[ftp]

Most bad backs are lower back. If it's between your shoulders then maybe it stems from your neck?

I had years of back trouble finally ending up with six months of sciatica - so bad that I honestly thought my working days were over. Regularly see a physio now and touch wood have been fairly pain free for three years. My physio actually thinks wfp is helping my back because I extend my posture and bend my back in an arch whilst working. My last job involved a lot of bending over (printing) which was not good in my case.

[LWC]

It feels better today, booked into a spa and had a back massage. Ive got something importants on saturday thats very physical and im hoping and praying ill be ok. Resting up now.

I have had lower back pain in past, when i started with trolley lifting trolley in and out but that went when i transferred to van mount.

Its the muscles below my left shoulder blade thats giving me the gyp.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I find iburprofen the best for me work every time.

The doctor can prescribe better though, like Mefenamic acid or Diclofenac.

I doubt he would be able to drive on that stuff.




Matt

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Suggest oesteopath ,they should sort it, and give some advice and exercises.

Mr B

I second this call. osteopaths know more about backs and joints than the vast majority of GP's as they specialise in this area.



Matt

[Sir Squeaky]

I find iburprofen the best for me work every time.

The doctor can prescribe better though, like Mefenamic acid or Diclofenac.

I doubt he would be able to drive on that stuff.




Matt

Didn't say anything on the ones I had, and I was fine.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

My mother uses it as she has osteoperosis, and it states no driving on her bottle.
She has it on repeat prescription. and it about knocks her out.




Matt

[Craig 72]

I've used diclofenac for years on and off and although it's pretty effective it doesn't cause any drowsiness or similar things,from my experience.Not disagreeing with what you say Matt,it's just very mild as pain killers go,again from my exerience.When I was in bad pain they put me on Tramadol which made me feel I was stoned and more recently co-codamol which also contains mild opiates.Not an unpleasant feeling if I'm being honest!I've got scoliosis,curvature of the spine,which flares up from time to time which has led to real chronic lower back pain.Cripplingly bad on occasion.NHS sent me to a physio but although they do their best they don't really do more than give you strength building exercises which you can get from the internet or wherever.Mostly core exercises on the swiss ball.None of them helped greatly though frankly.Osteopaths do help but as said,are expensive,and if I'm honest found them to only offer temporary relief.

[Terry_Burrows]

sad to say yes myself included its defo a window cleaners thing I said this years ago ,poles will cause big problems back neck stomach,how many after some hours of pole work suffer with some pain or another,its an interesting subject

[Moderator David@stives]

The pole done my back in.

I slipped down a hill with the pole 50 ft in the air, landed right on I disagree with a bang, didnt drop the pole though.

Been a bit sore since

[Col]

Suffered a slipped disc and acute sciatica down one leg in july last year,never knew pain like that existed and was laid up for weeks.
Pankillers,physiotherapy and osteopaths helped but never fully fixed it.
I put it down to using a 40 foot pole and trying to control the whip to reach windows at an angle,since then i have cut down on wfp work and try to work off ladders and inside access when possible.
Yesterday i had the pole back up to full length again for a new job and was worried last night that my back was going to go again.
I still take a Diclofenic in the morning to ease me up and it has no effect on driving or concentration but still taking it after eight months or so.
Poles are great when the windows are straight on and not too high but unless you are fit and have good core strength they can cause grief.
This post is not a dig at wfp but since my mishap i have realised that going back to ladders and feeling confident of the results after a job far outweigh the feeling of dread as you pull away from a job and hope that the windows dry well and your back holds up.

[LWC]

sad to say yes myself included its defo a window cleaners thing I said this years ago ,poles will cause big problems back neck stomach,how many after some hours of pole work suffer with some pain or another,its an interesting subject

Yup we should sue health and saftey for back issues through their introduced health and safety regulations. 

Well if i pass tommorow it could mean the end of my window cleaning days. 

[dai]

We really need to learn to change leading hands when poling, we did it with squeegeeing didn't we? It's window cleaning that's made me more or less ambidextrous. A swivel on your brush helps too, takes a lot of strain off when doing those over con window.
A good swivel also lets you clean from side to side as well as up and down, so you can vary your body movements.
Pain between the shoulder blades is mostly down to a postior problem, I get it and I know I'm a slouch, It can even cause pain where the ribs attach to the sternum.