22 years in, I find a few things on my body are getting aggravated from the job.
What do you all have physical issues with relating to your career?
21 years in myself my back gets stressed at times, I’ve had shoulder issues and elbow pain, wrist pain from time to time. All of these have either been corected or are helped with the right exercises.
I would say the biggest one is my feet. This is the one draw back to stack ladders and their round rungs. It kills the feet. Have not found any exercise to deal with that pain.
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Oh yes, I got bad plantar on my left foot. The VA is very slow to treat vets, had to fight for two steroid shots before it finally calmed down somewhat. Those ladders really do a number on you, especially with those heavy levelers. My 28’ weighs 95 pounds!
I’ve found some good (costly?) shoe inserts have helped tremendously. When I went to MEPS for the AIR Force, the evaluator said I had flat arches and almost failed me. Turns out that wasn’t true, I have high arches.
Lately three fingers on my right hand have been very sore, probably due to all the toweling windows. Sucks because I like to bowl.
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Yah I forgot the fingers. They do get soar. I try to do push ups with my fingers on my leg with each hand while driving. My thinking is the flexing muscles get most of the workout while working and doing the reverse strength exercise might help the hands to feel better.
I also keep them stretch out and move them and pull them different direction and pop them to keep them feeling good.
Sometimes I just ignore it and bear with it. Tylenol helps a little on the bad days. I ain’t returning this body in the condition I received it.
Torn rotator cuff - physical therapy helped with it since insurance didn’t cover much for surgery.
Compression fracture of T-8 vertebra, only gets to me on long grueling days.
Broken wrist, again only an issue on long tough jobs.
Several aches and pains from crashes racing mountain bikes.
Artificial aortic valve, so far THAT one is a non issue, until it wears out!
It can always be worse. :-/
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I have been at this since 1989, 4 knee replacements … I have also have numb tingling hands and fingers (carpal tunnel) I imagine,
Oh and plantar fasciitis that’s made ladder work kinda painful.
4 knee replacements?? Holy cow.
I have carpal in my right hand, can’t ride a motorcycle that has me leaning forward. My Goldwing was great but got in a wreck, so no more MC for me.
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On the subject of plantar fasciitis, get the Birkenstock inserts. I have had mine for about 10 years now and just transfer them when I get new shoes, best $60 you can spend on your feet. If you go to The Good Feet Store they will fit them properly.
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I will take a look thanks
Protalus inserts saved my feet and knees.
I have never used a stack ladder so I don’t know how it feels to stand on round rungs but I can imagine it is not comfortable.
Have you considered shoes with a steel shank?
19 years in, started at 46. Aches, pains, to the point of limping,(but now with Protalus inserts, no more limping) finger knuckles that lock up, tweaked neck from pole work, kinks everywhere but honestly nothing that a good maintenance plan can’t even out. Stretching, yoga, good diet, enough sleep, chiropractic and physical therapy visits, and some good aged Rye on occasion.
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I’ve developed a bad strain on my left hip, probably from using a hip bucket. Chiropractor is struggling to fix it, not really working. Someone suggested yoga or acupuncture, might try that next.
There is another window cleaner in my area who has been at it 46 years and he finally found his hand hurting enough that he can’t lift ladders. Now he calls me for some high stuff.
I am at 15 years and had some tennis elbow and stiff joints in the morning.
flextend.com for anything arm/wrist related! get on it early and no issues and just use it again briefly for any flareups, best thing ever, can’t recommend the product, content and philosophy enough!
website is a little old skool noontime channel 13 product commercial style but look past that to the content which is more than you’ll get from any doctor and non-invasive
if you are having any issues, check. it. out!
picked mine up 20 years ago with some gnawing issues and here I am 20 years later with no arm/wrist issues
dude, you’re my go to whenever I think I’m approaching exit time, love it, keep it up!!
1982 and stopped being on the truck 3 years ago. Knee replacement, arthritis in most all joints but especially the neck.
2 total hip replacements. For about 5 years it made climbing a ladder a bear.
All you lot are making me feel good lol, knowing I’m not the only one to suffer from the same things… I concur with all the above regarding knees, back, shoulder, elbow, wrists and feet… It’s not fun, but thankfully I am more running the show now, rather than working, up until we run out of people to do the work, then I’m on the tools…
wow! from what I remember you are on the younger side of long time veterans?
