Detailer's with bad back's check in.

[Loach]

What's every ones favorite back saving detailing helper? Mine has to be foam cannon for the pressure washer.

For me, I have to say that as I continue to do perform strength training, my back is starting to slowly fend off the tendency to seize up on me. Once I seize up, I'm absolutely done for the day, that's why I can't continue to do this for a full time job, or I would. And I never thought I needed to get a back brace at my age to prevent this kind of back troubles in the first place, thinking I was young and invincible, but I was wrong. Hopefully, as I perform squats and deadlifts with the proper form I can build up enough muscle to cushion that area in my lower back to prevent the pain from coming back, but right now, any time I bend down to do a specific job, I'm making sure I bend properly to prevent that piercing pain from coming back. Now, I have knee pads and I use one of those adjustable cushion seats to perform the side panel jobs that I work on. And with the lowest panels I use a creeper to lay on and buff with. And as far as heavy interior carpet work, I'm done with that nonsense, or I make sure I'm in a set position to keep my back as straight as possible before I do it.

 

[conman1395]

My back problems are muscles related. I have poorly aligned scapulas which over stress my traps. I get back spasms quite often and don't want to deal with physical therapy now that I'm in college. Important thing to remember when detailing is this: take your time. If my back starts hurting and I start rushing and doing a half-assed job then there's no point in me doing it at all. So if I practice patience and slow it down, I'll get my intended results.

 

[Don M]

My wife is the one that has had back surgery for a fractured vertebrae, and right now she's on some major pain meds that are only kind of helping. If we leave the house she is in a chair and I have to do the cooking/laundry because she just can't stand that long or do stairs.

Me? I'm just overweight and out of shape and my lower back likes to knot up on me whenever I stand to long or bend over detailing a car so I have to sit a few minutes to let the knots unkink. After hearing all your stories, I think I'm not that bad off after all.

 

[GeraldRooney]

I have had a Sciatica issue since I was 20, I am now 29. I try to keep myself in great shape and have a strong core but sometimes that is not enough. I invested in a inversion table, one of those teeter hang ups jigs. Anyways anytime I feel a flare up I go and hang upside down for 10 minutes and I am as good as new.

 

[cardaddy]

Move with caution with prednisone. It is great stuff but carries lots of baggage with it: depression, weight gain, "prednisone puffy face", bone loss.

Pffffttt.... I've had no less than THREE methylprednisolone packs in the last 6 weeks! The first two were about 10 days between them!

very well said sir

Hey.... could have said more. It's just important that people don't look at others on Pain Management as some sort of "junkie". That does NOTHING to help either the ones on the outside looking in and ESPECIALLY the ones on the inside looking out.

Tis' a fine line between need, dependence and addiction. The problem is.... many many MANY out there move on to addiction without working through what works and what doesn't.

You just told my story �� but I have more to go as I'm only 27 not looking forward to it but life continues

Well.... there's hope.... (considering I'm more than twice your age).

Hurt mine the first time, (T6/T7) unloading trucks @ 19, then again @ 20. Fought with that one for years. They told me it was a torn muscle. Years later they said it was a disc problem.

Fast forward not 10 years later and I had to get used to driving a medium duty truck (GMC 6500 series) with a C-collar on. Not even being able to turn my friggin' head!

 

[oldmodman]

I had back surgery, three discs "removed" about 30 years ago.
Became addicted to morphine while in the hospital for surgery.
Kicked it then only used painkiller as absolutely needed.

My best pain preventer when detailing is my four post lift. No stooping required. I run the car up and down so I am working directly in front of me. Plus, it makes it much easier to work on my cars.
Best quality of life purchase I have ever made. Other than those three stewardesses I met while I was in Thailand.

 

[Garyhw48]

SpinAll4,

What's every ones favorite back saving detailing helper? Mine has to be foam cannon for the pressure washer.

I take several MSM 1000 MG capsules daily, plenty of C, 500 MG L-Lysine and drink at least 8 16oz. glasses of water per day. Eat 5 or 6 small meals daily instead of 3 big ones. These things seem to help.

I'm also installing a scissor lift in my shop to get the vehicle off the floor, like one other poster said, so I don't have to bend over as much.

Hope you get to feeling better.

 

[SpinAll4]

No lift in the cards for me right now, maybe in the future. It sure would be nice though. In fact I need to replace my Air Compressor that finally gave up the ghost with something nicer as I'm down to using my 110v 20 gallon air compressor and it sucks.

I've been taking MSM + Glucosamine Chondroitin for a while. Also I take a multi, Fish oil, NISAID pain reliever, flexeril muscle relaxer, and of course the Hydrocodone/APAP every day for pain.

I do have an appointment with a new dr on the 24th to see about a ablation procedure.

Been working drinking more water vs other crap. Need to get off my butt and replace the filters in my RO water filter so it doesn't taste like crap.

 

[DaveT435]

Three neck fusions, another one coming up in the next few months. Three lumbar surgeries, two of them fusions one from the back and one from the front. Another lumbar fusion coming up in the next couple months. T9-T10 is shot. Pump implanted in my abdomin with a cathater going around into my spine so it can pump Dilaudid into my spinal fluid. Actually my second pump. I got an infection around the first one and it had to be taken out.

Do I win??? Lol

 

[Coach Steve]

What's every ones favorite back saving detailing helper? Mine has to be foam cannon for the pressure washer.

