Knees & Backs - Al Levi

Al \"Ace\" Levi

I've always held the opinion that anyone I met in this business who says they have a healthy back and knees never worked a day in the field.

We are all stupidly proud to wear the badge of honor that shows we gave up our bodies to get the job done. Each morning when I wake up and every rainy day I get all the reminder I need about how foolish I was when I was younger.

I chose not to listen to the older and wiser mechanics who warned me about lifting the wrong way, not exercising to prevent injury and most of all not using my head first before I moved my body.

Having taught apprentices for a lot of years, I still see them doing the same macho stuff we did. Should they resist they are ridiculed by their peers. We recommend they wear goggles, ear plugs and knee pads. And even though we provide all these items to make their lives better they cave to the status quo. Peer pressure is a killer!

Time to break the cycle. We need to stand up as a group....if we still can; and insist on encouraging and insisting that the new generation use their brains rather than their brawn. And, they're to be admired for taking prudent safety precautions now.

Al Levi

Wayco Wayne

Ah time

is the best educator. I preach the same things to my helper and my son. I don't believe they pay any more attention than I did when I was younger. I do hope that I am planting seeds that they can refer to some day when I get to say I told you so.

MIKE6

Im cured!!

Every day after 22 years in this business,5 unloading trucks I changed jobs.After 6 months my knees are like new. I used to have to hold on to the banister comming down the steps in the morning.No more shooting pain in my knees.I might start jogging again.I would get lower back pain but that hasn't happened in months either.If I had to stay in the business it would have been a painful 15 years.I worked in a shop of 50 guys.All the young guys are the same.They want to muscle everything.I was like that young man too!There is not enough work for the young and too much for the seasoned worker.I must admitt I found it rewarding to help people get heat in the cold but thr body does get beat up.A friend of mine says," thats why they call it work,its not vacation." To the young use your head not your body,it does catch up with you.
Mike