Protecting my back

[Cazza]

Hi all
I am beginning to develop back problems after years of heavy duty gardening and beekeeping.
Does anyone have any back saving tips in terms of the bee bit?
I have raised the height of my hives and have found a handy trolley which I can place next to the hives with an empty super on it to avoid lifting up and down much as possible.
I don't need half size supers yet. Any other tips?

Whilst on the back subject, my mattress is too hard and I wake up in pain. Do those memory foam mattress topper jobs work?

TA
Cazza

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Hi all
I am beginning to develop back problems after years of heavy duty gardening and beekeeping.
Does anyone have any back saving tips in terms of the bee bit?
TA
Cazza

I have found that delegating the heavy lifting of full supers etc to the current Lady DD has helped my back immeasurably.

 

[madasafish]

I found yoga has done wonders to my posture and back over the past 11 years. Pilates would I imagine have had the same effect.

I must add, however, I weightlifted competitively when younger and have a very immobile spine - which helps.

One of the reasons for my choice of TBHs was to minimise lifting heavy weights. I can manage a full comb of honey . just.

I did suffer badly in Feb when lifting heavy trugs of compost.. the twisting when lifting lead to a sore back for a week..

The normal recommendation is minimise lifting and no twisting when carrying weights as that puts huge strain on disc joints...

 

[victor meldrew]

I have found that delegating the heavy lifting of full supers etc to the current Lady DD has helped my back immeasurably.

Weight lifters belt plus making a stool to avoid having to place supers on the deck and having to lift back up again !
Modify a cheap warehouse truck so as to avoid carrying full supers over rough ground .Also recruit the good lady AKA DD.

Truck for rough ground

Truck for home end of operation

Stool behind hive to minimise super lifting.

John Wilkinson

 

[Dishmop]

Problem with backs is that if you avoid doing things that make, or might make your back ache.......the ache/pain is worse when you are not able to avoid the particular action that causes a problem.........ie.. like anything else that you dont do regularly.... If you dont run every day..... its hard when you do...

I spend a lot more time sitting down than I used to and therefore doing anything like walking or leaning under a car bonnet, causes real aggro..but....after sitting down for a few minutes the pain goes....(nearly)

or buy an engine lifting hoist....

 

[Erichalfbee]

Try to strengthen your core muscles?
Pilates is good and sit ups excellent if you can manage them. This tones your abdominal muscles which support your back.
I know that if I don't do my crunches my back pain bothers me after a while.

 

[Mike a]

Take all the advice you can and look after your back, or you'll end up needing a pair of these.

Getting mine fitted in the next couple of months.

 

[susbees]

Top bar hives if it really gets bad. Heaviest lifting is taking the roof off, then just one frame at a time and no long reach lifting.

 

[Dishmop]

Take all the advice you can and look after your back, or you'll end up needing a pair of these.

Getting mine fitted in the next couple of months.

Which is the volume?

I find that touching my toes helps......

Trouble is I never remember to do it regularly...

 

[Onge]

Try to strengthen your core muscles?
Pilates is good and sit ups excellent if you can manage them. This tones your abdominal muscles which support your back.
I know that if I don't do my crunches my back pain bothers me after a while.

Pilates is excellent.

Sit ups are about the worst thing you can do for your back.

It's all about core strength. Plank training etc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pilates is excellent.

Sit ups are about the worst thing you can do for your back.

They certainly help me and I do lots every day. I stopped once for a month or so and my backache returned

 

[betterbee]

back pain

A lot of new beekeepers looking for mentors,in return get all your heavy lifting done,win,win situation

 

[nosmoking]

Top bar hives if it really gets bad. Heaviest lifting is taking the roof off, then just one frame at a time and no long reach lifting.

This is the way I will bee starting soon because of my back problems. Top bar hive is made, ready and waiting! Good luck with resolving your back problems cazza

 

[DorsetB]

I did the following:

1) Bought a plastic wheelbarrow which takes hives, supers, tools, etc and is much higher off the ground than the sack barrow I tried and the worst thing you can do is lift something heavy off the ground.

2) Got loads of free small(ish) palettes and stacked them to a height which felt comfortable (3 or 4 high), then when I was happy with the height, screwed them together permanently.

3) Some of them are almost two hives wide, so when I take a super off, I put it next to the hive so I don't have to lift it as far to put it back.

Hope this helps, works for me.

 

[Gardenbees]

A "long hive" is very helpful even if not a top bar type. I have one which takes 14x12 frames. You never need to lift more than a frame at a time, and it's very useful for splits etc. There's no Q excluder; I just lift out the big frames of honey at the end when they're ready. A baffle board is moved up to shrink the space at the end of the season. They overwintered well. When they get crowded in spring I just move the board back and add more frames. I can also use it for a temporary split up the other end of the box if necessary. Pictures here: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=104

 

[Dishmop]

Handy things for standing things on are the re-cycling bins turned upside down.. Very sturdy.. or you could buy the same size box from a shop with a lid and also use it for carrying stuff in..... old dining chairs? antique card table,
boy scout....

 

[psafloyd]

I found yoga has done wonders to my posture and back over the past 11 years. Pilates would I imagine have had the same effect.

I must add, however, I weightlifted competitively when younger and have a very immobile spine - which helps.

One of the reasons for my choice of TBHs was to minimise lifting heavy weights. I can manage a full comb of honey . just.

I did suffer badly in Feb when lifting heavy trugs of compost.. the twisting when lifting lead to a sore back for a week..

The normal recommendation is minimise lifting and no twisting when carrying weights as that puts huge strain on disc joints...

Yoga and Pilates will work wonders.

 

[merylvingien]

I cant for the life of me see why pirates would be good for your back, unless you guys know something i dont LOL

Aye matees

 

[gerry2658]

One item you may find is Arnica Oil,, it also comes in sprays/creams but personally the oil works wonders instantly.

It was my chiropractor who put me on to it.

I get mine in Holland+Barret

Gerry.

 

[Russel]

Handy things for standing things on are the re-cycling bins turned upside down.. Very sturdy.. or you could buy the same size box from a shop with a lid and also use it for carrying stuff in..... old dining chairs? antique card table,
boy scout....

might get locked up.