Whitefinger and other injuries.

[Graham]

Not wanting to sound to morose but how many of you are living with injuries sustained in this industry?

 

I'll start. Whitefinger caused by holding on to revvy 2 strokes since the age of 16.

 

Smashed teeth from top coming out of dead elm when climbing...pre helmet days.

 

Broken vertabrae from tractor winching accident.

 

Crushed foot when lowering crotch broke and rope trapped foot with section of pop on the end.

 

Now takes me at least an hour in the morning to stop aching but still climbing as fast as I always was..I think:001_smile:

[madclimber]

Broke my shoulder which never set properly, damaged vertibrais in my neck,busted thumb and wrist all from coming out of an oak, 30' and still suffer.. Also broke my conk from pulling my flip line which was stuck and it flipped out with the hook catching me smack on. Limited use of left hand due to cutting tendon with the topper.

Edited January 23, 2009 by madclimber

[Peter]

I cant attribute any of my injuries to treework, still have the odd ache and pain!

[Dean Lofthouse]

I broke a finger nail I had been growing especailly for picking my nose once, that really upset me

[arbogrunt]

Blimey mate, you've been in the wars!. I've got a few injuries that I've picked up from the industry (and before). I just change the way I climb. I had trouble from an old left wrist break, so I started climbing with knot on the other side. I started getting pretty bad tennis elbow on my right side, so I started using a hitchclimber and a rope guide/cam saver as much as possible.

I also try and rig out as much stuff as I can to avoid shoulder injuries from 'cutting and chucking'. Also, look at the way you start your saw up the tree, try and alternate the arm you use to start and get the groundie to warm it up for you. I wear wrist supports, and one of those tennis elbow straps when I climb or shift logs.

You can never make this job easy, but you can make it easier! (the older you get the worse it becomes!)

[madclimber]

Too true

[David Humphries]

Using 3 poles, I pulled a big lump of rigged Oak, out of some epicormic that got stuck on the way down. (Pre Hobbs days)

 

The timber ran free on the slack, I turned my back on it and jumped clear, but it bounced straight on to the base of my spine.

Knocked me flying, (must of looked pretty comical as the lads didn't react too quick whilst fighting back their nervous gaffaws )

 

I crawled off like an injured road kill.

Realising something was amiss, got to A&E.

Ended up being very lucky not to have any lasting vertibrae damage.

Haematoma on the impact area grew as big as a grapefruit though.

Three weeks in bed, hardly being able to move.

A few weeks of ultrasound reduced the swelling and I went back to work, didn't climbing for a while.

 

Still aches in the cold 10 years down the line.

Haven't done anything as stupid since

 

 

 

.

Edited January 24, 2009 by Monkey-D
spelling

[Graham]

All mine from over 20 years ago....when I was invincible:001_smile:

 

Catches up with you later

[Mozza]

Ive crushed my left thumb(still aches in the cold 5 years later), Had about 20 stitches shared between 3 cuts, Just nicks on chains and a barbed wire fence (never a running saw), Broke 3 fingers a few years ago putting a pretty big log threw a MOG and it bashed my hand against the top of the hopper, 5 stitches on my right eye brow, slipped on the back of an icy van a few years ago and smashed my head on the side greedy board haha, As you can see ive never had anything serious happen due to Tree work, Theyve just been annoying!!

 

 

Touch wood ill have no more!!

[Mesterh]

020 cuts to back of left hand (tendon/nerve damage) left middle finger (nerve damage) left upper thigh (just a nice big scar ) pad on right hand (little scar) muscle damage to upper shoulders muscle twitches. Lower back pain, and probably the odd broken finger.