hot water bottle

At-home remedies for arthritis pain

Fit to Farm: It only seems weird to use heat and warmth to reduce inflammation in your joints

Joint pain and pain related to arthritis are common occurrences heading into our colder months here in Canada. With extreme and frequent changes in temperature and air pressure, many of us experience increased achiness, stiffness and inflammation. Here are a few at-home ideas to try this winter to hopefully take the edge off some of […] Read more

Intentionally slowing down your usual simple routine movements can help calm your nervous system and dial down a pain response.

Non-surgical options to manage pain

Fit to Farm: Don’t just ignore pain or the clues to its causes

As an athletic therapist, I often work with individuals faced with managing painful conditions in the short and long term. Many conditions or injuries do require surgery to repair underlying issues. That said, many pain-related symptoms do not require surgical intervention to alleviate. Pain and other uncomfortable sensations occur for many reasons, often entirely unrelated […] Read more



As farmers we need to be able to manage our emotional states. For some, connecting with nature out in our fields and pastures is our path toward greater emotional clarity.

Find paths out of distress, depression, disconnection

What keeps you centred and grounded? Observe and pay attention at those times

Patricia Morgan is a dynamic force for change and my good friend. She’s authored a new award-winning book, Return to Center: Simple Strategies to Navigate Distress, Depression and Disconnection. As farm families brace for or embrace the winter season, I thought we all should be reminded of good practical tools to be emotionally strong and […] Read more



Gently moving your skin, and the surgical scar itself, will help you make sure scar tissue doesn’t impede connective tissues and soft tissues.

Recovering from joint replacement surgery

Fit to Farm: Many people wait too long to begin rehabilitation afterward

Last issue I wrote about the preparation and potential “pre-hab” strategies I recommend to individuals waiting or pursuing a joint replacement surgery. Now it’s time to explore what to do after a joint replacement to support optimal recovery. Regardless of which area has been replaced or operated on, joint replacement surgeries are often relatively quick […] Read more


Gentle yoga practices can help maintain whole-body movement and can be adjusted to avoid discomfort.

How to prepare for joint replacement surgery

Fit to Farm: 'Pre-hab' can help your body recover more quickly

Whether due to trauma or degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, joint replacement procedures are common options for managing movement limitations and pain. Joint replacement surgeries are among the most common procedures for which I help clients prepare and recover. The most common joints to replace are knees and hips, often from long-term degeneration. In these […] Read more

To be clear, practices such as the ones outlined in this space are not meant to replace appropriate rest and recovery.

To avoid fatigue, breathe

Fit to Farm: Deliberate breath can help influence energy levels, focus and level of alertness

As a new season approaches, so too do long hours of driving for many farmers. One problem that presents when we deal with prolonged periods of driving, whether in the field or on the highway, is fatigue. The agriculture industries are rife with long hours at various tasks and fatigue is common, posing a dangerous […] Read more


back pain

Easing the strain of sitting

Fit to Farm: Joints in the spine can get compressed when you have to sit for long periods

A common complaint that comes along with the farm lifestyle and career is back pain. Non-specific low back pain — meaning the pain has begun with no clear incidence and doesn’t have one clear cause — makes up over 80 per cent of back pain complaints. In my line of work, often it isn’t as […] Read more

Spending time outside of shoes, experiencing textures and touch, will benefit your feet — not to mention the rest of you — in the longer term.

Let your feet flex and feel the floor

Fit to Farm: While necessary, shoes do limit how your feet's natural structures can work

Have you been told you have fallen arches or flat feet? A common misconception is that our foot posture is unchangeable or uncontrollable. Just like any other part of the body, there is quite a lot we can do to support the physical health and mobility in our feet. Many clients that I meet have […] Read more