaka and physical therapist Jeffrey Mannheimer, who both have many years of experience in managing pain—for their gardening tips. Dr. Adlaka vividly describes the potential hazards. “Gardening involves a lot of bending,” he says, “and can lead to awkward positions.” Reaching, as when pruning a bush, can strain your back. Using tools, like a shovel, adds a whole new dimension to physical exertion. Moving heavy objects—like 10- to 50-pound bags of peat moss—offers unique challenges. “These are dead weight, bulky, unruly,” Dr. Adlaka says. “The weight can shift, and then you flinch and grab at it.” Physical therapist Mannheimer emphasizes the stress on the back produced by prolonged flexion of the spine—that is, bending forward, thus reversing the spine’s natural curvature and straining the ligaments, muscles, and even the discs that separate the vertebrae. Before Gardening Back Stretches These can also be done during or after gardening. Any exercise or back stretch should be done slowly and without strain; never force yourself into a position. If you feel pain, stop. 1. Dr. Adlaka recommends two warm-up exercises, both done lying on your back on the floor or on a bed. In the first, pull your knees, together, to your chest. Keep your ankles together, and lower both knees gently to one side, touching the floor if possible, then the other. This massages the muscles on either side of the spine and gently moves the joints in the lower back....

Easy Gardening Tips and Tricks to Prevent Back Injury

Gardening and yard maintenance can be tricky regardless of expertise, and even the simpler tasks can result in minor injuries. However, experts and novices alike will benefit from these easy gardening tips and tricks. Get started on your garden...

Gardening Back Pain Relief & Back Pain Management Tips

Gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress and get exercise, but the heavy lifting, squatting and bending can cause severe strain in your upper and lower back.  Check out these simple tips for back pain management and back pain relief after you’re done gardening. By Melinda Myers, Professional Horticulturist, Garden Expert, and...

Pain Management Tips for the Gardening Season

Get out, dig in and celebrate National Garden Month.  And don’t let stiff joints, lower back pain, or bad knees stop you from gardening.  Hi, I’m Melinda Myers, professional horticulturist and gardening expert. If you want to keep gardening and enjoy it to the fullest, try some of these simple, resourceful pain-free gardening techniques. For Knee Pain Management Protect your knees with pad kneelers or wrap-around kneepads.  These items will reduce the pain and pressure on your joints.  Some garden benches even have handles and can be turned upside down and used as a pad kneeler.   The bench handles also make moving up and down easier for those of you who have trouble bending down low and getting back up. For Lower Back Pain Management Prevent unwanted lower back pain by keeping short and long-handled tools handy as you move around the garden.  Convert a discarded wheeled golf bag, shopping cart, or wheeled trash bin into a tool caddy.  Just wheel the caddy around the landscape so that you don’t have to keep bending over, plus it keeps the number of times you walk back and forth down to a minimum. Or create a permanent fixture as part of your garden to hold small tools for easy and quick access.  Install an old mailbox in your garden and fill it with hand tools and gloves.  Have fun with it by adding a little paint or cover it with a mailbox planter or vine to make it an attractive, yet functional part of your landscape. For Hand Pain Management Invest in ergonomic tools.  They often have larger, softer handles that...

Why Physical Therapists Use TENS Therapy

According to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 10 adults suffer from pain that lasts a year or more with lower back pain being among one of the most common complaints. Typically, pain is what causes patients to seek out medical care initially, and in the chain of care, hopefully a patient may encounter a physical therapist. As a practicing physical therapist in Chicago, I am always trying to have my clients become as comfortable and pain free as possible. We know that the sooner we can decrease a patient’s pain, the sooner we can begin work on the cause of the pain and correct the biomechanical issues that may have caused the pain. TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, has been used by physical therapists since the 1980s to achieve the goal of pain relief whether their patients have acute pain or are trying to reduce chronic pain. After surgery or an injury, physical therapists often use a TENS machine because the patient is suffering from acute pain.  We define “acute” pain as pain that has been around for less than 6 weeks.  Anelectrotherapy or TENS unit can greatly reduce the use of prescription drugs and over the counter products during this recovery period.  In some cases, the side effects of the drugs can be worse than the pain that is relieved.  A TENS therapy treatment  allows the patient time to clear the surgical anesthesia drugs from their system, without adding more drugs to the mix while still getting the needed pain relief.  In many cases, the sooner the physical therapist can...

How to Talk to your Physician about Pain

Your annual physical exam is around the corner, and you have some health concerns you would like to discuss with your doctor.  How do you talk to your doctor about pain?  It all starts before you even walk in the door for your appointment.  Be proactive and prepared! My first suggestion is to come prepared with information about the pain you are having.  Keep a pain diary prior to attending the visit with your doctor so that you can best describe the frequency, intensity, duration, and location of your symptoms.  Note whether or not there are activities or positions that specifically make your symptoms feel better or worse.   Once your doctor has examined you, you will have time to discuss your symptoms and the plan of care. My second suggestion is to have a list of questions ready for your doctor.  Consider keeping a medical journal for yourself where you can keep all of your recorded information for easy reference later.  If, for example, you are seeing your doctor about recurrent low back pain after gardening, have questions ready about treatment options.  If your doctor recommends pain medications as a treatment option, ask specific questions that may include dosage, how often, with or without food, and side effects.  You may also consider asking questions about other methods for back pain relief such as heat, a home TENS unit, or physical therapy.  Keeping a prepared list of questions with spaces for answers will allow you to quickly note the doctor’s answer so that you have a greater understanding about your options regarding a customized pain relief management regimen. Finally, if...