LogAbility

Logging and de Quervaine Tenosynovitis

Morgan Becker, B.S., OT/S Johnson & Wales University Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Doctorate Have you ever been operating a joystick while working a machine and experienced pain or swelling at the base of your thumb? Maybe even coupled with a “sticking” sensation when you move your thumb and wrist? Well, those symptoms might be caused by […]

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Work-Life Balance and Logging

Imagine taking your loved one to the ER, and the medical doctor (MD) finally attends to you, only to find out they’ve already completed a 12-hour day, marking their 70th hour of work this week. Do you think your loved one will receive the best care? You may be concerned that the MD might miss […]

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Reducing Slips, Trips and Falls in the Logging Industry, Part 1

Re-printed from The Loggers Voice Summer 2022 (Part 1 of 2)  by Brie Weisman, OTR/L with Maine LogAbility Improvements in logging technology are making the industry safer and more efficient. One surprising consequence of the shift from muscle to machine is the increased risk of slips, trips, and falls (STFs) in certain situations.  Increasingly, mechanized […]

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Loggers and Rotator Cuff Injury 

By Brie Weisman, OTR/L,  with assistance from Michaela Marden, OTR/L  Also published in The Logger’s Voice Spring 2022 Shoulder injuries may not be the first thing that comes to mind when contemplating the dangers faced by loggers, but it only takes a moment to realize why they are commonplace in the industry. Tasks like pitching […]

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Fuel Transfer Pumps as Assistive Technology

Assistive technology (AT) is any piece of equipment that is used to improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.  Let’s face it, disability is ordinary, and affects most of us for some part of our lives. Here’s an AT idea shared by one of our Advisory Council members, Donald Burr, Professional Logging Contractors of […]

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Loggers and Knee Pain

By Brie Weisman, Occupational Therapist with Maine LogAbility Knee pain is the second most common musculoskeletal complaint in the logging industry, after back pain. The knee is regularly put under stress. Just walking on level ground produces force on the knee of 1.5 times your own body weight. Over time, wear and tear on knees […]

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Back Health for Loggers

by Brie Weisman, Occupational Therapist with Maine LogAbility. Article published in the Fall 2021 Logger’s Voice (Volume 15, Issue 4) Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability, occurring in similar proportions in all cultures, interfering with the quality of life, and the ability to earn a living. Logging is a physically […]

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