Many people enjoy gardening, but they can no longer do so because of the pain and stress it puts on arthritic fingers and joints. Their disability has turned active gardeners into armchair onlookers. After all, you can’t enjoy a hobby that makes your hands and joints hurt so badly. If you’re one of these people, have you ever heard of ergonomics? Ergonomics is a field of study that is now providing arthritis sufferers with wrist-saving garden tools that can be used with less pain and stress.
Numerous companies are now producing tools which use the principles discovered through the field of ergonomics. Ergonomists (those who do ergonomic research) have studied how human capabilities restrict them from doing certain jobs. With all this new information its been possible to design things, like gardening tools, that are much better for use by people with handicaps, such as stiff joints.
Since the same ergonomic principles are being used by all of these companies, there are a lot of similarities in their products. The tools are all designed so that people who couldn’t function using the old tools will be able to become active again with the new ones. Some of the changes that have been made include altered handle angles, making the tool heads adjustable, adding hand grips, and curving handles. Since the new designs place less stress on sore hands and joints, people suffering from arthritis are again able to do the gardening work they love.
What Makes Wrist-Saving Garden Tools Work?
Other wonderful features in ergonomic tools are as follows: - Tools maximize power and comfort while reducing stress.
- Aluminum/magnesium blades are very strong and exceptionally light.
- Stress is eliminated by adjustable pivoting heads.
- Tool handles with "D" grips both at the top and in the middle of the handle.
- Less hand stress from curved handles.
At first the feel of a different grip than you’re used to may seem strange. However, after using the tool for a period of time, you’ll undoubtedly feel the reason for the change. Ergonomic grips give you extra power and leverage without expending so much energy. Since you don’t have to put so much pressure on the tool, your hands and wrists will experience less stress.
There’s another type of gadget on the market which gives you more control while using your same old tools. This device is a lot like a wrist brace, but it’s equipped to hold tools for you and give you support when using them. Using the device you don’t need to grasp a tool so hard that it causes pain in your hands and wrists. The manufacturers claim that this does a better job ergonomically than wrist-saving garden tools do.
You may find that not every ergonomic tool is right for you. While you’re in the store, try out several different brands. You’re going to feel that some tools are too heavy or unwieldy. Others just aren’t made to fit your needs. They aren’t products where one size fits all. Choose the wrist-saving garden tools that feel comfortable and right for you, and they’ll help you change your life.
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