Wrist & Back Pain

**StealthXJ** · 06-01-2016, 12:13 AM

How do you guys save your wrists and back while detailing? I am 6' 3" and my back really gets to me while detailing. Even more than my back, my right wrist takes an awful beating!! It's already not quite right, as I injured it years ago, so that doesn't help. So, what do you guys use to help?

**roguegeek** · 06-01-2016, 12:18 AM

I went through an original PC before it died and then a couple of years through a PCXP without any pain at all. Then all of a sudden, I started experiencing wrist pain and hand numbness. When I upgraded to a 3401, all of that went away. Guess it was just my body getting older and telling me to get a less fatiguing machine. At 5'8", never experienced back pain, though.

**Mike@DedicatedPerfection** · 06-01-2016, 12:26 AM

I too suffer from back pain. (back problems)

You may want to look into a small lift. Instead of bending over to get to the car, you can bring the car up to working height.

**StealthXJ** · 06-01-2016, 12:46 AM

For my wrist, I am talking about scrubbing carpets and upholstery and doing pretty much everything else, as I am still a bit new to paint correction.

Yes, a small lift would be nice, but I usually work out of my Jeep. I know that they make small ramps, though.

I am planning to look into a wrist support or wrap, just to give me something.

**oldmodman** · 06-01-2016, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by Mike@DedicatedPerfection

I too suffer from back pain. (back problems)

You may want to look into a small lift. Instead of bending over to get to the car, you can bring the car up to working height.

Agreed.

After my back surgery I got a four post lift. Now I can not only get under my cars to change parts, oil, brakes, etc. But when washing and polishing I can easily raise it to where it is comfortable to do each panel.

**Mantilgh** · 06-01-2016, 06:53 AM

I feel ya! Mine seems to be more in my knees and elbows, and a little in the wrists. Wrist and elbows definitely take a beating from interior scrubbing, and claying and wheel cleaning on the outside. Knees kill me on anything down low if I have to squat.

On of those rolling work stools would be nice for wheels and tires, I just use a bucket for now. I also have/use several 2" thick mats. One 1'x3' to kneel on for low cars while I'm doing the footwells, and larger 3'x4' I'll use to sit on while I work on lower sections.

If you have a DA polisher you can get brush attachments for it that may save some wear on your wrist. You can mechanically scrub carpets, upholstery, tires and big plastic trim pieces with them.

For wheels a pressure washer may help and proper use of an acid wheel cleaner. I have also heard of people chucking up a wheel bush in a battery powered drill to take some of the physical work.

Oh, and again, if you have a DA you can get one of the clay disk/pads to speed up the claying process.

**swanicyouth** · 06-01-2016, 06:53 AM

I was crippled with back pain for about a year - 15 years ago. I was in chronic pain and couldn't sit or lay down to become comfortable. Lotsa pain meds, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories ...etc...

Finally I had back surgery (laminectomy L5-S1) and have been 100% pain free since. It really was a miracle surgery.

But, of course I can still get uncomfortable from stooping all day with a polisher. Since I'm only detailing my own cars - I'm never going to be uncomfortable.

First thing, get a rolling stool and a Werner Work platform. With these two tools, you will never need to kneel on the ground, sit on the ground, or stoop to work on the side of a car. These are really two essential detailing tools you can get for under $100.

I see dudes sitting on THE GROUND detailing wheels and polishing the sides of a car - and I'm like WHY???? Besides getting your butt dirty - it's just uncomfortable, when you can get a rolling stool for like $30.

Second, if you are detailing your own cars, just take breaks. I'm guessing not everyone has the luxury of owning multiple cars and having a garage - but I would never wash, decon, clay, polish, and LSP a car in a single day. Too much work - I usually take 3 days.

Next, especially for your wrist - get a Rupes. 8mm polishers will vibrate your wrists numb. The difference between those and Rupes smoothness is like night and day.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**maestrodetailer** · 06-01-2016, 06:58 AM

Had back pains when I was kind of chubby. Lost weight and no back pain at all while detailing now. For wrist pains from scrubbing carpets, use a pc with a carpet brush to do the work for you. Also, a lit while doing exterior work can work wonders.

**wn1998** · 06-01-2016, 06:58 AM

As a gym owner, I would work on mobility (yoga) and strengthening your back. I have trained hundreds of 30-50 year olds that have told me they have "back problems" make great progress stretching and strengthening. If you haven't done much in the last year or so, mobility (stretching) is much more effective than weight training. once you get the mobility back in your hamstrings, hips and shoulders, then you can move on to strengthening. I would bet your back pain could be gone in 12 weeks or so with a proper trainer.

**StealthXJ** · 06-01-2016, 07:28 AM

This is a great discussion! Thank you all.

I do have a rolling pneumatic seat, which is nice to use sometimes. However, sometimes sitting on the ground is just needed to get as low as possible and to see things better. I am 23 now, but when I was 15 I use to do some landscape maintenance in Tampa, picking weeds for a few hours a day. Doing that I believe was the start of my back being really sore doing certain activities. I definitely need to stretch and work on mobility more! I also need to get into a chiropractor more often, as it really does make a difference. As far as my wrist goes, I'd honestly really like to get it scanned to see if anything looks really abnormal, because it is kind of a mess. I pop it all the time! I have played tennis since I was five, so who knows what that does to a wrist. I'll start trying to strengthen my wrist more.