Reducing stress on knees
- Thread starter Fnix
- Start date
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
This should be an interesting thread.
stevetheupsguy
sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
Do you mean general brisk pace walking or stepping in and out of the car?
Catatonic
Nine Lives
Not a driver but in Corporate Management.
I see a lot of people using knee pads to help reduce stress on their knees.
(I did say "their knees" didn't I?)
.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
...and now the thread takes it's expected tangent.
stevetheupsguy
sʇǝʌǝʇɥǝndsƃnʎ
LOL, that'll teach ya!
To reduce stress on the down step, I try to consciously use my toe to ankle flex into my calf muscle, which absorbs a lot of that downward pressure.
There, back on track, upstate.
SmithBarney
Well-Known Member
I would take this advice with a grain of salt, I did this for about 6 months
and it nearly wrecked my shoulder. Being that knee surgery is more common
and cheaper, I'd rather bet my knees will hold up better than my shoulder.
3 point contact was just that, contact and nothing more, my shoulder is now
recovered.
As for what you can do, stretching before and after your shift is important.
yoga and other exercises that utilize the full range of motion of your joints
will keep them in the best shape.
Good shoes, posture and a few visits to the chiropractor don't hurt either.
dannyboy
From the promised LAND
Fred
You hurt your shoulder while exiting a package car? Next time, dont get out of the seat right after you put the parking brake on, as your package car slows to a stop. That rocking action will get you every time.
Good shoes help, staying in shape helps, a package car with a low first step, not one that is 2 feet high is also a winner. Also, staying on the walkpaths help as well. Make sure your footing is secure.
And the three point dismount is a great way to exit the car. NEver jump out.
d
You hurt your shoulder while exiting a package car? Next time, dont get out of the seat right after you put the parking brake on, as your package car slows to a stop. That rocking action will get you every time.
Good shoes help, staying in shape helps, a package car with a low first step, not one that is 2 feet high is also a winner. Also, staying on the walkpaths help as well. Make sure your footing is secure.
And the three point dismount is a great way to exit the car. NEver jump out.
d
satellitedriver
Moderator
Ya nailed it, from the get go.
satellitedriver
Moderator
To be serious,
nothing special.
Good boots and a basic understanding of body mechanics are my secrets.
nothing special.
Good boots and a basic understanding of body mechanics are my secrets.
trplnkl
555
Sorry, gotta disagree with ya here. Stress or pressure in the full extension of any joint will eventually wreck that joint, you have to use the muscles surrounding any joint to protect it. If you are like me (too short for most of the older handrails) use the door frame instead of the actual handrail. Then use the muscles to pull yourself up or to lower yourself to the ground. This also lowers the impact on the knee, proven body mechanics. Stretching and exercises are very important to keep ya going.
SmithBarney
Well-Known Member
danny, trplnkl
The problem with the hand rail(99%) of them is location if you HOLD it like you
suggest it goes from being in a good position when standing on the step to and
end range motion position when standing on the ground.(and yes I got a talking to for
using the door frame(I'm left handed and held packages in my left hand exiting) Your legs were designed to lift and lower your body if you want to lift and lower your body all day with your arms be my guest, but until then, my hand touches the rail(in case I slip and thats it.)
The problem with the hand rail(99%) of them is location if you HOLD it like you
suggest it goes from being in a good position when standing on the step to and
end range motion position when standing on the ground.(and yes I got a talking to for
using the door frame(I'm left handed and held packages in my left hand exiting) Your legs were designed to lift and lower your body if you want to lift and lower your body all day with your arms be my guest, but until then, my hand touches the rail(in case I slip and thats it.)
trplnkl
555
Well, those are your knees and your shoulders, you do what you think best for them.
I will do what I think is best for mine.
To tell ya the truth, when it comes to push our shove, I would much rather have a blown out shoulder than knee.... I can't walk on my hands.
