Question for the old guys

[constantine]

Old Guys

As a bona fide "old guy" (I'm 62), the only thing I can say is that you can still get the job done, but you just have to do it in a different way sometimes.

Anti-vibe really helps. I can run my 441 for 8 hours and feel great, but 2 hours with the 660 and my hands feel like somebody is poking hot needles all over. Look for the lightest, smoothest saw you can find which will handle what you have to cut.

Drink plenty of water. It's good for you, but it especially helps when you are doing any type of physical activity. Look at it this way, when you are out in the woods, you can take a leak whenever and wherever you want!!

Take a break before you feel tired. Every so often, put down the saw and take a drink of water, or have a smoke (I know that it's bad for your health, but this is still a free country).

Wear good ear protection. Somehow, just the intense sound pressure of a powerful saw seems to cause fatigue. Good ear plugs work for me, when used with the chaps, boots, helmet, glasses, etc.

Plan ahead. One good thing about being older is that you have more experience and should know how to get things done more efficiently. This is true for anything, but especially good for limbing. There's a book which presents a systematic, safe method from limbing coniferous trees which is really easy on the operator. I'll post a reference to it later.

All that being said, sorry to hear about the carpal tunnel. I hear that the surgeries really work well these days. Good luck and keep on cuttin;'.

 

[StihlyinEly]

I am dreading my elder years with all the dmage i have already done to my body . The elder croud tried to warn me but i didnt listen.

Me too. I bodybuilt for 5 years in my 20s, and was always strong and able to lift and shift most anything I could get my arms around. And I was proud of that. But it's been going on 30 years of a lot of hard work as a landscaper, tree cutter, carpenter, etc., as well as playing hard in the woods hunting and fishing. Being careless about beating up my body back then is going to make it a lot harder going in 20 years. It's started already. Why is it we don't listen to good advice from old men until we start getting old ourselves?

 

[drill.daddy]

I would suggest one more thing to some of the guys thinking bout working out . Do it first thing in the morning with at least 30 minutes cardio. Ask a trainer or a gym represtative what you heartrate should be while training, and maintain that heart rate while doing cardio training. then say a 30 minute workout with weights and core training .

I promise that you all would be amazed at teh difference of how you feel for the rest of the day ..

my day starts with a good breakfast and at least a 1 hr work out most days closer to 2 hrs but thats my choice. then i continue on for the rest of the day amped up like im on a energy drink.

for those of you considering a work out routine
www.bodybuilding.com and youtube has a never ending supply of resources

both of these are weights i trained with, one is right at 1100 pounds..Needless to say ive done a stretch of power lifting in my day , now i just train for my benefit . need anyhelp working out or getting a routine just holler at me and i will see what i can do

 

[OhioGregg]

porch monkey, I consider myself a member of the old guy club, 56, But it beats the alternative!! My elbow bothers me some, and lower back too, on ocasion. I don't have any magic cure, or help, other than what some have said. One of my brothers, 7 yrs. younger, wears one of those copper braclets mentioned earlier..lol He seems to think it helps, but i'm far from a believer!

As mentioned earlier also, I allways have a jug of water with me when cuttin wood. Take a buch of "smoke breaks" to rest a little too. If I start to feel the effects of to much, I just take a few days off from it to get to feeling better.
Then hit it again.




Gregg,

 

[Jgraham798]

You younguns will laugh at this now but give it a few years and you'll be searching for this thread. lol

Amen! I can vouch for that one. My mother told me when a was a youngster that I would feel everything I hurt as a kid when I became older and she was right!

I'm 55 yrs old in an 85 yr old body. I have had a bad back since I was 17, that was the first "bulging disc". Both of my parents were basically crippled with arthritis when they died in their middle 60's.I have arthris in almost every join I have and have at least 1 ruptured disc in my lower back that I know of. I ruptured it 8 yrs ago digging a stump out of the ground The doc MRI'd it and told me that it was definately a rupture, but that he'd prefer not to operate until I couldn't stand the pain any longer....and I still have it so I guess I'm dealing with it. I broke my ankle 2 yrs ago in a motorcycle accident so I'm full of metal down there.

If I ever wake up and everything is not hurting....I am going to the doctor! LOL.

The doc sent me to a PT who showed me a lot of core building exercises that helped me keep my back from hurting so much. I was also told to keep drinking all the water I could stand. I walk 2 mi every day to keep my ankle and legs strengthened up.

My problems all stem from me being a workaholic with the "SuperMan Syndrome". I have always felt if I can get my arms around it I should be able to lift it. I can't work slow...I have to be doing something all the time. I get tired and sit down to rest and about 10 seconds later, I'm back up doing something again. The pain in my hands has kept me awake most of the night for the past 3 nights.


