The love of gardening can come and go over a lifetime.

The joy and satisfaction of having hands your in soil, planting seeds and watching them grow, can be interrupted by the discomfort of joints and muscles that do not move like they used to.

Fiskars and other companies have developed tools that are easier to use and with ergonomically designed handles that allow gardeners to have a comfortable grip without twisting their wrists.

“I recommended them for physical therapy patients first and then started collecting them for myself,” said Carla Wilhite, occupational therapist with Oklahoma State University. “One day I had an epiphany that I have arthritis and should use them too.”

One of the Fiskars products, the Big Grip Garden Knife has a large, soft molded handle, one serrated and one smooth knife-edge plus a notched weeding tip. Several jobs can be accomplished with one tool.

There are lightweight, nylon collapsible leaf containers on the market that make it easier to pick up garden refuse as you go.

Fiskars offers a Kangaroo Bag with a hard shell bottom that will stay where you put it. The barrel shaped container has an internal spring that makes it easy to open and collapse. There are handles for moving the container and for hanging it when not in use.

The Arthritis Foundation awarded Ease of Use Commendations for eight Fiskars products: Pruners, loppers and hedge shears. The foundation Web site, www.arthritis.org, has many helpful links.

The Arthritis Foundation is particularly impressed with the Power Gears of the Fiskar tools. This technology uses gears to replace physical strength to allow pruning and cutting without tiring gardeners' muscles.

“Before when I did pruning I would be done for the day,” Wilhite said. “The Fiskars make such a difference — I don’t have to come into the house feeling pain any more.”

Another feature of Fiskars design is providing tools with extra long handles to minimize the strain on gardener’s backs when pruning.

One of their unique tools for flower growers is a Fiskars all-in-one Floral Bypass Pruner. Between the blades and the handle it has a stem stripper to remove thorns and a stem crusher to prepare stems for a longer vase life.

The tools use gears to increase cutting power, making big cuts easier. The Power Gear design also changes the leverage during the cut, which minimizes strain and fatigue. The hand pruners feature a rolling handle that moves with your hand as you cut, reducing friction and relieving hand stress. Their PowerGear loppers and hedge shears feature lightweight ergonomic handles for greater comfort and control.

“I am convinced that these tools are worth every penny,” Wilhite said. “The pruners allow you to prune without so much hand force and then I bought the Ratcheting Pruners and had the same positive experience. Usually things do not live up to their billing. These live up to their billing.”

Oklahoma AgrAbility was developed in 2002 to provide services to farmers who have been injured or have developed arthritis and other chronic pain. The AgrAbility Support Network connects farmers and ranchers with others who have overcome barriers to continued success.