Anyone have any tips on this, I have some bad habits, but I am always bending over, mixing glue, I think I need my tile cutter higher, please anyone have anything to share about this would be good. I am ok during the work day, but after , sometimes I feel like I cant walk..lol

Get yourself a labourer or apprentice Tim, other than that bend your knees when lifting. You'll get used to the aches & pains after a few years lol...... I really reckon kneepads help when your doing floors.

Be good to your wife/ partner..a massage before bed does wonders lol. And lots of stretching b4 and after work. As you all know tilers are like elite athletes. Gotta look after your body...

Hi tim.
Rather than spending all you time on the building site, take an hour for yourself every day and go for a walk or get down to your local gym, and it will work wonders.

Thanks everyone for the advice, what type of stretches? My biggest pain in my lower back, because I am 6ft 1 , not a normal tiler height. So everything is too low for me, I am gonna start with getting higher stands for my cutter, I also reckon I should put the buckets on something higher when I am mixing. Today I was trying to keep my back straight at all times, jeez it was hard and as soon as I got overly concentrating on something, bam! back with bending the wrong way.

Hi tim,
I have the same problem as you 6ft 2 and size to accompany height. Half of my problem was muscle groups in the backs of my legs had over the years gotten very tight, therefore pulling hard on the lower back muscles which were already weakened from incorrect movement and posture. 1/ Stand straight and place your heel on a height(800-900mm) off the ground and stretch your hands towards your raised foot.. 2/ lie on the ground with your legs pulled towards you, then lift your ass about 150-250mm of the ground and repeat many times. If your pain is very bad then a 1-2 week course of Valium( which is used as a muscle relaxant)) might not be a bad idea. That is what my Doctor put me on and it worked very well.

Hey Tim,
I have had back problems over the years ( what tiler hasn't ).
About six years ago I went to a chiropractor & have been going about every three weeks since.
Haven't had any significant problems since. But I think the the three week tune ups are the secret, not just going when you are in pain.
Good luck.

I used to see a chiro quite regularly, in the end I thought he was doing more long term harm for short term pain relief. Now I go and get a remedial massage once a fortnight or so... I think the results are better. Plus, as Fliesie says, the stretching is great.... even a few yoga exercises for the back and legs work wonders.

Hi Tim, I have been battling back problems for years and can give you some advice that I have found works for me. Hope it helps.

1. I used to smoke 50 a day and have lots of coffee. Found these 2 items rob you body of magnesium and can cause your back muscles to contract. (It crushed my L5 disc and pinched my Sciatic nerve). A magnesium powder drink may help with muscular pain.

2. For your tile cutter, you can use a folding trestle (bout 1200 long) available at bunnings for about $60. Take care cutting 600 mm longs tiles, You need to stretch out more.

3. Never bend over and twist around to pick up weight. (Some 600x600 porcelain weighs up to 8 kgs a tiles). The twisting action with weight especially can be real bad.

4. When my back went I was told surgery was the only option. I found a Naturopath down on the Gold Coast who fixed me up (See point 1.). He put me onto the magnesium powder aswell, and gave me magnesium injections in my back muscles to help strengthen them.

2 other doctors I had seen before fing this fellow suggested that the only option I had was surgery. Its been 5 years since, with no surgery. I don't lay tiles much any more. So now when I do it hurts. But it would have been much worse if I went through the surgery.

Good luck with it.

Originally Posted by Notch Away

I used to see a chiro quite regularly, in the end I thought he was doing more long term harm for short term pain relief. Now I go and get a remedial massage once a fortnight or so... I think the results are better. Plus, as Fliesie says, the stretching is great.... even a few yoga exercises for the back and legs work wonders.

What about pilates?