Geelong Tradies: How Chiropractic Care Prevents Work Injuries
Your back's been niggling for weeks. You've been pushing through because you've got jobs booked, bills to pay, and clients waiting. Then one morning you bend down to lift something you've lifted a thousand times before, and suddenly you can't move.
Now you're off work for two days, losing income, and scrambling to reschedule jobs.
Sound familiar?
As a Geelong chiropractor who's treated tradies for over 16 years, I see this pattern constantly. About 15% of my patients at Latrobe Terrace Chiropractic are tradies - plumbers, sparkies, chippies, concreters, bricklayers, painters - and most of them come in only when they physically can't work anymore.
Here's the thing: I get it. You're tough. You push through. That's how you make a living. But there's a smarter way to approach this that saves you money, keeps you working, and means you're not completely broken down by 50.
Let me show you the business case for prevention.
The Real Cost of "Pushing Through"
Let's do the math on what happens when you ignore that nagging back pain until it becomes a full-blown injury:
Lost income:
1-2 days off work minimum (sometimes you're back the next day, sometimes it's longer)
If you're self-employed and charge out at $80-100/hour, that's $1,200-$1,600 lost
If you're on wages, that's sick days burned or unpaid leave
Rescheduling nightmare:
Clients get annoyed
Jobs get delayed
Other tradies on the same site are affected
Your reputation takes a hit
Pain and medication:
Over-the-counter pain meds that barely touch it
Stronger prescriptions that make you drowsy
Still trying to work while medicated (dangerous and ineffective)
Compare that to:
$65 chiro visit when you first notice the problem
20 minutes out of your day
Back to work the same day, functioning properly
The numbers aren't even close. Prevention isn't just about "wellness" - it's about protecting your income and your ability to work.
The Most Common Tradie Injuries I See in Geelong
After treating thousands of tradies, here are the two big ones that keep coming up:
1. Lower Back Pain
Who gets it: Everyone, but especially:
Concreters (bent over screeding and finishing)
Plumbers (working in tight spaces, under sinks)
Bricklayers (repetitive bending and lifting)
Electricians (awkward positions in roofs and tight spaces)
What causes it:
Repetitive lifting (even when you're "doing it right")
Working in bent or twisted positions
Years of cumulative strain catching up with you
That one lift that breaks the camel's back
The pattern I see: You've had minor back twinges for months or years. You ignore them because you're busy. Then one day it goes from a 3/10 to a 9/10 in an instant, and you're stuck.
2. Shoulder Pain
Who gets it:
Painters (overhead work)
Electricians (arms above head in ceilings)
Carpenters (repetitive hammering, overhead drilling)
Plumbers (reaching into tight spaces)
What causes it:
Repetitive overhead work
Poor shoulder mechanics over time
Rotator cuff strain
Compensation patterns from old injuries
The pattern: Gradual onset. Starts as stiffness in the morning, progresses to pain during work, eventually becomes pain at rest. By the time you come in, you can barely lift your arm.
Why Tradies Wait Until They're Broken (And Why That's Expensive)
Let me guess why you haven't come in yet:
"I don't have time" Fair. You're booked solid. But here's the reality: I'm open six days a week with early morning appointments (from 9am) and after-work slots (until 7pm). Most of my tradie patients come in early morning if they need a medical certificate, or after work when they're already sore.
A 20-minute appointment now vs 1-2 days off work later. You do the math.
"It'll go away on its own" Sometimes it does. But if it's been nagging you for weeks and getting worse? It won't. That's your body telling you something's actually wrong, not just a temporary twinge.
"I can push through" Yeah, you can. Until you can't. And when you hit that wall, you're not gradually easing into being off work - you're suddenly unable to function and scrambling to cover your jobs.
"It's expensive" $65 for a treatment session vs $1,200+ in lost income. Plus, I don't lock you into prepaid packages or endless maintenance visits. Come until you're better, then come back when you need to.
What Actually Prevents Work Injuries (The Honest Answer)
Look, I could tell you to stretch before work, practice perfect lifting technique, and do core strengthening exercises daily. And all of that helps in theory.
But here's what I've learned from treating tradies in Geelong for 16 years:
What works in the real world:
1. Catch Problems Early
Don't wait until you can't move. If you've had a niggle for more than a week and it's not improving, come in. Early intervention means faster recovery and less time off work.
2. Get Proper Treatment When You Need It
When you come in with acute pain from physical work, you need someone who can actually work through that muscle mass. Most tradies have significant muscle development from years of physical labor. I adjust firmer for patients like this - not because you're a tradie, but because you're generally more developed and need that level of treatment to be effective.
The combination of firm manual adjustment plus soft tissue work (I spend the first few minutes on massage to reduce muscle resistance) is what gets tradies back to work quickly.
3. Maintenance When It Makes Sense
I'm not going to tell you to come in weekly forever. But if you've had a serious injury and you're back to doing the same physical work that caused it, occasional maintenance visits (every 4-6 weeks) can keep you functioning.
Think of it like servicing your ute. You don't wait until it breaks down on the side of the road - you do regular maintenance because downtime costs you money.
4. Lift Smart (When You Can)
Yes, proper lifting technique matters. But unless you're actively practicing it at the gym, most tradies don't lift correctly on the job. The reality is that job sites aren't set up for perfect biomechanics.
So what can you do? When you have the option to lift properly (feet apart, bend your knees, keep the load close), do it. When you don't have that option, at least be aware that you're putting extra strain on your back and plan accordingly.
