Hit 500 trees pruned this season and my shoulders are screaming

I counted up my jobs from March to now and realized I've pruned over 500 trees on residential properties around Portland. That number surprised me because it felt like maybe 300 at most. My left shoulder has been giving me trouble for the last two weeks and I think the repetitive pole saw work is doing it. Anyone else hit a milestone like this and have joints start complaining?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_rodriguez6614d ago

You ever see a guy try to lift a burrito with his left arm? My buddy Carl after he hit 400 trees last year couldn't even grip his coffee mug in the morning without wincing. He said his shoulder made this rusted door hinge sound every time he reached for the pole saw. Took him like three weeks of ice packs and ibuprofen before it stopped feeling like someone was twisting a screwdriver in there.

nancy82014d agoTop Commenter

Feel for your buddy Carl, that sounds brutal. I had a similar thing happen after I overdid it pruning some overgrown branches one weekend, couldn't even sleep on that side for a week without waking up from the pain. The whole frozen shoulder thing is no joke, makes you realize how much you actually use that arm for little stuff like holding a phone or turning a doorknob.