Push mowers usually demand a fair amount of force to operate and are used for a long time compared with other tools. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a tool requiring such force and time but with a metal or hard plastic handle. Here’s another area in which a pool noodle makes things easier – this time by turning itself into a makeshift ergonomic handle that reduces the effects of stress and vibration. Simply wrapping your mower’s handle with a pool noodle or pipe insulation can improve these problems dramatically.
This can be a game-changer for those who suffer from issues like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), or any other condition aggravated by the mower handle’s design and vibration. Push mower handle shapes have evolved, to some degree, to allow for more comfortable hand positions, but sufficient padding is still relatively uncommon. To try this hack, just split a pool noodle lengthwise and slip it over your mower’s handle.
Upgrade your push mower handle with a pool noodle
As with any DIY hack, there are a couple of gotchas to be on the lookout for here. Hacks that make hard work easier are always appreciated, and we’ve seen pool noodles improve the ergonomics of rake handles and the like. But getting ergonomics right can be tricky. For instance, it’s probably best to avoid taping the pool noodle directly to your mower handle since you’ll occasionally need to rotate the handle within your grip, at least a little. While a cylindrical grip is perfect for rotation, friction with your hands might make the rotation difficult, so it’s often easiest to let the noodle move freely around the mower’s handle instead. Additionally, however you attach your pool noodle, take care not to fashion it so that it causes the safety bar to get stuck in the engaged position. It’s a bad idea to bypass safety measures and far worse to do it without knowing you have. And if you have a bar that enables self-propulsion, you’ll want to make sure that works with your noodle.
Pool noodles and pipe insulation come in a variety of diameters, and you’ll probably benefit most from one in a smaller size. Ergonomics experts estimate that the ideal power grip handle is around 40mm — just under 1.6 inches — in diameter. Handles above four inches might make mowing more difficult by undercutting your grip strength.
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