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Are you guys usually sore after a day in the shop??

2K views 27 replies 26 participants last post by  paulkeith 
#1 ·
Maybe I'm just a wimp, but any time I spend more than 2-3 hours in the shop my lower back is sore as hell the next day. I'm 6'3" and have a pretty long torso, so my lower back is never really my friend, but this blows.

Any tricks for not having a sore back? Do those "lifting belts" really do anything? I think it's mainly just from bending over, I'm not doing any heavy lifting or anything like that.
 
#3 ·
How sore I am, is directly in relation to how out of shape I am at the moment :laughing:

But yeah - certain activities can really do a number on my back for a few days.
 
#6 ·
How sore I am, is directly in relation to how out of shape I am at the moment :laughing:
That's a big part of it. I've been pretty busy with work and other activities this past year, so I'm not in nearly as good of shape as I was a year or two ago. I am slowly getting back into shape and it is helping a lot.

With that said, about the only time I really hurt right now is if I am doing a lot of tubing bending and fitting where I have to be in some really odd positions inside a car or truck.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the feedback. Most of what I've been doing lately is tube fitting/welding on a Lotus 7 chassis(low to the ground) which means a lot of time spent bending over the car and in all different sorts of contorted positions.

I think my shoes are pretty good. They're just some all leather shoes I got at American Eagle on sale like 5 years ago, but they've got a nice soft rubber sole and keep the weld spatter off my feet.

I might track down one of those belts, would probably help a lot when I'm bending tube(manual jd2)
 
#9 ·
guess i'm the tough guy cause a day of wrenching is no problem here:D but again i work in that type of enviroment 10 hours a day. and as stated good boots are a must also if standing at the work bench anti fatigue mats are your friend. also like work take a break every now and again.
 
#11 ·
the biggest thing i have found with my lower back is just to be conscience of where and how much bending i am doing. and try to aviod it as much as possible.
if you can get your work in a position where you dont have to be bent over, you will be a lot less pain full.

i would not want to be bent over the lotus all day.
i worked building and servicing the Ariel Atom this last year, we had chassis racks for the cars to sit on and roll around. that was very nice for the old back.
 
#14 ·
Yes, I'm totally sore after a long day in the shop.

As mentioned, there are lots of things you can do to minimize this. Build your workbenches and carts at a higher level. Invest in anything for materials handling that can help you: pallet jacks, hydraulic carts, gantry cranes, whatever. Quality boots definitely a must and anti-fatigue mats as mentioned. Force yourself to take regular breaks.

Finally, if you're working under a car...........the $3k you'll spend on a nice two-post lift is chump change compared to what you'll pay for lower back surgery. I KNOW.
 
#15 ·
Sore as shit...But Im fat and out of shape...My Roommates are two young college kids who seem to have endless energy...I keep up with them and pay the next day...I need to teach them how to weld and bend...That way I can just sit back and crack the whip:D I found good boots made a huge diff. I should get a back brace as I did break my back when I was younger and in the Army...
 
#16 ·
I've had a lot of back problems from working construction over the years. Usually the result of someone else doing something stupid. I'm still paying for the guy who knocked me down into a basement hole 4years ago because he wasn't paying attention. Most of my problem is skeletal not muscular. The way my back is messed up I can't bend to reach past my knees, I have to bend my legs to lift from the floor. The mucels in my back are so strong that when I get my spine out of alignment my mucels will keep pulling it out of wack untill I get it fixed.

I've gone and tried a bunch of different chiropractors over the years and some are good, some not. The way my back is messed up, I really have found only one who consistantly does a good job of releiving the pain. At $50 per vist, he aint cheap, but he usually makes it better. If I spend a lot of time bent over, trowling concrete or laying tile I just plan on seeing him as a preventative measure.

I do know that I have to get new boots on a regular basis. Older boots = sore back, regardless what I am doing, even walking. I figure on new boots every 3 months. Even though they don't look worn, my back begins to notice the difference. This year I plan to see a guy near me who specializes in orthopedic foot wear and see if I can get a little more wear out of his boots or if I can get inserts for mine to extend their life. I don't buy cheap foot wear. $100 on sale to $150 for quality Goretex boots only. I'd spend 5x more if I knew that they would help my back.

Floor mats also help. I can really tell the difference after working on a hard concrete basement floor all day vs a wooden or carpeted floor.

I would look into the ramps / lift idea. Get the work closer to you so you don't have to bend. Maybe a chair or stool to work from. I've got a small rolling mechanics stool that I use when I install a lot of outlets. I can sit and work rather than kneel or squat.