5. Don't Work Injured
This is the big one. When you're already in pain and you keep working through it, you're making it worse. I know you've got jobs booked, but sometimes the smartest business decision is taking half a day to get treated properly rather than making a 3-day injury into a 3-week injury.
The Medical Certificate Reality
Let me address the elephant in the room: yes, some tradies come in primarily because they need a medical certificate for work.
That's fine. I provide medical certificates when they're warranted. But here's what usually happens:
You come in for the certificate, I treat you, and you realize you actually feel significantly better. Then next time your back starts playing up, you come in earlier because you remember how much better you felt after treatment.
That's the pattern I see repeatedly. The medical certificate gets you in the door, but the results keep you coming back when you need it.
I'm open early (from 9am) specifically because tradies often need to get sorted before they start work. Book online and you can see my real availability for same-day appointments.
What Happens in a Tradie Appointment
You're probably wondering what actually happens if you book in. Here's the realistic breakdown:
First visit (20 minutes total):
Quick paperwork - basic info, what's wrong, what caused it
Brief assessment - I need to understand what's going on
Treatment on day one - if it's safe to adjust you, we're doing it immediately
Firm manual adjustment - getting through that muscle mass to actually fix the problem
Soft tissue work - massage first to reduce muscle resistance
Sometimes dry needling if warranted
Medical certificate if you need one
Follow-up visits (usually shorter):
Straight to treatment
Adjustments as needed
Back to work the same day
My approach with tradies: I'm not here to lecture you about lifestyle changes you're not going to make. You have a physical job, that's not changing. My goal is to keep you functional and working despite the demands you're putting on your body.
Some tradies come in regularly for maintenance. Others come in only when they're falling apart. Both approaches are fine - I'm not here to force you into a treatment plan that doesn't make sense for your situation.
Case Study: The Concreter Who Waited Too Long
I had a concreter come in last year - late 40s, been doing concrete for 25+ years. His back had been "a bit sore" for six months. He'd been taking ibuprofen daily and just pushing through.
Then one Saturday he was screeding a big driveway and his back went completely. Couldn't stand up straight. Couldn't get in his ute. Ended up in emergency, got prescribed strong pain meds, was off work for a week.
Lost income: approximately $4,000 (self-employed, crew sitting idle) Medical costs: $200+ (emergency visit, medications, GP follow-up) Client relationship damage: significant (delayed job, unhappy customer)
When he finally came to see me, I asked: "How long had your back been bothering you before this happened?"
"Six months, maybe more."
If he'd come in when it first started bothering him consistently, we could have addressed it before it became a major injury. $65 and 20 minutes vs $4,000+ and a week of downtime.
That's the math that matters.
The Career Longevity Question
Here's something most tradies don't think about until they're forced to: how long can you keep doing this?
I've treated tradies in their 20s who feel invincible and tradies in their 50s whose bodies are giving out. The difference isn't just age - it's whether they took care of their body along the way.
The tradies still working comfortably in their 50s and 60s:
Got treatment when they needed it
Didn't push through serious injuries
Did occasional maintenance care
Adapted their work practices as they aged
The tradies who had to quit or go into management:
Ignored problems until they were catastrophic
Kept working through injuries
Never addressed underlying issues
Woke up one day and couldn't do the physical work anymore
You're building a career, not just getting through this week's jobs. Taking care of your body isn't soft - it's smart business.
When Prevention Actually Matters (And When It Doesn't)
Let me be straight with you: if you're 25, feel great, and have no pain, you probably don't need regular chiropractic care.
But if you're experiencing any of these, prevention becomes important:
✅ Recurring pain (same spot keeps flaring up)
✅ Morning stiffness that takes an hour to work out
✅ Pain that's getting gradually worse over weeks/months
✅ Previous serious injury that's "mostly better"
✅ Over 40 and starting to feel the accumulated wear and tear
That's when catching problems early makes a difference between minor maintenance and major injury.
Practical Steps: What To Do Next
If you're currently in pain: Don't wait. Seriously. If it's affecting your work or keeping you up at night, book an appointment now.
I'm at 293 Latrobe Terrace, Geelong (plenty of parking out back), open six days a week:
Monday-Saturday: 9am-12pm and 3pm-7pm (some days I close earlier)
Early morning slots for medical certificates
After-work appointments available
$65 per session - no hidden fees, no pressure to prepay for packages.
Call 03 5224 1838 if you prefer to book by phone or have questions.
If you're not currently in pain but want to avoid future injuries:
Pay attention to early warning signs (persistent stiffness, minor aches that don't go away)
Come in when something feels "not quite right" - don't wait until it's unbearable
Consider occasional maintenance if you've had previous injuries
Lift smart when you can, but don't beat yourself up when the job doesn't allow perfect technique
The Bottom Line for Geelong Tradies
You're tough. You work hard. You push through. I respect that - it's how you make a living.
But pushing through when your body is sending you warning signals isn't toughness, it's bad business.
The smart play: ✅ Catch problems early (saves time and money)
✅ Get proper treatment from someone who understands physical work
✅ Get back to work quickly
✅ Protect your ability to keep working for decades, not just months
One bad injury can cost you thousands in lost income and damage your reputation with clients. A $65 prevention visit is the cheapest insurance policy you'll ever buy.
Ready to stop pushing through and actually fix the problem? Book your appointment here or call 03 5224 1838.
Your back (and your bank account) will thank you.
