Done working with my hands

[Merak]

Worked in the yard yesterday pulling weeds etc, pulled window motor out of a car the day before. Now my old hands hurt too much to practice today. I’m thinking at my age its time to save my hands for fun not work.

[fitness1]

Time to find an ambitious neighbor kid (if there are any left!) to do the manual labor!

[Jim Owen]

Hi Merak,
I resemble that remark. I try to practice prior to yard work, and I would prefer not to run a chainsaw or a trimmer on any day I’ve got a gig.

My hands get cramps. Never did before. I take magnesium supplements and make sure that I’ve got plenty of calcium and potassium in my diet.

[Pitar]

A few years ago I was of the same opinion but realized I was asking myself to lose my hands, not save them by doing that. So, I worked them harder and can say I was right. When heavy work is not a routine it will seemingly bring the pain of conviction that heavy work should be curtailed. Not so. Bring that heavy work as a routine because as we age our toning begins to atrophy and keeping fit requires much more work than when we were younger and more resilient. Every morning I wake up by wielding two 15 pound dumbbells in a manner that keeps most of my upper body toned, including my hands, for 15 minutes. Been doing that since 2003. I'm not interested in putting on muscle. I just want to keep what I've got.

Last Saturday I brought down a large palm tree growing too near my house. I dug around it with pick, shovel and hatchet to sever the roots. Then I used a pressure cleaner to jet away the sticky soil causing a suction around the root ball. I lassoed the top of the tree with a heavy rope and with a steady pull the tree came down pulling the root ball out of the ground, as planned. None of that was easy work but because I was toned I didn't suffer a bit from it. Sunday, the next day, I hand trenched the ground in the front of my house to lay in a French drain. Twenty-five feet long, 15 inches to 20 inches deep; no problem. I'm 64. That night I played for a couple hours without any soreness in my hands.

Use it or lose it.

[jazzguy]

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Hi Merak,
I resemble that remark. I try to practice prior to yard work, and I would prefer not to run a chainsaw or a trimmer on any day I’ve got a gig.

My hands get cramps. Never did before. I take magnesium supplements and make sure that I’ve got plenty of calcium and potassium in my diet.

Interesting. I told my wife today. I know it’s wimpy, but I will never run a chain saw or similar. I’m a guitarist and drummer. Both mean more to me than hiring someone.

[aknow]

I've treated hundreds of wrist/elbow/shoulder issues from just pulling weeds. People aren't very smart. They get so involved in defying nature, the next day, can't straighten elbow, or elevate the shoulder. Invest in a gallon of vinegar, douse the weeds, and return the next day, to pull them without much force at all.

[Mr. Paul]

Originally Posted by Pitar

A few years ago I was of the same opinion but realized I was asking myself to lose my hands, not save them by doing that. So, I worked them harder and can say I was right....

Use it or lose it.

Didn't you smash the bejabors out of your thumb/hand while pulling a car part after this decision to "use it or lose it"? Maybe it was someone else.

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by Pitar

A few years ago I was of the same opinion but realized I was asking myself to lose my hands, not save them by doing that. So, I worked them harder and can say I was right. When heavy work is not a routine it will seemingly bring the pain of conviction that heavy work should be curtailed. Not so. Bring that heavy work as a routine because as we age our toning begins to atrophy and keeping fit requires much more work than when we were younger and more resilient. Every morning I wake up by wielding two 15 pound dumbbells in a manner that keeps most of my upper body toned, including my hands, for 15 minutes. Been doing that since 2003. I'm not interested in putting on muscle. I just want to keep what I've got.

Last Saturday I brought down a large palm tree growing too near my house. I dug around it with pick, shovel and hatchet to sever the roots. Then I used a pressure cleaner to jet away the sticky soil causing a suction around the root ball. I lassoed the top of the tree with a heavy rope and with a steady pull the tree came down pulling the root ball out of the ground, as planned. None of that was easy work but because I was toned I didn't suffer a bit from it. Sunday, the next day, I hand trenched the ground in the front of my house to lay in a French drain. Twenty-five feet long, 15 inches to 20 inches deep; no problem. I'm 64. That night I played for a couple hours without any soreness in my hands.

Use it or lose it.

Unless some real physical issue takes place , we all become sedentary by choice .

[Jim Owen]

Originally Posted by jazzguy

Interesting. I told my wife today. I know it’s wimpy, but I will never run a chain saw or similar. I’m a guitarist and drummer. Both mean more to me than hiring someone.

Doesn’t sound wimpy to me. Sounds smart!

[Murphy Slaw]

I'm from the "use it" or "lose it" school.

I use chain saws, weed eaters, hammers, wrenches, and everything else. However, I do have back issues from time to time, then they go away !

[Bridgepin]

Originally Posted by Pitar

A few years ago I was of the same opinion but realized I was asking myself to lose my hands, not save them by doing that. So, I worked them harder and can say I was right. When heavy work is not a routine it will seemingly bring the pain of conviction that heavy work should be curtailed. Not so. Bring that heavy work as a routine because as we age our toning begins to atrophy and keeping fit requires much more work than when we were younger and more resilient. Every morning I wake up by wielding two 15 pound dumbbells in a manner that keeps most of my upper body toned, including my hands, for 15 minutes. Been doing that since 2003. I'm not interested in putting on muscle. I just want to keep what I've got.

Last Saturday I brought down a large palm tree growing too near my house. I dug around it with pick, shovel and hatchet to sever the roots. Then I used a pressure cleaner to jet away the sticky soil causing a suction around the root ball. I lassoed the top of the tree with a heavy rope and with a steady pull the tree came down pulling the root ball out of the ground, as planned. None of that was easy work but because I was toned I didn't suffer a bit from it. Sunday, the next day, I hand trenched the ground in the front of my house to lay in a French drain. Twenty-five feet long, 15 inches to 20 inches deep; no problem. I'm 64. That night I played for a couple hours without any soreness in my hands.

Use it or lose it.

I find this to be very true and have used this method to regain mobility that I was finding that I was losing.

At first it is hard and painful but the more you work through it your results will come.

I started slow and increased the process in small increments

I also started to sleep with those copper fit gloves on at night and that helped ALOT

[JCave]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

I'm from the "use it" or "lose it" school.

I use chain saws, weed eaters, hammers, wrenches, and everything else. However, I do have back issues from time to time, then they go away !

Yup, I'm right there with you. The pain doesn't last long. I give my hands a break when they really need, just let them recover. Lately though I'm spending lots of hours in my studio casting silver, making bobbles for tourists. My hands and eyes hurt.

[Borderdon]

Check out the cover of Jeff Beck’s “You had it Coming”.
Apparently he does a lot of his own work on those hot-rods.
Be careful of course, but our hands are multi-use tools.

[Photojeep]

As I see retirement coming closer and closer, I've finally started doing what I should have been doing years ago.

I've quit drinking, I have started simple exercises, I'm eating better (well, I'm giving it serious consideration...) and I'm off blood pressure meds.

I don't use any dangerous machinery only because I don't have any. I'm deathly afraid of seriously injuring my hands but also feel the same way about my eyes.

I want to enjoy my retirement for a very long time so I'm trying to take better care of myself.

Best,
PJ

[PorkPieGuy]

A few years ago, I was getting ready to do the brakes on my wife's Suburban. I was jacking up the car when the jack slipped, and the jack shot out 3-4 feet from under the car, and the car fell and the tire (which was still on...thank God) landed about 2 inches from my leg.

I'll never do brakes again. That could have ended much worse if the same thing happened about 20 minutes later. I use jack stands, but still.