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Some Hints for Helping you Cope With Back Pain

(22 Posts)
nedders Sun 20-Apr-25 16:16:50

If you, like me, suffer from back pain, I have some suggestions which may help. A long-handled shoe horn (£11.99 a pair from Amazon – one for upstairs and one for downstairs!) makes putting on shoes much easier. (As a lazy bloke, I keep my laces permanently done up!) I also have a litter picker which, amongst other things, I use for emptying the washing machine and tumble dryer.
If you find it difficult to mow the lawn, how about a battery powered lawn mower? A couple of years ago, I found an ex-display model at a good price and is one of the best things I ever bought as it is very light and easy to use. It has a “mulching tool” so I just leave the clippings on the lawn, which saves emptying the grass-box. This benefits the lawn as well! I have also got an “Eze Weeder” lawn weeding tool, which has a long wooden handle and works brilliantly for weeding the lawn without bending down.
I put on socks by leaning against the wall, putting my foot up on the bed, then tugging! This works sort of OK, but if anyone uses a sock putting on aid successfully, please let me know!

Charleygirl5 Sun 20-Apr-25 18:56:13

nedders To date, you are doing fine. May I suggest you buy elastic shoelaces, as they will make your life easier?

I am worried you will lose your balance and fall, but I have no suggestions because I have no clue how the sock fitters work, either.

If you do your own cooking, an airfryer is easier than an oven because you do not have to bend down. I have used an airfryer for over five years now so I use the oven as a cupboard.

A flat sheet between you and the duvet is easier to manage and will save you the hassle of changing a duvet cover whenever you change the bed.

I will get the one brain cell into gear and give it some thought. My forte is hip and knee replacements.

Ziggy62 Sun 20-Apr-25 19:28:14

Trainers with zips are just wonderful

swampy1961 Sun 20-Apr-25 19:40:33

Skechers slip-in shoes are wonderful. No need to bend over to put shoes on.

Redcar Sun 20-Apr-25 20:26:58

To put socks on I sit on the bed with my back against the headboard, I can bend my knees and bend forward from my waist to reach my feet that way. I had a soxon aid to put socks on, but it didn’t help much because it only got the socks half way along my feet.

henetha Mon 21-Apr-25 00:11:11

A robot vacuum cleaner is one of the best things I ever bought. My back hated shoving a vacuum around.
Modern telescopic fluffy dusters make dusting so much easier too.
And my Dan the man is much better at mowing than I am.

Syracute Mon 21-Apr-25 00:31:04

Great tips here ! I was gardening today and must look for that weed puller , though I am slowly turning much of my garden slowly into a wildflower garden . It does make a difference for butterflies and bees .

ferry23 Mon 21-Apr-25 07:40:32

On the recommendation of someone here on Gransnet, I bought my neighbour a sock thingy when she had an accident - she got on with it no problem, and as I have osteoarthritis in my spine I threw caution to the wind and bought one for myself - it's great, I thought it would be too fiddly for me as I have zero patience but it really is easy-peasy.

madeleine45 Mon 21-Apr-25 07:56:17

One of the lovely things my kind husband made me, was a car wing mirror put on a long handle. I was a keen gardener and used to open my garden in about february, which was very popular. So I had over 100 kinds of snowdrops, winter flowering jasmine and a lot of hellebores, with many and varied colours in them. As they hang downwards, I was no longer able to bend down to admire them. So he made me this mirror thing. Not only was it good to see flowers , but useful to look under all sorts of things, so if you have a handy person who can make you one , I think you might find it good for all sorts of things. So another thing I used it for was shelves on the tops of cupboards which I cant look up to any more.

My other thing I find a good idea is a smallish hessian type bag with sturdy handles. In this I put things like my glasses ,a couple of biros, the paper, notepad and anything I am using at the time, rather than put them on a table. This way I drop less on the floor that is difficult to reach and also moving say from the bedroom to the lounge, it is easier to carry , if necessary over my arm. Then I find that I have usually brought all the things I need rather than sitting down and then having to get up and trudge back to collect them.

Aveline Mon 21-Apr-25 08:38:57

I love my sock aid. It works perfectly and is so simple to use. Safer too than all that leaning and balancing!

Charleygirl5 Mon 21-Apr-25 09:34:50

Please, can I have more specific information about sock aids? There are a few on the market, and the author and I appear to be equally useless.

When I had my bath removed in 2011 because it was like the sinking of the Titanic when I had one, I also had mega problems getting out. I had a shower fitted. On Amazon, I bought an adjustable stool, and it has been a lifesaver, pre- and post-op.

Fixed seats are usually the wrong height if one has had a hip replacement.

Charleygirl5 Mon 21-Apr-25 15:30:58

nedders Have these tips been helpful to you?

Aveline Mon 21-Apr-25 17:06:44

Here's an advert for the one I had. You put your sock on the end, holding on to the tapes,throw the aid on to the floor, insert foot into open end and, using the tapes, draw the sock on.

Charleygirl5 Mon 21-Apr-25 18:14:49

Sorry Aveline, a blank sock putter on.

Aveline Mon 21-Apr-25 19:56:30

Charleygirl the pic has arrived. I don't know why there's a delay.

ferry23 Mon 21-Apr-25 20:04:46

Aveline

Here's an advert for the one I had. You put your sock on the end, holding on to the tapes,throw the aid on to the floor, insert foot into open end and, using the tapes, draw the sock on.

That's the one I got - it certainly works for me

Elegran Mon 21-Apr-25 20:59:39

I don't have a sock puller. The best way I have found to put them on is to sit on the second stair, with the heel of one foot on the first stair, put the sock onto the foot and pull it past the heel, straighten the leg and pull the sock up the rest of the way. Repeat with other foot. I dry my feet after a shower while sitting on the stairs too.

Charleygirl5 Mon 21-Apr-25 23:28:37

Elegrab That means bending over, and one cannot do that after hip surgery. At least you are safe when doing it.

Thanks Aveline it took its time.

Charleygirl5 Mon 21-Apr-25 23:29:50

Sorry Elegran but my spell checker knows better than I.

Elegran Tue 22-Apr-25 08:36:36

Spell checkers all work with different spellings from the rest of us.

Charleygirl5 Wed 23-Apr-25 07:31:24

I am bumping this as some good tips are here that some people may have missed.

NanKate Wed 23-Apr-25 08:15:40

I only get occasional back pain fortunately, however most evenings I heat up my wheatie in the microwave and rest my back on it whilst watching the tv and it eases any discomfort.