poo pickers elbow (or more commonly known as tennis elbow)!!!!?

[L&M]

I get a pain in my elbow area and the accompanying muscles down towards the forearm, which is made worse by poo picking with a traditional poo skip and small rake. I am assuming it is a tennis elbow type thing. I have had it for years, on and off, but recently has a got a lot worse to the extent it is affecting other aspects of life, causing me to drop things and making it hard to open jars etc.

Atm our GP are not seeing non urgent cases so no hope of any help there.....

I have tried votarol, tubigrips etc which help to a small extent but find the pain only really improves if I don't poo pick at all - but that is not an option, especially whilst they are out 24/7.

Are there any other options? Or different equipment that is easier to use/doesn't aggravate tennis elbow?

Thanks

 

[Roxylola]

I've just had a sore shoulder looked at by my equine physio (shes a human one as well) so private physio are still working and might be able to help. Mine lasered me!

 

[ester]

tenease,
which I got after a recommendation here.
I have an old break and it was a recurring issue but since having one about 3 years ago it's not been an issue since. I'd had varying results with actual shockwave/physio/chiro interventions.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I've had to use a shavings fork sometimes when it's got too bad. Now I'm making full use of out of work husband-he does it. ?

 

[cornish1]

The only thing that helped mine was acupuncture and changing to an upright ergonomic mouse at work. Poo picking was definitely the aggravating factor.

 

[ester]

oh second the ergo mouse.

 

[L&M]

I've had to use a shavings fork sometimes when it's got too bad. Now I'm making full use of out of work husband-he does it. ?

Do you hire him out?!

 

[L&M]

tenease,
which I got after a recommendation here.
I have an old break and it was a recurring issue but since having one about 3 years ago it's not been an issue since. I'd had varying results with actual shockwave/physio/chiro interventions.

Thanks, will google.....

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I got this when I first had two horses out 24/7. Apart from rest, painkillers and various supports I didn’t do anything and in end it luckily went. I did find a plastic rake like this caused less issues than a metal one I originally had.

https://www.onlineforequine.co.uk/red-gorilla-big-tidee-plastic-rake

Also if you put the pan between your legs in front of you and use both hands on the rake there is less pressure on one arm. Also don’t rake too much in at a time so it’s less pressure on the arm. I used to use gloves and a skip periodically tipping into a wheelbarrow but found that hurt my back and knees instead!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

L&M, yep, he needs to be far more useful.

 

[windand rain]

Place the bucket bit against your legs and use both hands on the rake. It is not the poo picking that damages my elbow but the twisting motion tipping it into the barrow. I have to use a much straighter front to back movement

 

[Winters100]

I get mine injected with steroids, but try to keep it to no more than once a year. It works really well, but is best to do only when you really need as there is always the danger that it will make it worse.

I'm afraid that the only really good way is apply ice 4 or 5 times a day for 20 mins and rest it, but with horses of course the resting part is the problem.

I would say try to find a child who would like to earn pocket money for a few weeks poo picking for you. You take a big risk using it when you have severe pain, so even a few weeks rest would do it good.

Good luck with it.

 

[PurBee]

Try omega 3 or eat fatty fish, some people find that helps joint issues. My OH had a similar thing elbow pain with poo picking, so i upped vit c/omega 3/ and also protein powder banana smoothies with ground flax - that sorted it for him.

We dont have lots of omega 3 in our diet as we dont eat fish, but if you love sardines, mackerel, herring on toast for breakfast, etc worth giving that a go. Just dont get the fish tinned thats soaked in omega 6 veg/sunflower oil, as omega 6 is PRO-inflammatory. The vacuum packed fatty fish would be a better bet if you cant get fresh.

 

[Cahill]

there is also golfer`s elbow (which i believe is outside as opposed to tennis inside? ) i think my was caused by lifting the scoop/bucket so use 2 hands now.it got better on it`s own during a winter with using different mucking out tools.

 

[planete]

I can only poo pick with a bucket and thick waterproof gloves. If I use any tools I start falling apart (elbow, wrist, shoulder...).

 

[little_critter]

I’ve also heard it suggested that the grip on the rake is too slim for comfortable use and that bulking it out can make a difference. You could wrap bicycle bar tape or the tape that’s used on tennis racket grips round the rake to bulk it out.
I had poo pickers elbow a couple of years ago. I think I cured it by breaking my wrist and getting my OH to do the poo picking for a while!

 

[Suby2]

We changed to a Wolf Garten Multi Change small sweep (11cm). Sorry can’t find a link. We find it soooo much easier to use. Seems strange at first but then after using for months I temporarily went back to the conventional rake to help my OH poo pick and hated it. You do also have to buy a handle. There are various ones but we have the small one.

