I hear your pain! With all the pruning I do in my own yard on top of work I do for others, some of the muscles in my right hand get noticeably large than those on my left by the end of the season.......particularly that muscle located on the back of my hand between my thumb and first finger. One trick that I find helpful: As soon as you finish the daily garden work, have a nice relaxing shower, a little something to eat, followed by two Ibuprofen tablets (it's a great anti-inflammatory)....followed by a nice nap. I wake up fresh and rejuvenated, and it keeps the aches at bay. But even if I do get sore, nothing is going to keep me from my garden!

I know what you mean, Donn :-) I have arthritis in my hands and too much pruning at any given time will cripple me! I find if I attempt it in short installments, I can get by without too much discomfort and stiffening. I treat all gardening activities the same, especially as I continue to age - I vary my activities during the course of each serious gardening period so as to not stress any particular portion of the body or overly tax joints and weak area, like my hands and knees (both very arthritic). A bit of pruning, a bit of weeding, some raking, maybe some planting or dividing. And I try to make sure I leave enough energy and strength for the clean up, which is often the most taxing of any of my gardening chores. And I always have a long soak in the tub after gardening!

That may be where the term 'garden' tub comes from :)