Hi SnailLover, I just pulled a back muscle back in June and have spent the whole summer at PT trying to get back to normal in the garden. I tried to deal with the injury myself for the first 3 weeks and keep getting out in the garden on a limited basis and I was getting nowhere.

What I realized once I started PTherapy, I do have other underlying medical issues and those were keeping me from being in good physical condition. I was more in a state of deconditioning than I realized. As I am working with the PTherapist, I've seen that I was able to improve the condition of my core muscles and I'm working on flexibility because I basically strained my lower back, reaching for something in the wrong position, so I was just not flexible enough to accomplish what I need to. Even after two months of PT, I have a long way to go because of my other health issues. I'm having to incorporate formal exercise and stretching into my routine and it is frustratingly slow going too. It is making a difference though and I feel stronger, and more flexible and I'm starting to get back in the garden gradually and it feels much more comfortable now. So progress and that is encouraging.

I also want to say that I realize your condition is not the same as mine. My husband on the other hand, has had disc and back problems for years. We thought he was going to have to have surgery at one point, but we were lucky that we found a back surgeon that was not eager to operate and prescribed the conservative approach with Physical Therapy. My husband improved tremendously with PT and he was pretty much pain free. He had been through the series of PT appts a number of times before but would have another problem later. This time, what he did differently, was that we thought it through and realized that after his PT he would use the techniques and strategies to move correctly for awhile after the PT appts would stop and then he would go back to his old habits.

Then the last time he had a problem, he did something different. After the end of his initial PT prescription ended, he signed up to continue to meet with the PTherapist once a week and use the facilities there 2 more times a week for another six months. We paid out of pocket to do that, but it was well worth it. Now we feel he has incorporated the correct movements that keep him out of trouble and he has had far fewer problems with his back. For instance, he would not pick up a heavy pot in the garden now. We always use a hand cart to move anything heavy from large bags of mulch to large ceramic pots. We had a gas mower with one of those strings you had to yank to get the engine going and we switched to an electric model that turns on with a button. The PT person helped him think through what was causing the problem and explore different ways of doing the same thing without hurting himself. He also had a problem with his neck and that hasn't bothered him in a long time either.

As for the arthritis, I wonder if you have ever considered seeing a Naturopath about that? If you can find a good one, carefully selected, that might be an alternative that would improve your condition.

I'm very sorry you are having so much trouble. A garden is a living thing and it's hard to watch things deteriorate if you are not out there keeping up with it, but it also sleeps every winter and comes back the next season giving you another chance to start over. I hope you will take a break or get help in the garden and focus on getting your back and joints in better condition to relieve your pain. Good luck!

Hi Prairemoon,

I went to PT about 6 years ago after I got my MRI results. The PT was amazing, more helpful than the doctor in helping me understand what was happening and how to deal with it. My PT equipment (round foam thingy the spine balances on) is laying in a closet. Really does me a lot of good there! I need to dig it out and get back into a routine.

A naturopath is a great suggestion and maybe I'll look into it. Starting to feel it in my hands now too. I knit in the winter, and I refuse to let this take over my life. Yes, pulling that mower cord is a killer. I tie a rope around the handle so I can pull with both hands. Next mower will be electric start!

Thanks for sharing your experience and ideas. It really helps hearing from others and knowing there are things we can do - that we are still in control. I hope your back and other issues start to improve. I'd like to know how you're coming along.

Hi SnailLover, PT equipment in the closet, sounds like the rest of us. ;-) We all do the same thing. You start out keeping up with it and then something knocks you off track. And even if you remember what they told you to do 6 years ago, if you have insurance coverage, and you have a history of this problem, I'm sure your Doc would give you a prescription to go again. Sometimes we need that PT person to keep us on track and make sure we are dong the movements correctly and at the right pace. And you can ask questions every week about how to cope with situations at home that are difficult. My PT person has come up with a lot of good ideas.

I also remember seeing a doctor on a PBS special say he had patients that have reversed arthritis. If you haven't seen his TV specials, he's pretty inspiring. He has books at the library too.

You are right, having some control and something we can do for ourselves is very motivating and encouraging. I hope you can find a way to improve your situation and feel a LOT better!! I will come back and check in and let you know how things are working out with me. Thanks, and good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr Fuhrman on Arthritis

Very interesting article, thank you!