I haven't found anything that actually stopped the pain except for a couple of large scotch and waters at the end of the day.

I try to take Aleve before I start working and keep the water going and just deal with evrything else. I have to sleep inthose carpal tunnel braces or I can't feel my fingers the next day .

I'm sure some days I'm not very fun to be around, but it's just something I have to deal with. I have also found that as I get older, I get wiser and learn to work smarter rather than harder.

Take care and seeya!
Jim

:newbie:

 

[stipes]

Over 40...

Your gonna hurt.....It dont get better.....We old men wanna think like we are 20 again,,but the next day we get up,,you hurt,,and ache....
Me,,,,For cutting 8 hours,,I have to get my brace out for my left arm.....It just f**cking hurts so bad after a days end.....You young folks might laught but you get beat up,,bruised,,broken up,,and then get my age,,things start to hurt....You say,,,no,,,notta gonna happen,,but it will.........
This too.....Go out in the woods and cut without noone helping ya....Mill and turn a log around with you with a cant hook pullin your guts out,,noone around to help....
Get done loadin up,by yourself,,feeling each nerve is killin ya inside....Then ,,,when the day is over,,,,you look at what ya done,,and yeah,,,you bi*ch to your wife or girlfriend how much you hurt,,but deep inside,,ya hurt and ache,,and say to yourself,,damn,,I did a good days work.....

 

[slowp]

I have a habit of putting my hands out in front to stop landing on my face. Doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I feel like they are sprained. So, I try to rest them. No sawing, avoid the tree marking if I can, stay off the computer. Bike riding also seems to aggravate both hands.

My right hand goes numb at night when I'm having to mark a lot of timber during the day. I have a squeeze the trigger with the hand paint gun. Running Twinkle very much does the same. When I was trying to become an engineer, I had to learn to operate the mouse with my left hand, and I still do that. I simply try to give it a rest and things get better. I'm lucky because I can rest it once in a while--find some other poor logger to harass for the day.

I like having a hot tub to soak in.

 

[Jgraham798]

Get done loadin up,by yourself,,feeling each nerve is killin ya inside....Then ,,,when the day is over,,,,you look at what ya done,,and yeah,,,you bi*ch to your wife or girlfriend how much you hurt,,but deep inside,,ya hurt and ache,,and say to yourself,,damn,,I did a good days work.....

Amen!

I feel like hell physically when the days over, but my mind loves it!

 

[David Y.]

There was a saying I heard when I was younger: You get two lives, the first one you get to do whatever you want and the second one you have to live with the consequences of the choices you made in the first one. Since I started living the second one it started making more sense.

There have been a lot of great suggestions made. I have recently started doing a lot of stretching, and that has really helped with my lower back.

You mentioned arthritis as a problem. My Grandmother had crippling arthritis, so I know it could be a problem for me. It's probably a bit crazy, but I read years ago that corn and corn products can be bad for arthritis. So I haven't eaten much of any of it in the last 10 years. I just turned 50 this month, and haven't seen any arthritis problems yet. But then none of my brothers have either. I'll let you know in 30 years if the no corn thing is an answer.

 

[andrethegiant70]

One thing I'll add.... the cardio is great and will keep you young for a long time... but i also think the key is balance. The hamstrings and glutes are HUGE compared to the muscles of your middle and lower back. The stronger they get, the more risk you run that they will tow your back out unless unless you stretch and strengthen the rest of your trunk.

Doctors, pills, and PT can be very pricey, but self-motivated exercise is el-cheap-o. Back in the 90's I did a bunch of yoga (I know, pretty foofy) and within a month I was really straightened out. I literally got my agility back and was pain free. There's no way I have the time to go to work, have a full workout, and do an hour of yoga per day, so I trimmed things back to a manageable level... now I do about 20 minutes of "my version" of a yoga routine per day. The important thing really is not how intensive you get, but how religiously you do it. They have DVD disks you can buy for chump change that are perfect for a beginner.

The few times I have laid off this regimen for a few months I have ended up on my KNEES. The last time I couldn't even stand for a week. The price for not doing anything seems to be VERY high!

Oh, I like the comment on the scotch. I'll sign off on that one.

 

[huskyhank]

Me too.

A year ago I was essentially crippled and in agonizing pain. A year of PT has me pretty well fixed up. I think I'm about 98% these days -- which is pretty good when you're past 50. Just going to PT is not enough, you have to do the work religiously. Regular core strength exercises let me function. Bending over correctly lets me function. Life is good again.

For anyone with back trouble or who wants to improve their back, get this guy's book and follow directions:

http://www.backfitpro.com/

All your muscles are supposed to be working together to support your back. This will tell you how to do it. If you're already hurt see a doctor or good PT first. Even better, do this before you are hurt badly.

Trust me on that last part.

