Any post op hippy gardeners out there

Hi Philip I would leave it for a few more weeks yet, before kneeling down, but there is a nice gadget in the Indepenance Living Magasine, for about £25 is is a kneeling padded platform with handles to support yourself as youi push off your knees and push yourself up, look it up online, bought one for my aging mum and she loves it uses it all the time. I will message you the link. So you can see yourself.  Best of luck  Ian.

Sent the links to your Message Box, hope you find it useful  Ian.

dear philip ...

awwww ... don't worry so much - first get the surgery done - you will find that the pain (yes, there is some) is more soreness and discomfort than OA pain you have right now - 

there are many gardeners here on this forum and they can give you their personal experiences and tips -

no reason to not enjoy your garden, nature, fresh air and wildlige post - op ...

seriously ....

big warm hug

renee

Hi Philip, I love gardening and am back to it with a few modifications. I can't kneel not because of the hip but invested in different length long handles with interchangeable tools - fantastic - a well known brand I'm probably not supposed to say. I also have a strong folding stool with a high and very low level. So far I have been able to do every low level thing using these - weeding, planting small plants, setting seeds etc.

After my hip op when I could walk with one crutch I did some gentle pruning and a few minutes of gentle hoeing - being careful not to twist - not a lot of that as it is very difficult to do without twisting. I planted out my runner beans in the early weeks too sitting on the stool and using my mid length handle trowel and not breaking the 90 degree rule.

Now I am 4 months. I am painting fences, climbing ladders, lots of hoeing and even a bit of digging. I've got a bad back as well so if you haven't that you will probably be able to do more digging than me!

What I did need help with is the lawn as you are not allowed to mow like hoovering for weeks I think I waited for 8 or 9. A friend came and scalped it a couple of times for me. If no one was available I would have paid someone just to cut the lawn. Digging up potatoes is hard. I could  do it slowly but have had help but that is more because of my back again which I injured at Christmas - even that is getting better.

The best thing is to do little and often. Good luck!

Hey Phil,

Welcome to hippyland!

Yes, as others say (we often do not agree tho'!) take it slow, and yes your focus on your amazing new hip and recovery, doing the exercises, and chatting on this forum.

Take a garden chair and watch the bees and butterflies, smell the jasmine too.

Kneeling for me came at about 2 months, and being easily able to rise unaided from ground at 5 months....but as Renee says we are all different. I can now bend low to get a dandelion up at exactly 6 months for about 10 seconds, but cannot crouch yet - which Kate can!

Keep walking pre and op op as much as possible, with rests, walk round and plan next years' garden design!

Warmly

Mic

The folding stool I mentioned - metal frame, rubbery pad seat the upside down low level serves as a kneeler if you can kneel or I have sat on it to get really low and used the metal legs to help me up. Probably it's a similar thing to what ian mentions. mine is like the folding garden kneelers on amazon £11.65/11.75.

I have just started to do some gardening  ( I am on week 12) and I have been using this kneeler/seater:

They sell it in the Argos catalogue and garden centres.

Hi Phil,

My mother loves her garden. She has had both hips replaced and 18 months ago needed a right total hip/femur/knee replacement. She is back gardening including mowing the lawn. Thanks goodness because it's her hobby and like you describe she simply loves it.

it won't stop you!

🌳🌹🍀🌱

Hi Philip, yes you can!!! garden again.  My garden was looking pretty pitiful before my hip replacement, I couldn't even pull out a weed much less plant a flower.  This is my garden this year, 3 months after my hip replacement. I think it look's pretty again.