Aches and Pains of the trade

Mike Kraft

walk around at night in my boxers with the lights out!!!My knees glow in the dark!!!

cheese

Mad Dog

Just an informal survey

after all these years in the trade, how do you feel???? Bad Back, Carpal tunnel, Neck problems, bad knees, asbestosis...what ails you??? Most "civilians" aka homeowners have no clue what our bodies go thru to get these jobs done..........Mad Dog...one hurtin' puppy

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kevin

well since you asked...

I know I do have harder time getting up in the AM. Back a bit stiff, knees are usually ok unless i put in 200' ft. of baseboard the day before. My right arm doesn't stretch out all the way after I fell off a ladder last Oct. and broke both of them. The other one I am concerned about is the long term exposure to all the solvent we use ie. PVC primer and cement. Oh well its a living...kpc

Mark Hunt

Usually I wake up

feeling like four dollars and eighty seven cents.

Pex tie downs are a killer on the knees.

For the most part I've weathered it ok.

I feel sorry for Murph though. Poor guy.

Mark "ow!" H

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Bill NTSG

MD

Wait til you get older! Some of the mechanics I served under are getting on to retirement age. Knee jobs, hip jobs,shoulder jobs, etc. My problem is tendonitis [tennis elbow] from repetitve motion. Pulling on the pipe wrenches, tubing cutter, cleaning fitttings, and what I think finished it off, 5/16" nut driver. Taking pump covers off and putting them back on. Usually 4-6 a day. I had to get cortesone shots. They worked for a couple months but are wearing off. I bought an inexpensive Black & Decker cordless screwdriver. It really helps with smokepipe and boiler jacket screws. You just gotta' work smart, not harder.

Jeff Lawrence_24

Arthritis

I was offically diagnosed with Arthritis the Tuesday after Labor Day (at 41 years young).

The doctor told me that most of the times it can be handled with the proper medication. I'm waiting.

Jeff

hr

I feel your pain

Tweeked by back two years ago pretty good. Found a great Chiropractor. He gave me a page of streching exercises for my back and knees. Made a big difference. I prefer this to medication that may just mask a problem not strenghten or rehab it. About 15 minutes worth of streching makes a big difference.

I've been at it over 30 years now and would like to go another 5. With a little luck, common sense and "bigger better tools" I think I can, I think, I can

Too much neat stuff out there these days to make me want to lay down the tools!

Hey! maybe a Yoga for Heating Contractors is a book I should be working on

What about it Dan, maybe a 15 minute stretch (yoga)class at Wetstock?

hot rod

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

Three at age 38 and just part-time at this:

1) Tendonitis in elbows from hyperextension. MORAL: Move the ($@!ing ladder!!!! Annoying and really hard to get rid of.

2) Something awful in my right shoulder after wrenching old pipes loose while balanced on a paint can. MORAL: When you see a room full of "stuff" REFUSE to work until the you, the H/O or someone clears the space you need. Chronic for 2 years--terrible after I use a lot of force.

3) Washmaid's knee from tiling/scrubbing floors without knee pads and generally thinking they were indestructible. MORAL: Wear knee pads!!!!! INSIST that your workers wear them as well--no matter how young or stubborn. They WILL thank you some day! They've gotten MUCH better since I starting wearing pads!

steve gates

I can't throw a ball more than 20plus ft scince the hawg tried to remove my arm' knees are still fairly good(wear pads whenever working)two bruised heels for over a year(there getting better). Ijust got bifocals, and Ican't hold my fingers in the Boy Scouts pledge position and a sore left elbow.

And I've only been doing this for 9 years.

NEVER dwell on the pain

keith

no body escapes

without the medals to show for it. When I was an aprentice my forman used to say " The plumber protects the health of the nation by sacrificing his own". Makes sense to me now 24 years later. It certainly is a young persons game. How you treat yourself when you are young seems to make a difference when you are older.

jerryb

The Painnnnnn!

Been doing heating 35 or so yrs.Must get up 1/2hr early to get the joints flexing.Can't see byond 3ft w/o specs,hard to play piano crooked fingers,(cracking c/i fittings,ect)Look like a sack of potatos with two stumps out the bottom,scars on the noodle,a touch of asbestosis (guess the rag dust mask didn't work)But at least i'm still moving.A little slower but beats not being able to do zero,(can't imagine staying home allday with the little lady,) OH MY aching back.