[Pat Purcell]

 I went for a physical yesterday and as part of it i was asked if i had any nagging aches and pains
My response was that my neck seemed to be stiff a lot and after explaining what I did for a living the doc reckons that using a pole above my head a lot resulting in me spending a lot of my day looking up would eventually lead to arthritis of the neck
I dont use a wfp but in a 40 hr week I probably spend 8-10 hours doing traditional pole work
I was wondering as you wfp lads must spend a lot more than that what you do to alleviate this happening or has it not become an issue

[AuRavelling79]

How old are you Pat? - If that's not too rude!

[jeff1]

He's a young 41 

[Alex Gardiner]

The only way to get around  this is to use the lightest poles you can afford.

Since switching to ultra light poles for everything my neck and shoulders just do not give me any grief.

One of our workers, after 5 years of WFP'ing, has had to stop using even an 18ft universal, he now uses a Super-Lite pole for nearly everything and his problems have stopped. The only other pole he has now is a 12ft universal.

At first using WFP is such a relief after ladders that you do not really notice the downsides, after 2-3 years you realise the importance of things like brush weight and which pole you use.

The problem with looking up can only be alleviated by using a longer pole and stepping back more where possible.

As a matter of course myself and several other WFP'ers I know have regular osteopath sessions.

Alex

[cybersye]

yeh like alex says, using a longer pole and standing back helps. the main problem i've suffered from has been rsi/tennis elbow. luckily its cleared up, due to rest and alternating right and left arms equally, this is quite a common problem from what i hear.
simon

[mike richardson]

my neck huet foir 4 week now ok, but now its in my left shoulder even hurts when i get in & out of the bath,  i use 18ft universal but am looking at lighter poles think iam gona have to splash out, do the super lites have the hose up the inside? 

[drakestar!]

no outside

[mike richardson]

are they expensive for about 18-24ft

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

Pat,I`m just the same.My wife says its arthritis.Mine was so bad about a week ago that
I thought if it gets any worse at all life would`nt be worth living!! That’s no exaggeration .Although I`m nearly 20 years older than yourself,I recon it`s all this
W.F.P stuff.I`ve been looking into superlite poles myself,it looks like I`m going to have
To start looking  harder! I have tried keeping my head as level as possible and just
Moving my eyes up because I have very little work above 26 feet anyway.After this
Mail Alex I might be taking you up on that offer yet!!!!

Lewis Doubtfire, Gleem Clean ( The Blade Runner )

[mike richardson]

super lites any good sites,any cheap suppliers?

[drakestar!]

gardinerpolesystems.co.uk sell them but smallest pole starts at 35ft, but thry come apart so you can have a 6footer

[Pat Purcell]

Thanks for the replies,like I said I don't use a wfp so switching to a lighter pole is not an option
We use poles for squeeging a lot more in the US than you lads do and most of the pole work I do is with a 30ft unger
But the weight of the pole is not the problem (or at least not the whole problem) as the doc says its the looking up all day that takes its toll on the neck
Malc,im 41 been window cleaning for nearly 20 years,but we vary our work a lot ladders , ropes, poles, mewp so i didnt think i ws a candidate for RSI but i guess with all of those you spend some time looking up,Maybe i'll start doing basement windows
lewis, if your pushing 60 and still grafting every day you have my admiration, i hope i'll be able to do that

[Jeff Brimble]

I have been using fishing poles for a year now, because you can go faster you do. Thats the trouble I get greedy and go like hxll, doing more in the day and more with my neck. 3 years ago I started with frozen shoulder that took 2 years to mend. I am now getting the neck and shoulder probs again this winter. I am 58, I think its arthritis or muscle wastage.  Pat and everyone look for a putnams type memory foam pillow to rest your neck properly for the 8 hours. http://www.backworks.co.uk/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=10 IKEA or Dunelm Mill etc about £30
I find that a little weightlifting with small weights above my head, proper lying down warm up excercises 2 times aday at least, helps. Also look at glucosamine or rose hip syrup.

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

All the muscles etc. etc. etc. that we use combined together,just wonder if looking
Up is the `root` of any problems we might have in this department.I don`t believe
There are any doctors on this forum to say this that or the other as to how to eleviate
Any discomfort we get.Jeff has a prolapse spine and it is awhile back but said that
Correct use of a backpack actually helped him.

Lewis Doubtfire

[Jeff Brimble]

Forgot all about that Lewis  .
Its the right sort of excercise that sorts most muscular probs out and carrying the 24kg bpac did me no harm at all.
But if I am now suffering from some sort of skeletal bone degeneration then it aint going to go away. I am sure that the right diet helps that going back 20 years ago.
Will have to see an osteo.
Lewis get a fishing pole.
If anyone wants to make their own, reply 3 http://d.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=412