beerman6
Addicted to ArboristSite
I read somewhere that for every pound you are over weight,puts an additional 4 pounds on each knee...no wonder why my knees hurt.
My climbing days may be over.....
- Thread starter Rftreeman
- Start date
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Sorry RF, I do not mean to sound mean, but, GO CLIMB!-- I was climbing when Jimmy Carter was the Prez. in "1977 and I feel great even after all these years and not listening to doctors.
Jeff Lovstrom
urbantreecare.com
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
oh I will if I can get some relief from the pain, I hurts the most when I have to pull the spike out of the tree to step up and then I have to take baby steps due to the poor motion but if I can get the motion and deal with the pain and lose weight I'll keep doing it, I'm not going to let the doctor tell me I have to stop if I feel that I can keep going but right now, I couldn't climb a flight of stairs much less a tree.
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Mitchell
ArboristSite Operative
another 2 cents
I have early onset arthritis myself, I hear your plight. Joint pain sucks, the mind is willing but the body is not. I ran 30 miles a week a few years ago now I have to ride my bike to stay in shape. Currently I'm 5' 11" 190 lbs, when I started climbing seriously 3 years ago I was 230. Form follows function, climbers are not "heavy" people. Bench pressing 300lbs did me no good in a tree so I dropped the gym chimping routine and focused on diet and high rep workouts. Long story short My hips and knees are way less sore weighing less despite the bad joints.
I also find top roping when you can helps a lot. If your doing a big prune or a big removal, go to the "top" [or big shot it] tie in and drop back down, then you can balance the weight from your flip/spurs and your TIP. Moving to a good saddle did wonders as well. I learned to climb in the logging world high rigger style; basically a belt, spurs and a rope. The new gear is amazing relative to that crap which only the young or genetically blessed can get away with.
Good luck, hope everything works out
I have early onset arthritis myself, I hear your plight. Joint pain sucks, the mind is willing but the body is not. I ran 30 miles a week a few years ago now I have to ride my bike to stay in shape. Currently I'm 5' 11" 190 lbs, when I started climbing seriously 3 years ago I was 230. Form follows function, climbers are not "heavy" people. Bench pressing 300lbs did me no good in a tree so I dropped the gym chimping routine and focused on diet and high rep workouts. Long story short My hips and knees are way less sore weighing less despite the bad joints.
I also find top roping when you can helps a lot. If your doing a big prune or a big removal, go to the "top" [or big shot it] tie in and drop back down, then you can balance the weight from your flip/spurs and your TIP. Moving to a good saddle did wonders as well. I learned to climb in the logging world high rigger style; basically a belt, spurs and a rope. The new gear is amazing relative to that crap which only the young or genetically blessed can get away with.
Good luck, hope everything works out
"Doctor told keep on truck'n because if I don't things will get harder to move."
:agree2:
Arthritis pained my shoulders so bad when I raised my arms I could scream. Then started whipping my arms in circles and could feel--and hear!--the crepitus breaking up and flushing out. now shoulders are fine unless i forget to exercise.
goaheadand seethe md arthrits specialist, then see an alternative for a more comprehensive viewpoint. Kinda like a tree owner first asking a removalist what to do with the tree
, then asking an arborist. 
re that, your career will be much longer if you learn to take care of trees instead of just cutting them down all the time.
:agree2:
Arthritis pained my shoulders so bad when I raised my arms I could scream. Then started whipping my arms in circles and could feel--and hear!--the crepitus breaking up and flushing out. now shoulders are fine unless i forget to exercise.
goaheadand seethe md arthrits specialist, then see an alternative for a more comprehensive viewpoint. Kinda like a tree owner first asking a removalist what to do with the tree
, then asking an arborist. re that, your career will be much longer if you learn to take care of trees instead of just cutting them down all the time.
oldugly
ArboristSite Operative
between arthur-itis, bers-itits and all their buddies, I think I know all the Itis'family on a personal basis. No one can tell you what to do. If you want to lose weight, than do it, if not, then you don't want to bad enough. If you feel you can do your job from the ground, and don't want to deal with the pain anymore, then by all means no one should think less of you. Only you know what you want from your body, and what you want to get out of it. Weight is a killer of joints, but an age old metaphor for success as well.
