Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: monkeyman on May 17, 2009, 04:37:47 pm

Title: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: monkeyman on May 17, 2009, 04:37:47 pm
anyone else get this a lot since going wfp,i seem to have it all the time.
think it may have a lot to do with rinsing off the glass on first and second story windows and having all the pressure on elbows and wrist,anyone rinse on glass?
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Robin Ray on May 17, 2009, 04:42:31 pm
do you rinse with the brush on the glass or off.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Mr Formby on May 17, 2009, 04:43:46 pm
I saw elbow at Mancheste Apollo , only kidding ( I did see them though )
I have found that I get more kneck sholder  problems
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Window Washers on May 17, 2009, 04:55:37 pm
anyone else get this a lot since going wfp,i seem to have it all the time.
think it may have a lot to do with rinsing off the glass on first and second story windows and having all the pressure on elbows and wrist,anyone rinse on glass?
you will get used to it if you are holding the pole right, do you use your arms more than your body, because if you are that is a mistake, I rock with pole instead of using just arms it helps a great deal.

\we rinse off on most jobs and do not get this problem, you could just have weak wrist, but sounds like error in use.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Tosh on May 17, 2009, 05:09:16 pm
What pole do you use?  I use an extremely light DIY fishing pole jobbie and have no problems now.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: [GQC] Tim on May 17, 2009, 05:11:31 pm
I have got two muscles in my back that are on fire at the end of a long day. My spine isn't 100% straight though, which has repercussions on all my muscles unfortunately. It's the side to side motion that is the worst for those muscles.

As for your elbow and wrist pain, it could have to do with not rinsing on, rinsing off isn't good for your body whatsoever. The load is about 3x more, at least it feels like that.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Pj on May 17, 2009, 05:16:37 pm
These days I'm only in pain mostly everywhere!
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Robin Ray on May 17, 2009, 05:27:29 pm
do you rinse with the brush on the glass or off.
???

Sorry i dint read your post properly.

I rinse on the glass 90% of the time its alot eaisier and have found it gives a better rinse most of the time.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Window Washers on May 17, 2009, 05:28:27 pm
I have got two muscles in my back that are on fire at the end of a long day. My spine isn't 100% straight though, which has repercussions on all my muscles unfortunately. It's the side to side motion that is the worst for those muscles.

As for your elbow and wrist pain, it could have to do with not rinsing on, rinsing off isn't good for your body whatsoever. The load is about 3x more, at least it feels like that.
I know how you feel on that, I was brinking on being in bed for the rest of my life aged 31 at the time with no movement from the neck down so the back pain and action of using wfp was totally in my mind, trying to use only your arms puts pressure everywhere wrists, elbows and back more so in the middle of back (my problem area) using your body to work helps a great deal, cleaning on the glass is good for some jobs bad for others, catch 22, I would use your body to your advantage and take pressure to a degree off your arms. also try changing the way you are holding the pole in the first place as this does affect you, also maybe change this way during the day if you are still feeling pain. Most rsi is caused by human error in the method used...

Ian


Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: big J on May 17, 2009, 05:56:21 pm
pardon my ingnorance but what is the difference between rinsing on or off the glass? :-\
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: jouk45 on May 17, 2009, 06:04:58 pm
i had the same problem with my left wrist, it is caused by working verticaly reaching deep over garages to clean the windows, the wrist is taken all the weight, this was using a 17ft xtel glassfibre pole, i have started to use my harris for this now, even though my wrist is 95% better i still wear the wrist band
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Window Washers on May 17, 2009, 06:05:37 pm
pardon my ingnorance but what is the difference between rinsing on or off the glass? :-\
rinsing off is holding the brush away from the glass when rinsing the window, rinsing on is rinsing the window with the brush on the glass
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: ccmids on May 17, 2009, 06:39:48 pm
whats the best way to rins on or off ???
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Window Washers on May 17, 2009, 06:45:10 pm
whats the best way to rins on or off ???
on can be quicker, off can be better, it is user preference tbh, I rinse on some off on others
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: ccmids on May 17, 2009, 06:47:17 pm
thanks for that ill give it a go .
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: [GQC] Tim on May 17, 2009, 06:48:02 pm
whats the best way to rins on or off ???

