Health question for over 60's small time firewood producers

[cessna]

I am now 70, and I supply a small mount of firewood, but I am finding that the backs of my legs from my knees down are aching ,especially when walking about,and pushing  a barrow load of logs. If any of you also suffer with the afore mentioned  problem  I would be interested to know if you have sought medical advice about the problem and if so have you had any advice as to how to alleviate the problem, apart from  being told  "GIVE UP."!!! 

 

 

[Woodworks]

Went to a physio recently who has known me for years. He said you wouldn't leave your machinery unmaintained for years so why would I not maintain the most important 'machine' ie me. I am only in my 50s but would like to keep at it to 70s so taking care of the body needs to be treated as part of the job.

 

Sorry no help with your barrow problems but why are you having to push barrows of logs about? Make the machinery take the strain where you can is my approach

[Al Duffill]

Hey Cessna,

Do your feet ache too, the sole, if so could be Plantar Fasciitis, kinda painful to walk?

Im under 60 by the way, answered anyway [emoji38]

[Billhook]

I remember hearing about a chap going to the doctor with similar symptoms in one of his legs.  The doctor examined his leg and concluded, "I'm afraid it is just old age and there is not much I can do"

He replied "Well it's the same bloody age as the other leg and it doesn't hurt!"

 

I agree with Woodworks on the subject of making machinery take the hard work out of firewood.  Not many on here still use a hand saw or an axe to cut down a large tree.  The physical challenges of old age are the reason I built the Lockdown Firewood processor in the first  lockdown when I was trying to see if I could bring a wind blown tree up from the bottom of the farm to my stove without any lifting.

 

 

[Dbikeguy]

Look at a power barrow to take the work off your legs

[Vedhoggar]

Not something I suffer from but it sounds like it could be harding of the arteries, best to seek medical advice as to what the problem is and take it from there I would have thought before things get any worse.

[nepia]

10 hours ago, cessna said:

I am now 70, and I supply a small mount of firewood, but I am finding that the backs of my legs from my knees down are aching ,especially when walking about,and pushing  a barrow load of logs. If any of you also suffer with the afore mentioned  problem  I would be interested to know if you have sought medical advice about the problem and if so have you had any advice as to how to alleviate the problem, apart from  being told  "GIVE UP."!!! 

 

 

You mean your calves ache.  Stretch them, along with as much else as you can be bothered with.  Any tightness in the legs can give knee and hip problems so it's good to keep the whole lot in trim.

A good combined calf muscle/achilles tendon stretch is to raise your foot against a skirting board while facing the wall.  For more stretch push your hips forward rather than lean forward.

Another possible cause of your issue could be your choice of footwear; worth a look and perhaps try something different; see if it helps in which case there's your answer.

You're only a bit over 8 years ahead of me so I do speak from the position of someone whose own body has seen better days - oh yes!

 

Certainly don't give up - that's for girls 😂

[openspaceman]

11 hours ago, cessna said:

I am now 70, and I supply a small mount of firewood, but I am finding that the backs of my legs from my knees down are aching ,especially when walking about,and pushing  a barrow load of logs. If any of you also suffer with the afore mentioned  problem  I would be interested to know if you have sought medical advice about the problem and if so have you had any advice as to how to alleviate the problem, apart from  being told  "GIVE UP."!!! 

 

 

I have had this and it has been since I was prescribed statins following an incident.

[Dan Maynard]

5 hours ago, Dbikeguy said:

Look at a power barrow to take the work off your legs

Big fan of my Muck Truck, doesn't care if it's up hill or down and with greedy boards has bigger capacity than normal barrow. Bang for buck it's a brilliant bit of machinery.

[Alycidon]

I am 68,  similar probs.,  have to pace myself on arb waste.   Cant manage any more that about 6 cube a day having to manually lift it all onto the processor.     A fuelwood Splitta would be handy but my volumes just cant justify the cost.

 

Biggest cause of injury in old men ?,  thinking they are young men !.

 

A