Sometimes we use physical excuses to do what we wanted to do in the first place. Personally I can admit that really do not enjoy heights, and the thrill of climbing is pretty much gone, there is only left boredom, or fear. The easy ones are boring, and the really hairy ones are only scary, the thrill really isn't there anymore, but after 30 years of doing it, I really don't know much else, so I continue. The doctor has told me on several occasions that my body can't take the stress, my smoking is killing me, and to start taking it easier, but then when I ask him how expects me to pay the bills if I can't work anymore...well we all do what we must. I'll quit smoking when I want to bad enough, or they bury me...whichever comes first. I'll quit climbing when I find something else I am good at that will pay the bills.
My weight has never been a problem, but I can see it being as bad as my smoking, and requiring the same determination, and guts to do something about it. Good luck, and do what you feel you need to, or want to. Regardless of how you feel, (physically). Not the most popular advice I am sure, but if you are hard-headed enough to climb at 300 lbs, then you are probably able to work through the pain if you want to, and probably have the determination and guts to cut down the pounds. But if you can make a living from the ground...no one can fault you for that.
Sometimes we use physical excuses to do what we wanted to do in the first place. Personally I can admit that really do not enjoy heights, and the thrill of climbing is pretty much gone, there is only left boredom, or fear. The easy ones are boring, and the really hairy ones are only scary, the thrill really isn't there anymore, but after 30 years of doing it, I really don't know much else, so I continue. The doctor has told me on several occasions that my body can't take the stress, my smoking is killing me, and to start taking it easier, but then when I ask him how expects me to pay the bills if I can't work anymore...well we all do what we must. I'll quit smoking when I want to bad enough, or they bury me...whichever comes first. I'll quit climbing when I find something else I am good at that will pay the bills.
My weight has never been a problem, but I can see it being as bad as my smoking, and requiring the same determination, and guts to do something about it. Good luck, and do what you feel you need to, or want to. Regardless of how you feel, (physically). Not the most popular advice I am sure, but if you are hard-headed enough to climb at 300 lbs, then you are probably able to work through the pain if you want to, and probably have the determination and guts to cut down the pounds. But if you can make a living from the ground...no one can fault you for that.
treeslayer
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'm 45, run regularly, work out, in excellent shape, and when I suffered 7 fractured ribs recently
(hit by a truck while walking in a parking lot),
the doctors at the ER all said 4 - 6 weeks minimum rest.
BULLS##T. I'm in Tx to work, I was climbing 4 days later. Hurt like hell, had to sleep sitting up, but thanks to Lorcet and alcohol, I got by.
doctors live a cushy life, and base their opinions on that. Tell a working man to not work? hand me a check with that Doc, not another fricken bill.:censored:
(hit by a truck while walking in a parking lot),
the doctors at the ER all said 4 - 6 weeks minimum rest.
BULLS##T. I'm in Tx to work, I was climbing 4 days later. Hurt like hell, had to sleep sitting up, but thanks to Lorcet and alcohol, I got by.
doctors live a cushy life, and base their opinions on that. Tell a working man to not work? hand me a check with that Doc, not another fricken bill.:censored:
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oldugly
ArboristSite Operative
I'm 50, only run when being chased by a jealous husband, (as you can tell by my name...kind of rare), or being chased by my wife when she reads posts like this..LOL, and work my a$$ whenever I can. You're right doctors only know their own lives, and "taking it easy" is an option for them.
A working man will work, regardless of conditions, or advice, but a doctor has no concept of the necessity of that paycheck.
In reality, however their expertise is in the care of the body, and not the big picture of how to take care of the family, so thier ineptitude at providing practical advice is understandable.
I've worked with pnuemonia, 40 degrees below zero, arthritis in my hands and bersitis in my shoulders, arthritis in both knees, bloodcot in my leg, sprained ankle, sprained shoulder, bruised everything, and I can't even remember what else. I got to admit never with broken ribs, but I can imagine the pain, and the temptation to quit.
The worse is working with a hangover, and a collasped sinus. (Barfight..smartest thing I ever did was quit drinking...dumbest thing was startng again).
Good luck to you.
A working man will work, regardless of conditions, or advice, but a doctor has no concept of the necessity of that paycheck.
In reality, however their expertise is in the care of the body, and not the big picture of how to take care of the family, so thier ineptitude at providing practical advice is understandable.
