Does poo picking hurt your joints / wrists?

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janicesponies

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I have 3 horses at home, all living out and have poo picked the fields for years, no problem. Recently I have developed a little arthiritis in my joints and my wrists now hurt terribly after poo picking. Anybody else suffering? Any tips? I use the usual poo scoop and rake to pick up droppings and do it every 3 days so there are not too many to collect at once.
 
I find using the 'taller' scoops mean I don't have to bend my back as much, whilst using the shorter rake makes my wrist ache less and it's easier to use.
I knew some-one once who donned rubber gloves, and just used a plastic laundry basket and picked them up by hand, as the basket was at floor/dropping level, so not too much bending involved, then just lifted the basket into the barrow. Not sure how economical that would be (or pleasant) with 3 neds tho'!
There are automatic poo pickers ( http://www.terra-vac.com/stable-and-paddock-cleaning ) but obviously that's a big jump up and not too cheap.

Not sure that's really helpful, sorry!
 
I have the same problem and find my back is also affected. I bought a scoop which had a longer handled rake and thats helped a lot.
 
the long-handled one makes my wrist hurt.(i have both sorts)

the short one is deff better imo.

sometines i lodge the scoop thingy between my feet and use both hands for the rake thingy.

is is worst in the winter and i had to vet-wrap my wrist for a few days last year.
 
I pay my daughter.

When I do it I just use latex gloves and a bucket, and flick it in then chuck it in the trailer, using a rake or scoop does my back in. Fortunately I have three or four months off poo picking in the winter because it is impossible, come spring I just scrape the paddocks with the tractor before it thaws too much.
 
Have you tried a high strength Glucosamine (Holland & Barrett)? For you that is, not your horses! It will take a few weeks to work and you need to take it every day. It has helped me a lot.
 
Yes really baddly! But I do have early onset arthritis!
ets, I find using a shavings fork easier on my joints now than poop scoops and try not to use a poop scoop.
 
I went mad a couple of years ago at a new yard where no-one poo-picked. I spent the whole day trying to clear the field and consequently ended up with severe golfer's elbow which took months to get better. I moved yards soon after.

As for the wrists, I find the handle is too narrow and hurts my wrist trying to grip it so my husband customised mine and put a wide tubing kind of thing round it. It's now so comfortable and easy to hold. Also the small scoops are better than the long ones.
 
Yup I think it does....I go round with a pair of gloves and my blue plastic shavings rake and scoop the dung onto the rake with my right hand (holding rake in my left hand) and then chuck in the barrow...I find this is a really quick way of doing it, but my left wrist does hurt occaisonally and I am 99% sure its the poo picking that makes it hurt.

Have used a pooper scooper thing and that hurt my back...
 
I can't get on with those poop scoop things, give me back ache.

I either use a shavings fork if the poo is very wet like after all todays rain, or I use rubber gloves and bend right down at the knees putting it onto a small tub trug then empty that into a feed bag inside the wheelbarrow. It all then goes straight to the allotment ready bagged, never had a problem and haven't got the bendiest of bodies!
 
I would recommend doing it daily rather than every three days as it it means less to move each day hence less stress on the affected joints. Arthritis is a real pain - literally!
 
yes, I get really bad wrists and back from poo picking no matter what tools I use. I have carpal tunnel syndrome, carpal inpaction and gross instability of both wrists and of multiple joints in my body, so poo picking is just another painful daily chore that comes with having a horse for me.

Makes me wonder why i don't keep golfish intead!x
 
i use a poop scoop bucket with tall handle, but i now use a rake which is like a small hand-sized fan-shaped garden rake (about 10" long incl handle), with thin metal tines) and it is SO much easier than the horrible thing that comes with the poop scoopers, which used to do my wrists in a lot.
 
I always use a fork - I think it's a shavings fork but the prongs are a bit more widely spaced, and it has quite a long handle. Saves on much bending and I would think less wrist movement than using a scoop and rake.
 
I suggest you do it daily for a start! That will be a huge help to you.

I have four at home and I pooh pick twice a day. Morning and night. There are never too many to do and it takes about 10 minutes, twice daily.

Three days of poops would take me a good hour to clean up. I also use a normal mucking out fork which I leave across the field for the purpose.
 
I use a long handled plastic snow scraper. You can scoop poo up or edge it onto the scoop with your foot! I use this to muck out my shavings bed as well. Our horsey shop now sells them but I got mine in B& Q
 
I think the best solution is do them every day so not such a mammouth task, also we use rubber gloves just pick the poo straight into the barrow. I agree with what other people have posted those long handled poo scoops with long rake thing do hurt your wrists, Ive use them at my house sitting clients houses and it hurts my wrists too, I know take my own rubber gloves.
 
I'm another that uses rubber gloves and poo picks daily - and I never get wrist or back problems.
In my case I poo pick into old feed bags that I leave by the field gate and local gardners come and take it away
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My advice is don't use a scoop and rake! It kills my wrists too.
Can you use a shavings fork? Metal wider ones are better in grass.
If you have to use scoop and rake swap hands regularly and wear wrist supports.
Oh is it possible it's tendonitis (rsi) rather then arthritis?

Ooops... just read the rest of the thread and gloves and bucket is a good idea too.
 
I have to use a long handled scoop and a short handled rake, as the long handled rake makes my wrist ache.

I do mine every day (2 horses) and they fill around 3/4 of a barrow.
 
Don't often poo pick, (we have the thing attached to tractor can't remember what its called at this moment in time) but when i do, i end up doing the entire field as can't bear to leave any behind!

Find using a shavings fork the best way to do it, shavings fork with a long handle on it
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