My rolling, adjustable-height stool! Couldn't do this job without it. I'll be 50 next month and as the years have gone by the various pains have increased. For me it's mostly my lower back and knees. I played baseball for 12 years from the time I was 8 through my sophomore year in college and the years behind the plate and the abuse catchers put their bodies through took their toll which is why I couldn't continue playing - even got a tryout in the majors but I couldn't perform at the level necessary to play in the bigs. It's the getting down and getting up that really brings on the pain. And if I have to lay on my back under my car to work on something.... forget it! I need help getting up. It sucks. Advil helps a lot and I try to be sure I don't do anything that will make things worse or add any new issues.

 

[expdetailing]

Buying and using a Rupes has helped with back and arm fatigue. There's no 'Walk" or direct drive friction to overcome or counter react to. Of my flex, porter cable, and rupes, by far, rupes makes it the easiest on me.
Also, I've been going to a physical therapist. He's started out with easy, basic exercises, and it's making a big difference.

 

[swanicyouth]

Buying and using a Rupes has helped with back and arm fatigue. There's no 'Walk" or direct drive friction to overcome or counter react to. Of my flex, porter cable, and rupes, by far, rupes makes it the easiest on me.
Also, I've been going to a physical therapist. He's started out with easy, basic exercises, and it's making a big difference.

I have to agree. I used to R & R a lot of RWD transmissions in trucks/vans back in the day and when your working flat rate - it's hard to get someone to help you to lift them.

So being "bulletproof" (or so I thought) I would just muscle them on and off the transmission jack. Manuals were just picked up and wiggled in.

So, I acquired a bad back with mind numbing sciatic pain. Pain was so bad I actually would have had my leg chopped off if it would have fixed it.

Had a lumbar laminectomy about 15 years ago and all pain is gone. But, my back can still feel weak. The long reach of the Rupes 15 and the lack of required down ward pressure makes polishing horizontal surfaces easier.

 

[cardaddy]

I have to agree. I used to R & R a lot of RWD transmissions in trucks/vans back in the day and when your working flat rate - it's hard to get someone to help you to lift them.

So being "bulletproof" (or so I thought) I would just muscle them on and off the transmission jack. Manuals were just picked up and wiggled in.

So, I acquired a bad back with mind numbing sciatic pain. Pain was so bad I actually would have had my leg chopped off if it would have fixed it.

Had a lumbar laminectomy about 15 years ago and all pain is gone. But, my back can still feel weak. The long reach of the Rupes 15 and the lack of required down ward pressure makes polishing horizontal surfaces easier.

Love that laminectomy!

Man, that transmission story brings back memories.
Didn't have to do it for a shop, but me and CarMomma always did our own maintenance on our rollbacks (back in the day). We had it down to 5 hours on a F-350/450 from the time we slid the jack under it, till the time we pulled it back out and was ready to drive. :xyxthumbs:

Not bad for 2 drive shafts, 1 jack shaft, a PTO pump, and a REALLY heavy transmission (without a dedicated transmission jack).:dblthumb2:

I agree with the Rupes.... just the weight of the machine and it tends to do well all by itself.rops:

Three neck fusions, another one coming up in the next few months. Three lumbar surgeries, two of them fusions one from the back and one from the front. Another lumbar fusion coming up in the next couple months. T9-T10 is shot. Pump implanted in my abdomin with a cathater going around into my spine so it can pump Dilaudid into my spinal fluid. Actually my second pump. I got an infection around the first one and it had to be taken out.

Do I win??? Lol

Uh okee dokey, we have a winner! :dblthumb2:

I've not had diluadid in the spinal canal, but it ain't all bad in the IV. Although I've been taking 4mg 4,6,8 times a day for the last 13 years. Combine that with fentanyl 50 and 75 at the same time (weaned myself off the 75's and try not to take the 50's except when it's really bad), Norco 10/325, soma, robaxin, Neurontin, morphine ER (Kadian), Lidoderm, and a few others here and there depending how bad things are. Good days it's Norco, diluadid & soma, bad days it's everything above (and then some). As you brother.... already know.

Knowing Dave, that you've had the cervical, thoracic AND lumbar problems is like I'm reading my own file! Damaged my thoracic spine at 18, again at 19, which is when I STARTED taking Soma. Then when I was 20 they told me it was a torn muscle! Pffffftttt.... we all know where that goes! Then for YEARS they told me, "Just a ½" cut in the front of your neck, you'll hardly see it, and we can fix your neck problems". When I woke up in 2006 I had a 4" slice on the BACK of my neck, and holes in my scalp "where they screwed in the halo honey" (was what the nurse told me when I wondered why my head hurt so bad and had BLOOD in my hair). :dunno:

And people wonder how we can find detailing so carthatic? Im the MAN
Annnnnddddd..... why "dealership work" is akin to the devils work.

 

[Romad]

And people wonder how we can find detailing so carthatic? Im the MAN
Annnnnddddd..... why "dealership work" is akin to the devils work.

Lol, sealership work. Got a father/son duo car salesmen in my apartments. The father knows I do higher end detailing. The son made a comment about me getting some extra work at his dealership since they needed detailers. I told him I can't compete with production detailers. And I've got my own boss. My back tells me when to start, when to take a break, and when to call it a day. Don't need someone else trying to countermand those orders. The only other one who can do that is my little girl.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online