 

[Widgeon]

I’ve also heard it suggested that the grip on the rake is too slim for comfortable use and that bulking it out can make a difference. You could wrap bicycle bar tape or the tape that’s used on tennis racket grips round the rake to bulk it out.

Yes, when I was doing a lot of poo picking recently (helping someone out) this was what got me - the grip on the little rake was too narrow and I was getting stabby pains in my hand which then caused pain further up. As it was only a short term problem for me it didn't matter so much, but padding out the handle with pipe lagging yould have helped. It sounds like the OP has a slightly different problem but a more ergonomic poop scoop can only help!

 

[Callieann]

I've had tennis elbow for years ( I'm a bit of an old crock). I always use an old shavings fork.

 

[Micky]

Google physio exercises for tennis elbow..simple stretches that you can do whilst sitting down watching tv of a night! I’ve had this problem for years, (in both elbows) had two lots of steroid injections, lasted a year, then was sent to a physio, amazing results after not really believing the exercises would work! But they did, now I do them about once a week and no more pain in elbows or forearms..

 

[HappyHollyDays]

You need to get a wideish neoprene strap which your place around the forearm a few inches below the elbow. Secure the Velcro so it’s comfortable and tight enough so the muscles are supported and constricted. It works instantly and is the only thing which stopped mine a few years ago. I’ve never had it since.

 

[Darbs]

Yes, I had exactly this, and its combined with a torn disc in my lower back. I found a complete answer that solved both arm pain and lower back issues.

I got this set up, https://herbiesyardsupplies.co.uk/product/quick-pick-muck-scoop/

It is a rake with a long handle which allows you to use two hands and stand upright, then the scoop has 'foot wings' that you can stand on, I modified it with a cable tie to stop the handle and scoop rotating, as I just found it easier if it was rigid.

 

[L&M]

Place the bucket bit against your legs and use both hands on the rake. It is not the poo picking that damages my elbow but the twisting motion tipping it into the barrow. I have to use a much straighter front to back movement

Yes I agree - mine is more painful when I twist the skip to drop the muck in the barrow.....

 

[Jeni the dragon]

The twisting using a skip completely knackered my elbow and wrist. I use two 10l buckets and thick gloves and just lift by hand. Keeping the buckets smaller means they aren't too heavy to carry!

 

[L&M]

I got this when I first had two horses out 24/7. Apart from rest, painkillers and various supports I didn’t do anything and in end it luckily went. I did find a plastic rake like this caused less issues than a metal one I originally had.

https://www.onlineforequine.co.uk/red-gorilla-big-tidee-plastic-rake

Also if you put the pan between your legs in front of you and use both hands on the rake there is less pressure on one arm. Also don’t rake too much in at a time so it’s less pressure on the arm. I used to use gloves and a skip periodically tipping into a wheelbarrow but found that hurt my back and knees instead!

This is what I currently use......think part of the problem is the size of the scoop as encourages you too put more than one dropping in, and then becomes too heavy to lif/twist into the barrow. Forcing myself to limit to one dropping at a time!!!

 

[L&M]

Try omega 3 or eat fatty fish, some people find that helps joint issues. My OH had a similar thing elbow pain with poo picking, so i upped vit c/omega 3/ and also protein powder banana smoothies with ground flax - that sorted it for him.

We dont have lots of omega 3 in our diet as we dont eat fish, but if you love sardines, mackerel, herring on toast for breakfast, etc worth giving that a go. Just dont get the fish tinned thats soaked in omega 6 veg/sunflower oil, as omega 6 is PRO-inflammatory. The vacuum packed fatty fish would be a better bet if you cant get fresh.

Sadly not a fan of oily fish but do take cod liver oil supplement, thanks

 

[L&M]

You need to get a wideish neoprene strap which your place around the forearm a few inches below the elbow. Secure the Velcro so it’s comfortable and tight enough so the muscles are supported and constricted. It works instantly and is the only thing which stopped mine a few years ago. I’ve never had it since.

Thanks - I have just ordered one of Amazon......worries me they are quite cheap but even better it they work and don't cost a lot!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Thanks - I have just ordered one of Amazon......worries me they are quite cheap but even better it they work and don't cost a lot!

I have no idea how it works but for a few quid it’s worth a go. I tried Volterol and Ibuprofen and neither worked but the strap did. Hope it has the same effect for you.

 

[rosiesue]

I have resorted to a bucket and glove which helps my elbows but not my hips and knees!

 

[sportsmansB]

Funny I get this mucking out if I use a fork with the wrong length of handle... I'll also try a few of the suggestions, thanks