I too got written up for using the door frame during a "safe work methods" ride. I simply demonstrated to the sup why I used the door frame vs. the handrail. It was still written up with a disclaimer that the door frame grip was doing what the handrail was designed for. Now I just tell them from the start of the ride that they may as well write it down that I don't always use the HR, but do use the door frame, I will NOT do it any other way. I've been fighting them on this for 20 years. Bottom line, I do what I can to protect my body because it's getting beat up bad enough already.
on the left handed thing, I'm lucky in that I am almost fully amphibious, I can use either hand at will.
I will do what I think is best for mine.
To tell ya the truth, when it comes to push our shove, I would much rather have a blown out shoulder than knee.... I can't walk on my hands.
I too got written up for using the door frame during a "safe work methods" ride. I simply demonstrated to the sup why I used the door frame vs. the handrail. It was still written up with a disclaimer that the door frame grip was doing what the handrail was designed for. Now I just tell them from the start of the ride that they may as well write it down that I don't always use the HR, but do use the door frame, I will NOT do it any other way. I've been fighting them on this for 20 years. Bottom line, I do what I can to protect my body because it's getting beat up bad enough already.
on the left handed thing, I'm lucky in that I am almost fully amphibious, I can use either hand at will.
Ambidextrous? Unless you really can breathe under the water
dannyboy
From the promised LAND
That was funny!
As for the knees vs shoulder issue, its not. what finishes the joints is a constant impact. They are designed to give you use and some abuse, but the 150+ times out of the truck a day is too much abuse on the knees. That is why UPS spent serious money on research to show that someone using the railing will put less than 1/3rd the impact on the joint than someone that does not.
Over the course of a day, that is several tons of weight that the the knees did not have to absorb.
Now, the shoulder is not meant to absorb shock and impact either. So unless you lose your footing, the shoulder is only a mechanism to slow the descending body, nothing more.
The very worst thing you can do for your knees is to have packages in your hands, and not use the three point dismount/remount.
Now, all that being said for the body mechanics, the package cars that are now much closer to the ground are a big blessing in keeping your knees from being hurt. As is the revelation to ups that many of the hand rails are way to high for the average UPS person to safely use. Plus the location inside the package car made for unsafe angles with your hand and arms.
So many of the handrails have either been moved, or secondary ones installed.
But for many old timers like me, the damage of years of stepping out of the older cars carried with it a price. And for me to have to file, as the most senior driver(we only had 2 P1000's that were not "low riders"). but yet management always had me stuck in one of the old style cars.
The statement that management does not really care about the safety of its employees does resonate some truth. And that is why a real safety committee that has real clout is needed at ups. That is the only way the drivers/union can combat those members of management that relay dont care.
d
As for the knees vs shoulder issue, its not. what finishes the joints is a constant impact. They are designed to give you use and some abuse, but the 150+ times out of the truck a day is too much abuse on the knees. That is why UPS spent serious money on research to show that someone using the railing will put less than 1/3rd the impact on the joint than someone that does not.
Over the course of a day, that is several tons of weight that the the knees did not have to absorb.
Now, the shoulder is not meant to absorb shock and impact either. So unless you lose your footing, the shoulder is only a mechanism to slow the descending body, nothing more.
The very worst thing you can do for your knees is to have packages in your hands, and not use the three point dismount/remount.
Now, all that being said for the body mechanics, the package cars that are now much closer to the ground are a big blessing in keeping your knees from being hurt. As is the revelation to ups that many of the hand rails are way to high for the average UPS person to safely use. Plus the location inside the package car made for unsafe angles with your hand and arms.
So many of the handrails have either been moved, or secondary ones installed.
But for many old timers like me, the damage of years of stepping out of the older cars carried with it a price. And for me to have to file, as the most senior driver(we only had 2 P1000's that were not "low riders"). but yet management always had me stuck in one of the old style cars.
The statement that management does not really care about the safety of its employees does resonate some truth. And that is why a real safety committee that has real clout is needed at ups. That is the only way the drivers/union can combat those members of management that relay dont care.
d
