Back pain

[John Bolton]

Many of us in this industry suffer intermittent bouts of back pain. In my case this mostly stems from cleaning stairs, my shirt damp with the honest sweat of labour and that refreshingly cool breeze coming through the front door. The muscular spasm that can result displaces a disc in the spine and the resultant sciatic pain can last for several days.

This cause can be difficult to avoid, but much can be done to avoid other causes. Some advice on avoidance - and the best way to proceed when the problem crops up can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/betterbacks/?ebul=hsegen/09-oct-06&cr=01

Well worth reading!

 

[Mick Halliday]

here's an interesting article about back pain, basically saying it all in the mind

a bit long but interesting

www.systemauk.com/PNback.htm

Mike

 

[Stephen Beckwith]

Back in 1981 I literally fell off the back of a truck!
My back was a wreck for years. I had physio, chiropractic a butcher of a woman Osteopath (she is probably deceased now, bless her) massage therapy and acupuncture.
Then, I was being treated by another Physio and she told me to get this book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0959804927/sr=8-1/qid=1168361809/ref=pd_ka_1/203-0398689-9744712?ie=UTF8&s=books

I got it and my back was fine soon after. Now, whenever I get back pain or neck pain (there is a treat your own neck as well) I do some of the emergency exercises listed and it clears up.
Also, doing core muscle exercise will help as well.

Cheers for now

Stephen

 

[John Bolton]

Thanks for that Stephen,

At only £7.50 that sounds like a good buy!

I often see people pushing a wand (or supermarket trolley) with such bad posture that they seem almost to be asking for trouble.

It seems that one of the problems for carpet cleaners is that they always use the wand either left or right-handed. Over time this can produce a twist to the spine and unbalance muscle development which makes matters worse. Simply changing hands periodically can help avoid this.

 

[Trevor Ives]

I tend to work across a room in 'easy reach' bands, as I work back again I tend to switch hands. This helps a lot as I change stance frquently. I did the back in the mid 80s by picking a weed out of the field as big as a pencil, having pulled a trailer load of ragwort, which grows to 3 ft tall.
It tends to popout leaning over the back of settees doing the back squab. I have found that lying on my back on the floor and curling up in a ball and rocking for and aft on the spine releases it. One time the custy came into the room when this was in progress and thought I was having a fit! A yearly visit to the chiro helps.

I have often thought that floor tools should be made in various hieghts to allow for us taller operators (or shorter) thus preventing a stoop occurring. Setting the grab handle at the right height helps.

Trevor

 

[John Bolton]

Some further advice on avoiding back pain and other work-related musculoskeletal disorders can be found at:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/euroweek/resources.htm?ebul=hsegen/24-sep-2007&cr=5


.