Rinsing on, min flowrate of 1.7 to 2lpm, monofilament brush (non flocked)
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: Window Washers on May 17, 2009, 06:51:19 pm
whats the best way to rins on or off ???

Rinsing on, min flowrate of 1.7 to 2lpm, monofilament brush (non flocked)
1.7/2lp min, you must be on a job alot longer than me fella
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: tomy jackson on May 17, 2009, 06:52:02 pm
per haps your to stif and holding to tiyt and pushing to hard on glass
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: [GQC] Tim on May 17, 2009, 10:19:59 pm
whats the best way to rins on or off ???

Rinsing on, min flowrate of 1.7 to 2lpm, monofilament brush (non flocked)
1.7/2lp min, you must be on a job alot longer than me fella

Not really, I'm very quick actually. 2lpm I find close to perfect, even on very dirty first cleans. Most people use a flowrate around that figure.

Mind you, I've measured it after the initial higher pressure when opening the valve.

How much is yours?
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: macmac on May 17, 2009, 10:22:29 pm
You may have tennis elbow, many wfp'ers suffer from it. I've had it 6 months now & it's only just getting a wee bit better. The pain can go down to your wrist too.

On the "top" of your elbow joint (not the big ball on the outer), if you press hard with your fingers around it & you feel pain then it could well be t/elbow.

Failing that, you may just have man-flu! ;)
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: [GQC] Tim on May 17, 2009, 10:35:16 pm
Quote
1.7/2lp min, you must be on a job alot longer than me fella

How can you tell if you do not have a clue how much water you use?  ???

At 2lpm, you have a proper flow rate.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: macmac on May 17, 2009, 10:45:51 pm
Quote
At 2lpm, you have a proper flow rate. 

That would depend on which jets you were using.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: NWH on May 17, 2009, 11:17:09 pm
If your using enough water scrubbing and rinsing on glass is all that is needed i find,some WC`s scrub and scrub and then rinse off the glass with so little water it seems to take an age to do just 1 window.Plenty of water and a good scrub covering the glass is all that you need on most of your work,i always rinse on with an SL or Tucker in the past type brush,i`ve rinsed on and off in the past an then looked at the results and there`s no difference in the end result in my experience rinsing off is wasting time and putting strain on your body resulting in golfers elbow etc.
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: eclipse on May 17, 2009, 11:20:39 pm
Had tennis elbow for over a year tried just about everything including dog oil lol

the only thing that eases the pain a little is a glass of cider and a hot-tub turned up to 39 degrees

well thats what i tell the wife anyway
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: [GQC] Tim on May 17, 2009, 11:26:04 pm
Quote
1.7/2lp min, you must be on a job alot longer than me fella

How can you tell if you do not have a clue how much water you use?  ???

At 2lpm, you have a proper flow rate.
what setting do you use on your eco flow/ varistream ? I gues syou use 100 psi pumps

I will give it a test to see 2l sound low to me, I could well be wrong on this totally if I am will hold my hands up if I am, as said I clean water is a cost yes but not a cost i worry about as I have tanks in the vans to do as I want. Therefor I have not tested as I do not run out out water, 650l per van is plenty for one person I have found

Oh yea I do fully agree, I'm not on a water meter, so I don't bother too much.

Settings on the Varistream with the 100PSI shurflo is 9 for the shutoff pressure, and 3 for the flowrate. I usually use 2 though for normal cleans.

I don't understand why people skimp on water either, it takes so long. With perfect beading glass it's so quick if you have got proper flow rate. :)

woops, I think I'm derailing this topic a bit, sorry.  :-[  :)
Title: Re: elbow and wrist pain
Post by: windowswashed on May 18, 2009, 10:52:09 am
I use 'Rinse on' technique (with brush head fitted with a decent swivel neck connection), to minimise wrists movement to reduce Repetitive Strain Injury, (putting pressure on tenons and ligaments unnecessarily).