I've worked with pnuemonia, 40 degrees below zero, arthritis in my hands and bersitis in my shoulders, arthritis in both knees, bloodcot in my leg, sprained ankle, sprained shoulder, bruised everything, and I can't even remember what else. I got to admit never with broken ribs, but I can imagine the pain, and the temptation to quit.
The worse is working with a hangover, and a collasped sinus. (Barfight..smartest thing I ever did was quit drinking...dumbest thing was startng again).
Good luck to you.
This was my father's approach with both smoking and drinking, so he waited to quit until the docs said it was killing him. He was very miserable for a couple years, then died in agony.
Just to brighten your day!
treeslayer
Addicted to ArboristSite
I watched 2 grandparents enjoy the pleasures of emphysema, and my dad wants to try it. nothing like sucking oxygen while you can't walk.
who needs a body, while the mind is strong?
who needs a body, while the mind is strong?
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John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
my dad wants to try it. nothing like sucking oxygen while you can't walk.
That is too bad, your folks were such nice people to us yanky carpetbaggers.
OLD CHIPMONK
ArboristSite Guru
I feel fortunate after reading your story.
I started climbing in 1958 & only have a few aches & pains. I currently weigh 221 @ 6'2" & still climbing @ 64 yrs. old.
I agree with you about knees, but I'm also an avid golfer . Golf probably leads to more knee problems- for me- than climbing.
I might ad, that back in the late 60's , my weight was around 340-360, but no knee pain while climbing.
I hate to see you quit- maybe weight loss would serve you better.
Well I'm sure you'll explore every avenue. Best of luck in the future.
I started climbing in 1958 & only have a few aches & pains. I currently weigh 221 @ 6'2" & still climbing @ 64 yrs. old.
I agree with you about knees, but I'm also an avid golfer . Golf probably leads to more knee problems- for me- than climbing.
I might ad, that back in the late 60's , my weight was around 340-360, but no knee pain while climbing.
I hate to see you quit- maybe weight loss would serve you better.
Well I'm sure you'll explore every avenue. Best of luck in the future.
treemandan
Tree Freak
You must not be doing it right.
Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
indeed, thanksWell I'm sure you'll explore every avenue. Best of luck in the future.
treeslayer
Addicted to ArboristSite
My dad (69) is starting to wheeze with any exertion, like walking or standing up.
he won't stop puffing, and has had a pulmonary specialist tell him to flat out. a couple more years and it will get ugly.
so we get to watch.:censored:
And he sure liked you guys, John.
not to mention the free $15,000 tree job.
my overhead was over $8,000 for the day.
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custom8726
ArboristSite Guru
My Bone and Joint specialist is the exception to the rule. All his brothers and his father are in the logging industry and he put him self through medical school logging, well atleast made enough money to stay afloat untill he got his docter's degree. The funny thing out of all the bones & joints I have broke,sprained, fractured, herniated, etc, etc... Not one of them happened cutting or climbing trees, knock on wood!!! I will say hearing story's from the climbers from the 50's 60's and 70's is very inspiring to me at only 30 I hope to have the physical option to be able to climb in 30+ years.
Back On topic, if you want to stay climbing bad enough your mind and will too will get you back in the tree, Good luck!!
jomoco
Tree Freak
Commercial climber since 1973. I still climb today.
I've witnessed older climbers degrade, and it's more a matter of confidence being slowly lost in the big trees.
It's my opinion that anyone, young or old, that is truly scared, or even seriously nervous, should get back on the ground.
After a few decades of experience you should have plenty of knowledge and insight into this biz to make a good living without climbing.
I like to think that despite being a slow old foggy upstairs now in my senior years, my in depth knowledge and bag of tricks while aloft, along with my track record, still puts food on the table each year.
Climbing is a choice, most the company owners I sub to are very wealthy men that either never climbed, or climbed very briefly.
jomoco
I've witnessed older climbers degrade, and it's more a matter of confidence being slowly lost in the big trees.
It's my opinion that anyone, young or old, that is truly scared, or even seriously nervous, should get back on the ground.
After a few decades of experience you should have plenty of knowledge and insight into this biz to make a good living without climbing.
I like to think that despite being a slow old foggy upstairs now in my senior years, my in depth knowledge and bag of tricks while aloft, along with my track record, still puts food on the table each year.
Climbing is a choice, most the company owners I sub to are very wealthy men that either never climbed, or climbed very briefly.
jomoco
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