1. Gardening with Arthritis
Making Gardening Easier

2. We want to rethink the way we garden-make gardening easier by putting less stress on joints.
Why?

3. Aging population.
As we age higher prevalence of arthritis or other chronic diseases.
In Wisconsin, 27% of adults age 18 or older reported some form of arthritis. That’s 1.1 million people.
Look at those age 65 or older, 57% have arthritis.
37% of those with arthritis have limitations in daily activities. Leading cause of disability and functional limitations and the second leading cause of work disability.
In Wisconsin direct costs (medical expenditures) total $1.5 billion
Another $895 million in indirect costs (lost earnings) for a total cost of $2.4 billion annually

4. What can we do? There is no cure.
Long gone are the days when health care providers told people with arthritis to “rest their joints.” In fact, physical activity can reduce pain and improve function, mobility, mood, and quality of life for most adults with many types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus.
Physical activity can also help people with arthritis manage other chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Most people with arthritis can safely participate in a self-directed physical activity program or join one of many programs available in communities across the country.
Physical activity is considered a priority intervention to improve arthritis symptoms and prevent arthritis-related limitations in activity. In addition to public health agencies promoting physical activity to manage arthritis, the American College of Rheumatology also recommends physical activity for almost all forms of arthritis.
Recommendation-Thirty minutes of moderate intensity physical activity 5 days per week.

5. Why look at gardening for PA. Definition of gardening-broad.
Gardening has a number of proven health benefits:
Grow Bones. In a 2002 study of 3,310 women, University of Arkansas scientists found that strenuous yard work (pushing a lawn mower, pulling weeds) had the same beneficial effect on bone density as weight training did. High bone density is key in preventing osteoporosis.
Prune Heart Risk. In 2000, researchers in Denmark reported that moderate exercise such as gardening decreased the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day.
Nourish the Mind. Exercising mind and body has been proven to reduce dementia risk. Gardening does both. It’s an excellent mental workout that requires planning and foresight and encourages learning, says neuropsychologist Paul Nussbaum.
Weed Out Diabetes. A 2002 Dutch study found that male gardeners were more likely to have lower blood sugar levels. And a University of Alabama study of 505 men and women with Type 2 diabetes found that active people, including those who gardened regularly, reduced or eliminated their need for medication.
Clip Calories. A 150-pound person burns 162 calories pruning, digging or weeding for 30 minutes.
Gardening is popular million households participate in some form of gardening. Must be an overlap.
Behavior change- access, knowledge, self efficacy, afford? Not a concern.
Gardening already enjoys a huge “infrastructure”

6. Why don’t those with arthritis get PA?
Reluctance due to joint pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion (2010 pilot- stopped gardening: pain)
Fatigue, comorbid conditions, perceived negative outcomes, lack of social support.
People must enjoy what they do for physical activity

7. Gardening with Arthritis- reduce stress on joints –Make gardening easier- overcome some of the obstacles discussed

8. Gardening with Arthritis Program Components
Adaptive Tools
Techniques
Stretching
Body Mechanics
Physical Structures

9. 2010 Pilot Project 94% female 82% age 55 and older
90% reported health as good or very good
Weekly Gardening Time
38% -1 to 4 hours per week
62% -5 or more hours per week
53 People
2 qualifying questions.
Recruited NE Wisconsin garden clubs, botanical gardens, Master Gardeners, accessibility fair, TV 26

10. Gardening with Arthritis Project UW-Extension Evaluation Green Bay, WI
July 2010
Intervention
DVD
Stretching
Tool Demonstration
Gardening Logs
6 weeks
Gardening Logs
6 weeks
May 2010
Sept 2010 X X
Persons w arthritis
Survey#1 X
Persons w arthritis
Survey#3
Project design.
Share some of the results.
Persons w arthritis
Survey#2

11. Functional Limitation
Functional limitation looks at daily activities: stoop/ bend, walk, etc
Showed decreases in functional limitation.

12. Depression Percentage of participants with depressive symptoms
Pre-Intervention- 24.4%
Post-Intervention- 18.9%
A number of people with chronic conditions also deal with depression. We looked at whether there would be a change in mood.

13. Self-Efficacy People need to believe it will work.
Change in confidence.

14. Pain Most of all- we saw a decrease in pain levels.
Limitations of study- Small sample size: Single group

15. Where do we go from here?
Larger sample size with control group
Test dissemination method of train-the-trainer
We looked at pain, functional limitation, depression, self efficacy-
what about falls, aging, other chronic conditions?

16. All seen this demo.
Demonstrate a few of the tools.

17. I feel this is a great opportunity to change peoples’ lives.
We need people who want to be trainers, we need organizations who are interested in hosting training sessions and help promote the program, we need people who have vision to see how else this can be applied, we need organizations to fund the research and convert this form a promising idea to an evidence based program that is in the hands of those who need it.
If you see yourself or your organization fitting into this program in any way- Call Me.
We can make this a reality.