To my broken up peeps....how do you keep up?

[Caw]

I recently picked up a Fiskars one. It's not bad, super light, the hook could be slightly better IMO. But so far it helps.

I have the Logrite 30" and it's an absolute beast. Made in the USA, hook works well, all metal/solid workmanship, and plenty light. I can pick up or move huge rounds with ease and no fear of it breaking or slipping. It's invaluable to my back. They cost more than most but worth the extra $ IMO.

Hookaroons - Logrite.com - LogRite Tools LLC

Hookaroons are great tools for reaching into or across machines to clear a jam or move cants and logs. These tools extend your reach or keep your hands out of harms way. They can also be used for moving slabs or firewood quickly. Now with a barbed chisel point for an even better bite!

logrite.com

 

[highanddryinco]

Inversion table has been my savior for the past 30+ years, oh and good 'ol ice pack.

x2 on this^^^^^
Usually, if I'm lucky enough to get a little warning that I may have overdone something with my back, the inversion table is and has been my savior for decades of work in heavy equipment repair. Lots of awkward lifting and twisting.
Now I'm retired...works for too much golf as well!

 

[PaulOinMA]

Had protruding L4/L5 disc last October. Out of action for 8 weeks. Most pain I've ever had. Never thought I would take Oxycodone to get a few hours sleep.

MRI at hospital in town. Consultation at Mass General about possible surgery. It improved by itself at 8 weeks.

I do the back stretching exercises on the Mayo Clinic web site daily at night.

 

[PaulOinMA]

A positive with the disc issue is that I stopped drinking beer. Was taking acetaminophen. No alcohol.

Gained 7 pounds over the 8 weeks of inactivity.

 

[Kwolt]

I'm sure I'm not the only one with ailments.....bad knees, back, shoulders, etc. I'm a bit to young to have the pain I have but some injuries in life and running hard in the good ole' days took it's toll. I got knee and back issues that slow me down more than I'd like and currently dealing with a tennis elbow flare up. I got wood to cut and a new stove coming so I have to up my game. For anyone that can relate how do you keep on keeping on?

I was a climbing arborist for forty years. I recommend MSM (methylsylfonylmethane) available at CVS, etc. in the joint health section and turmeric. Both address soft tissue inflammation. They don’t necessarily work for everyone but after years of physical abuse I can still split 4-5 cords a year by hand. MSM especially was a game changer for my tendinitis and energy levels.

 

[Eman85]

I do the back stretching exercises on the Mayo Clinic web site daily at night.

I looked at that page, those are the stretches I started doing for my back years ago made a big difference. I was having problems with my back hurting when I got out of bed in the morning. Bought mattresses and put plywood under mattresses and still woke in pain. After hip replacement I had to sleep with a pillow between my legs in recovery and found that it made a difference in my back. I was rolling over past my side and causing back pain. Something as simple as placing a pillow stopped me from waking in pain.

 

[PaulOinMA]

My Physician Assistant also mentioned to put a pillow under my knees, if on my back, and between legs, if on my side. Have been doing.

 

[trailrated]

I picked up a set of these and put them to work today. I found they really helped with lifting big rounds onto the splitter

 

[Eman85]

My Physician Assistant also mentioned to put a pillow under my knees, if on my back, and between legs, if on my side. Have been doing.

I don't like back sleeping but when you first are recovering from hip replacement that's all there is. Once I could roll to my non operated side without pain I used the pillow. It took all of the years with back pain and the mattress game to figure out I was rolling past my side and mostly belly sleeping which kills the back. I now have a small pillow that's form fit for between the legs and it keeps me on my side and my knees from hitting each other. World of difference along with the stretches and core strengthening.

 

[PaulOinMA]

If folks are interested, these are the exercises. One of the guys at my church mentioned that I have to keep doing them now that I've had a protruding disc. Ugh!

Slide show: Back exercises in 15 minutes a day

Want to prevent back pain? Improve your strength and flexibility with these back exercises.

www.mayoclinic.org

Also surprising was all the other results from the lower spine MRI. Physician Assistant at Mass General said all the other MRI observations, of which there are many (!), are normal age-related degeneration. Double ugh!

 

[joop]

2 hips that need replacing,3 hernias, tore back,bad shoulder. shoot me now lol .slow and steady that's the way to do it

 

[blades]

degertative discs - lost 3" of height in last 7 years- not normal even for an old fart like me

 

[PaulOinMA]

I was always just over 6'. Now 5' 11".

 

[begreen]

I've shrunk about 1.25" in the past 25 yrs. Probably from too much sitting. To address this one needs to consider getting away from the computer more often, maintaining a walking and stretching program, and eating healthy.

 

[Wildflush]

I’m not very old middle aged and knee arthritis is horrible. I wake up with pain at night. If I knew this would happen I would never had played a contact sport years back. My dads 91 and he said the best years were the first 50. 😂

 

[PaulOinMA]

A friend in his 80s said he's lost 5". And he was of shorter stature to begin with . Think it a combination of disc degeneration and curvature.

 

[semipro]

I bought a Fiskars hookaroon and love it. What a back and step saver.
If you have a tractor I'd strongly recommend using pallet forks to move logs (and even IBC cages full of splits if you're so inclined).
The video below illustrates log handling and how to set up for bucking. The guy really uses his forks well.
I also plan to try and buck my logs while they sit waist-high on my forks as opposed to what's shown in the video.

 

[moor]

Ive had a slew of back and shoulder injuries, some of them requiring surgery. What really helped me was spending time with a good physical therapist who helped me understand my injuries and how to build up other areas of my body to help bolster the injured areas. For example a lot of my back problems have been made much better by strengthening my stomach and core muscles to help support my back and give me alternative ways to perform the same tasks I used to do using my back. Also I bought a hot tub, this has provided me a ton of relief and allowed me to get more restful sleep.