I had back surgery 40 years ago, and I've got arthritis in my hands and elbows.
At our main research yard, that is next to the Clark Fork River, we have a thriving skunk population. We place our hives on 18" high benches that are several feet long and wide enough for the whole hive to sit on. We usually have 6 hives per bench, long enough to hold 12 hives side by side. The six hives are separated by a generous 'hive' width, leaving us room to sit honey supers, second-story brood boxes on the bench beside each hive: The length and size of these stands makes them a bit pricey, but they've lasted over 30 years. Our main reason for these benches was the skunks who would decimate hives. Pepper, spikes, screens - only the benches completely resolved the problem.
1) Skunks aren't good climbers2) The benches put the hives at a height where we don't have to lean over, and there is room on each bench to sit the supers next to each hive.3) We generally keep the hives to three deeps.
4) As long as we don't pile up a tower of honey supers but rather pull them when they are full, we neither have to lean down or lift up too high.
One major difference between our benches versus the hive stands most often seen is that we splay the legs in an A shape, like those of a sawhorse. This makes the benches far more stable than four vertical legs, regardless of how much-bracing one might use. We've never had one of these benches fall over, even when loaded with hives and supers.
Finally, I am not a medical doctor, but years of throwing hay bales and lifting beehives have done a job on my hands, arms, and back. Surgery and physical therapy helped, but prevention is best. However, do not think that simply changing how you physically handle hives and frames will solve the problem. My advice is to minimize the lifting and use hoists and other equipment where possible. There's the obvious adage, use your knees, not your back. But at my age, many who do this kind of physical work have blown out their knees.
Be aware of bending or putting repeated stress on any body part. Be smart when choosing tools. I prefer long hive tools for breaking frames loose, which provide better leverage than a short hive tool. I sharpen my hive tools, so I don't have to pound them into the corners of boxes to break free from the propolis. Use the hive tool or tools (I know beekeepers who always use a hive tool in each hand) to break free and lift frames, not your fingers. Using fingers repeatedly for hard work often results in tunnel carpel problems. I do know that surgeons have better ways of fixing worn-out backs and knees than worn-out hands and elbows - hence my problems with arthritis in my thumbs and elbows. These are more difficult to fix, which my surgeons don't want to try.
Whole hand and whole arm movements use the strongest parts of your upper body but use the tools to break frames free. Try a frame lifter - I find them awkward, but they provide a large handle, and I've seen a battery-powered one that may even help lift the frames.
I'm 77 and will be 78 soon. If I could start over, I'd do many things differently. Still, I built 120' of fencing, digging 41" inch-deep post holes through asphalt, gravel, and clay. But I used a large hammer drill and a gas post hole digger on the holes. My hand clam shell and twist hole diggers sat in the corner, were never touched. And I did a few holes at a time.
Jerry
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