BTW those back braces/belt just force you to use your legs not your lower back. For the most part they don't really help strengthen the back, just make it uncomfortable to bend at the waist. At least thats what the doctor has told me and from my exp. years ago with them I would have to agree.
 
#17 ·
Hell, I wrench for a living, and I can feel it bad this week, as I spent every night, Saturday and today in my garage working, plus the 40 hours I worked last week......

I usually work out in the field, dirt, etc. When I spend a few days working in a shop my legs and back hurt bad. Its the same work, just walking on the concrete all day takes a toll. After a few days of working on the concrete, all is good.

I too and a tall skinny guy. I'm pretty strong, but if I'm not extremely careful I end up hurt bad. I can lift a lot, but my back lets me know that I should quit lifting heavy stuff. There's a crane on the side of my truck that is supposed to do my heavy lifting...... Boots help, but for me careful lifting, and wrenching practices go further. My 6'1", 160lb frame is not condusive for strength work, I use leverage more then my heavier/stronger counterparts, but I still get the job done, just different way.

Michael
 
#19 ·
time for some situps....this isnt a workout forum but stronger abs will take the load off your back, also if you have tight hamstrings (can't touch your toes) try stretching them to help your back get more movement and stronger abs wil result in your back not needed to work so hard when you are bent over...if you abs are stronger when you are hunched over they will help support your body instead of your low back doing all the work....my and my dads experience genetic bad back....
 
#25 ·
This is definitely an old-school approach but works for most.

More progressive (and more effective IMO) get an exercise ball and a BOSU ball (google it). Working on *overall* core strength AND balance will very much help your lower back. Since this isn't a workout forum I won't go into what specific exercises you can do; a day spent w a PT will give you dozens of ideas.
 
#20 ·
I too have the 6'3" long torso to deal with and found that good shoes and the HF kidney belt type back support to be a good thing when I'm doing a lot of lifting and heavy fab. I also got into the habit of taking a preemptive ibuprofen in the morning and that seemed to help a lot on "fab days."

Good luck.
 
#21 ·
I find that days NOT spent in the shop end up causing me pain.

I awoke this morning crying from shoulder pain, yesterday was spent with the wife shopping and visiting in-laws. The day before, wrenching at a high level of intensity.

I recognize I'm getting older and am still recovering from being sick this fall/winter, but it's ridiculous to be this sore after NOT working for a day.
 
#22 ·
Yes, but it's also an issue of being sadly out of shape. On the plus side, I've found THE SHIT for solving all those achey little pains: A friend recommended Tylenol Arthtitis formula.

I don't know what this stuff has in it, but it is WAY better than any other stuff I've tried. Regular/max tylenol, asprin, advil, etc. do NOT hold a candle to this stuff.
 
#23 ·
Yes, but it's also an issue of being sadly out of shape. On the plus side, I've found THE SHIT for solving all those achey little pains: A friend recommended Tylenol Arthtitis formula.

Need to give that one a try!

On the Lotus... I'd make a table at least 36" high to park the lotus on. I'm 6'3" with 32" inseam (long torso, short legs)... so a 36" bench works nicely.

For me walking helps the back... just need to loose weight and do more walking.... :flipoff2:
 
#26 ·
I agree with wyliek on the hamstrings. When I'm sore after a day of working in the garage, it's usually my hamstrings tightening up and causing my back to go out of alignment.

Now I try and keep them loose and that has help the most. If I do experience a problem, I use motrin and ice and try and get my hamstrings stretched back out as quickly as possible.
 
#27 ·
I read this thread and I know its been said but Ill say it too....


If your back is hurting you need to strengthen your abdominals... (sp?) Im 6'2 and weigh in at 220lbs, been a mechanic most of my adult life. Have a good chiropractor that Ive seen for about 15 years now. When I started exercising/weight lifting about 5 years ago one of the things I noticed was the adjustments that the chiropractor normally did on my lower and middle back he didnt need to do anymore. My back felt great and didnt give me any troubles/pains at all...

Side benefit of exercise is a return of the energy level of your youth...

Chris:cool2:
 
#28 · (Edited)
the key is physical fitness. Get in the gym, and your life will improve in almost every facet.

few points i'd suggest:

-already mentioned, but core strength is key. also the multiple muslce-group workouts help a lot. pullups, pushups, squats, situps, 'good mornings' etc.

-flexibility. stretch. every day.

-fatigue mats. I used to work in a kitchen...hours on end on a concrete floor, washing dishes. The fatigue mats we got made a WORLD of difference.

-work height. no matter what you do, working on something at floor level will be fatiguing. You should get the work piece up to a comfortable waist height, or just a foot or so off the ground and work in a chair.
 
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