Or right to be concerned?
I've never considered myself frail or suffered from any muscular/strength impairing conditions, although before I started learning plumbing in my late 20's I had a slight weakness in my knees (which meant jogging would result in discomfort and a very long walk wouldn't be a good idea either.) I'm not over-weight to any notable degree, I've lifted weights regularly for years and would describe myself as relatively strong and able-bodied.
But how I feel after a full day's plumbing is not something I'd describe so much as exhausting (although it is) but worrying. 'Exhausting' doesn't cause lasting damage. It just requires a rest. Pulled this, uncomfortable that, painful this, throbbing that, strained this - most of this stuff goes away, but some must incrementally accumulate and eventually become lasting damage. Usually I imagine you'll not realise the full potential effects until it's mostly too late. And they will differ person to person.
So what I'm asking is, am I being wimpish or prudent in considering the idea of plumbing part time and looking for other work to supplement it purely because an 8 hour day spent mostly on my knees, hunched over or hauling big rads around on my own is probably asking for an old age rife with pain and discomfort? They say if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.
But if I'm right - why don't I hear of any other plumbers doing the same thing? It it because most suspect they'd stand little chance of earning anything like what they do in plumbing doing something else and couldn't bring themselves to spend half their working week on 6, 7 pound an hour?
Also I wonder if a hard week plumbing is a bit like a hangover. I may feel terrible today and think "never again" but come monday morning I'll have forgotten all about it. Perhaps that's part of the problem.
I've never considered myself frail or suffered from any muscular/strength impairing conditions, although before I started learning plumbing in my late 20's I had a slight weakness in my knees (which meant jogging would result in discomfort and a very long walk wouldn't be a good idea either.) I'm not over-weight to any notable degree, I've lifted weights regularly for years and would describe myself as relatively strong and able-bodied.
But how I feel after a full day's plumbing is not something I'd describe so much as exhausting (although it is) but worrying. 'Exhausting' doesn't cause lasting damage. It just requires a rest. Pulled this, uncomfortable that, painful this, throbbing that, strained this - most of this stuff goes away, but some must incrementally accumulate and eventually become lasting damage. Usually I imagine you'll not realise the full potential effects until it's mostly too late. And they will differ person to person.
So what I'm asking is, am I being wimpish or prudent in considering the idea of plumbing part time and looking for other work to supplement it purely because an 8 hour day spent mostly on my knees, hunched over or hauling big rads around on my own is probably asking for an old age rife with pain and discomfort? They say if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything.
But if I'm right - why don't I hear of any other plumbers doing the same thing? It it because most suspect they'd stand little chance of earning anything like what they do in plumbing doing something else and couldn't bring themselves to spend half their working week on 6, 7 pound an hour?
Also I wonder if a hard week plumbing is a bit like a hangover. I may feel terrible today and think "never again" but come monday morning I'll have forgotten all about it. Perhaps that's part of the problem.
