Get strong by staying strong

Our industry puts a unique set of stresses on bodies: strain and weight, often cold, damp working conditions, exposure to toxic chemicals, burn, crush and slip/fall injuries.

I guess after 30 years of spinning wrenches, it was inevitable: Carpal tunnel, bursitis, herniated disc at the L4 vertebrae. That was the verdict from my family doctor when I recently dropped in to deal with the aches and pains that are getting too damned annoying to ignore. The back issues are classic lifting injuries, kick started by a stupid stock car injury in 1979. The big issues, however, are the pain and diminished strength in my right hand and forearm, and that’s classic for a repetitive strain injury.

How are you holding up? The fact is if you do the same motions over and over for years, you’re likely going to wear out like me, maybe worse. Our industry puts a unique set of stresses on bodies: strain and weight, often cold, damp working conditions, exposure to toxic chemicals, burn, crush and slip/fall injuries, plus the dreaded eye injury from not wearing safety glasses when we should. Add up the physical demands of the trade over years, and I’ll bet that my experience is typical. So what do we do?

For the young guys out there, consider these ideas:

1. Wear the right gear. Basketball shoes, jeans and a T-shirt might be cool and comfortable, but I know from painful experience that safety shoes and cotton/polyester workwear can save your skin from a number of burn/puncture or abrasion injuries. Buy your own safety glasses and wear them on your head, not in your box. If you do a lot of under car work, consider a hard hat like the muffler guys wear. You have to split your scalp open to believe how much you can bleed on your way to the Emergency. Don’t ask me how I know this.

2. Forget the macho crap and get help when you’re lifting something heavy. Yeah it’s cool that you can toss a Turbo-Hydramatic onto the bench, but twist a millimetre the wrong way while you’re carrying that load and your back will give you a little reminder when you wake up every morning, and it won’t go away, ever.

3. Forget the death grip on your tools. If a fastener won’t budge, get your flex handle and a six-point socket, or use an impact gun. If that doesn’t work, think about heat, penetrating oil, etc. I’ve seen guys twist the heads off bolts with wrenches by putting their feet up against the work bench. Something’s gotta give, and it isn’t just the bolt. Do you need to use Vise-Grips and Channelocks with iron man strength? Reset the slip joint and clean the teeth of your locking pliers. And take the time to go get a longer plier if you need more grip. Yes, you can crush the part now, but think ahead thirty years. Pull, don’t push, and consider where you go if the fastener gives way suddenly. The energy has to go somewhere, like maybe your rotator cuff.

4. Think about your posture. I don’t mean like sitting up straight at you desk in grade school, but the position your body is in for hours on a job. I’ve seen guys working with a kinked neck because they didn’t bother to raise the vehicle another couple of inches on the hoist. Think about a rubber pad (“anti-fatigue mat”) in front of your bench if you spend a lot of time there. Your feet will thank you later. I like to keep a tall stool at my bench, and if I’m pondering detail work on the bench, I sit whether I’m tired or not. Take the weight off and save it for later.

5. Lose weight. I know this doesn’t apply to everyone, but any doctor will tell you that back strength comes from your abs, too, and they can’t work if they’re shoved over your belt by an extra thirty pounds of fat. I finally gave up and joined a health club to try and shave off the extra. It’s easier if you don’t put it on in the first place. Do you really need that donut?

I’m far from crippled, but I can start to feel that if I don’t do something soon, my 60s will be mainly about pain. I’m 45, which is late but not too late. If you’re 25 or 35 why wait until your wheels fall off?