 

[drill.daddy]

Any one says yoga is a poofy girly excersize has never really done it , I know this from first hand experience , i told a personal trainer i wasnt doin no dad gum gilry work out , Let me tell you crow is a tough ole bird to eat , especially when a woman has made an immortal arse out of you in tha gym , and made you throw in the towel on a 30 minute workout.

That woman was killer .

 

[2dogs]

Any one says yoga is a poofy girly excersize has never really done it , I know this from first hand experience , i told a personal trainer i wasnt doin no dad gum gilry work out , Let me tell you crow is a tough ole bird to eat , especially when a woman has made an immortal arse out of you in tha gym , and made you throw in the towel on a 30 minute workout.

That woman was killer .

The core excercise I do I learned from my daughter's cheerleading coach. She could kick my tail if she really wanted to.

 

[drill.daddy]

2 dogs .. A cheerleader coach giving out but woopins could be very interesting . sign me up

 

[lobsta1]

Well I don't have RA like you probably have, but I do have psoriatic arthritis. It specifically targets & destroys the finger joints & the upper spine. A year & a half ago I had to start using an insulated coffee mug as the pain in my fingers prevented me from picking up a regular cup by the handle. Also was starting to look for one of those paddles to put on my ignition key as I had trouble turning the regular key to my Ranger.

The doctor started me on methotrexate. Between that & Naproxen sodium (Aleve) I am virtually pain free. Also spent all last winter going to a physical therapist for my neck.

So, what does your doctor recommend for medication & can you combine that with Aleve taken in the morning BEFORE you start cutting.

Going from my old Mac 610 & 034 to a Makita 6401 help a lot also. The AV is so much better. I also believe that using hearing protection helps with the fatigue factor.

Oh yeah, I'm 61, 5'6" tall & have smashed my left shoulder twice from skiing accidents. Still have a steel plate & mylar ligaments. Also tore the rotator cuff in my right shoulder from compensating for my left shoulder.

This is some of what I have to get to next week.
Al

 

[porch monkey]

Lots of good answers here - thanks! I drink a lot of water and use a lot of weight exercises too. Exercise is really important in dealing with arthritis to help build up strength....although sometimes you have to force yourself to do it. I don't like to use any pain stuff BEFORE I start something that I know will hurt me because I think it makes you hurt yourself worse, you just don't notice it until later. Pain is the body telling you to stop what you're doing so I don't want to mask that. I just use anti-inflammatories like bufferin or advil later. Thanks everbody, great posts. I didn't realize there were so many of you old people here. lol

 

[constantine]

This is some of what I have to get to next week.
Al

Hi Lobsta.
I'll let you know when I'm in your neighborhood and if you want, maybe we two "old guys" can take on some of that oak you've got.
:biggrinbounce2:

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Bob, you'll love it after that surgery, JUST TAKE IT EASY AFTER, don't over do it, otherwise you'll be going back in. My dad had it done, he waited and kept putting it off for a long time, he finally had it done, and he loves he new hands, ya its like getting some new hands. All the feeling back in the fingers, no pain.

It looks like I'l be getting that done myself...what's the realistic recovery time?

The Creatine thing might be worth looking into.

Also, if you are diabetic....make sure your BG is not real low when you go out 'a cuttin...makes for a miserable day.

 

[Gologit]

Bob, you'll love it after that surgery, JUST TAKE IT EASY AFTER, don't over do it, otherwise you'll be going back in. My dad had it done, he waited and kept putting it off for a long time, he finally had it done, and he loves he new hands, ya its like getting some new hands. All the feeling back in the fingers, no pain.

I'm looking forward to it. Like a lot of guys my age I tend toward heavy denial about all the little aches and pains that seem to be part of the aging process.

Working in the woods is aches and pains and most guys I work with have their full share. I ignored the white finger for a long time but it's a progressive thing and when it reached the point where the numbness was spreading it really got my attention. The strength is still there, just no tactile dexterity...I can't pick up a coin, turn pages in a book, or hold small objects with my finger tips. LOL...there's a couple of other chores that loss of dexterity affects but I'd get banned for mentioning them.

I'll let you guys know how it works out.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I'm looking forward to it. Like a lot of guys my age I tend toward heavy denial about all the little aches and pains that seem to be part of the aging process.

Working in the woods is aches and pains and most guys I work with have their full share. I ignored the white finger for a long time but it's a progressive thing and when it reached the point where the numbness was spreading it really got my attention. The strength is still there, just no tactile dexterity...I can't pick up a coin, turn pages in a book, or hold small objects with my finger tips. LOL...there's a couple of other chores that loss of dexterity affects but I'd get banned for mentioning them.

I'll let you guys know how it works out.

Dunno if mine's white finger, but the lower half of the right hand pretty much stays numb...aches in the knuckles too.