climbing-tearing up your body-how long can we do it for!?

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I am 65 in Feb and can climb every day (have wraptor will travel and can climb like a madman downhill), have 2 buckets and a crane and can spike all day every day. Don't know why...just can. Injury free this year too. But I can handle mass pain.
 
That impresses me. and I am not easily (almost never) impressed. I feel multiple pains every day, but keep going. Starting to move business in the direction of tree healthcare, but its a slow process in our area, people are very suspscious of "snake oil salesmen".
 
don't know if their claims are for real or not, but I've been thinking about Tommie copper a lot lately.
 
Everyone is different. My knees are my weak point now (I'm 51) and have been climbing since 1988 (mainly part-time, but almost full-time hrs. in the last 5 yrs). Having OA in my knees now. -Twenty years of motocross (10 as a pro) plus skiing since I was a kid and tree work have all taken their toll. I get Durolane injections every 6 months. Had both knees done today. Eases the pain/discomfort and protects the knees, hopefully making them last for some more time.
 
Today I felt great And I'm kinda thinking that its because I decided to run on foot to the store the night before and got me a cold one and cracked it! I think neck posture is important for me. Haven't been running in quite some time. I've always been told as a runner growing up that I have excellent running posture, so that Might have helped me with my neck a bit, plus getting all the blood flowing through the muscles. Today I had to buck my way in chunks down a 2 1/2 thick spar with my 3120xp and move around all of whats left of the nubs from the large crotch what a hassle but I didn't get sore at all. The only problem where I think I start hurting is when im looking down at all the ground guys and telling them what to do . . If they would just listen and try to be as cool as I am I wouldn't have these kneck pains, So with that said, my main point is try running on foot to the store for a good cold one to crack open. GEts the juices flowin!
 
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My back hurts sometimes after doing a craner esp if I am doing a lot of work by the ball (not balls mfers lol). Your torso moves around a lot and stresses your back and you can't move below the waste like you usually can.

Also beware of all the pull starts with high comp saws. Esp sometimes the comp release doesn't work. I got what's called trigger finger (f'd up tendons that catch and snap on the knuckle and hurt) on both index fingers and the right f you finger. Could be operated on but who can take off a couple of months in their lives. I have used up all the steroid shots in both hands for life...just take the pain sometimes.
 
I'll be turning 55 in a couple of weeks. Pain is kind of the normal, but how long can we keep going...i guess that depends on your own personal pain tolerance level, amount of ibuprofens your system can handle, and your lifestyle. I personally smoke, so after 40+ years of doing that I get a little winded after a few hours, or a tall climb. Cold weather affects me more now also. Here its been below zero for over a week, and I just can't take that like I use to...had to even stop deer hunting for awhile until it warms up some.
If its too cold to hunt..definitely too cold to work.
 
Taking the pain to work incl. real cold/hot goes hand in hand with taking the pain to work out which is WAY more difficult when you a geezer...but I never stopped., which may be the key.
 
treevet said:
Taking the pain to work incl. real cold/hot goes hand in hand with taking the pain to work out which is WAY more difficult when you a geezer...but I never stopped., which may be the key.
Click to expand...
It's like that commercial for some medicine on T V that's says a body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest tends to stay that way . Just keep going till you can't .


Sent from my I phone 9
 
But the bigger question is what's next? We all have to pack it in at some point and then what? Do we go completely different or do we stay in the tree industry some way? Go to work for a big outfit with a guaranteed check for less money or what?
 
I am in transition for maybe 5 years now. Bought a bigger property, putting together multiple units and run 2 or 3 crews to start. Shouldn't be hard given all the customers I got and all I got to do is just lower prices a little as I am always in the high range of the bids. I am looking forward to just managing.
 
Though I'm still going strong at 55 , I know someday I'll have to do something else. I don't have no retirement,or pension, and have about enough money saved to last two weeks. I climb or don't eat. I'v giving some thought to working for some big Company in management, but I'm pretty independent and not sure how that would fly. Lately I'v giving a lot of thought to starting a little one man show.
I'v been doing little side jobs for ever and a day. It might be nice to just go in and prune a few small trees and call it a day. I'm studying for my contractors lic. and slowly starting to collect equipment.
I think there might be a place for a high quality small personal professional tree care company. I know several people who have offered me chances to buy out their companys, with nothing down, but I don't want the stress of running a business with to much going on. I had a nice tree service at one time, and it consumed me and almost gave me a nervous breakdown.
 
I've been thinking of staying real light myself. Part of me wants to somehow muster up the money to purchase a diesel truck and a 24 foot bed with sides, and the other part of me wants to just stay real light and maybe even sell off some other things, which would be a lot less stressful with My three saws, climbing and rigging gear maybe is all I need can fit in the back of a little gas saver sedan and then I could just freelance . . . IDK

I've made up my mind on one thing though . . . the cold one's cracken been dinscontinued. No more Beers. I've gone to far into this trade to turn around I think.
 
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capetrees said:
But the bigger question is what's next? We all have to pack it in at some point and then what? Do we go completely different or do we stay in the tree industry some way? Go to work for a big outfit with a guaranteed check for less money or what?
Click to expand...
Hopefully what's next is retirement,or how I like to see it fishing full time.


Sent from my I phone 9
 
Ya gotta make a choice, work to live or live to work. I would like a job as a GF or a Ops Manager at a private bigger show. That would be sweet. But there are none around here, so I will just get on welfare soon and let yall do it for me! Not kidding either, constantly see welfare kings and queens without a care in the world. Free food, free money, free phone, free utilities, free cable, free rent, free clothes............free everything. Why should we work so hard, risk our lives,when all we gotta do is go and fill out some papers and sit on the couch, pop out some more babys and play x-box. Makes me realize I am a fool and they are the smart ones! PS, going to get me one of those little carts so when I go to da wal mart, I can ride around ask strangers to put stuff in the basket for me. "hey, can u hand me that big block of cheese"
 

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