<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Rob,<DIV>Solving the moving =
issue is simple. If you damage it, either you or the music department =
has to pay to fix it. If it damages you or a student, either you or =
the music department has to pay for it. If an outside vendor or the =
university movers damage it, the liability is theirs and they carry =
insurance to cover damage. My job description says that I have to =
supervise all moves. But I am told that I am not actually supposed to =
take part in it for liability reasons. Yes, I get a different crew =
from the university movers every time, but it isn't very difficult to =
explain what we are going to do every time.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Yes, we do move pianos =
sometimes. The movers tend to need a couple weeks notice and we can't =
always provide that. I observed a method where a skid isn't even =
necessary, and we have moved pianos a number of times without one. =
That's just too much extra work to move pianos around in the same =
building.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>As =
for your back, hey man, I literally feel your pain. I'm only 39 and =
I've had severe chronic back problems since my early 20s. But it =
doesn't take moving a piano to put me flat on the floor for a week. =
Just going to the bathroom or tying my shoes has done it. I have a =
very good relationship with my Chiropractor who has come to my house on =
more than one occasion to get me going. I used to think my back would =
occasionally "slip out of place", and that was what was causing my =
problems. But what I finally learned more than anything else, =
including MRI evidence of arthritis, is that dehydration is the primary =
cause of my back problems. You won't hear that from an orthopedic =
doctor because there are no drug sales involved, so there is "no =
research linking muscle spasms to dehydration". But think about it. =
What do they give athletes when they get cramps? A back spasm is =
mainly a muscle cramp in hyperdrive. Once I started being more =
conscious of dehydration, my back problems have eased off. The couple =
times I have been on my back, I've realized I hadn't been keeping =
hydrated as I should. Tip: If you feel thirsty, you're already =
dehydrated. Drinking plenty of water is also a good remedy for lots =
of other health problems as well.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The other thing to be aware =
of is the curvature and strength of the lower back and abs. Exercises =
where you just lay on your stomach and raise your upper torso will help =
build the muscles in the lower back AND help to maintain the proper =
curvature of the lower spine. I will even do exercises during a =
tuning to restore the proper curve. Seats in cheap automobiles =
generally have not zero, but REVERSE lumbar support and generally put a =
lot of stress on the spine because they ride pretty rough as well. =
Office chairs are rough on the spine also. You can roll up a towel =
and wrap it around your lower torso while you sleep or sit to help with =
the lumbar curve. And crunches to build those abs will take some of =
the strain off of the muscles of the back.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>A book called "Treat Your =
Own Back" by Robin McKenzie is an excellent resource.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href="http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3407095364165&isbn==
0959774661">http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3407095364165&=
;isbn=0959774661</A></DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Occasionally spending time =
with a good massage therapist is also an excellent =
investment.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Wish you =
well,</DIV><DIV>Jeff</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Feb 22, =
2006, at 12:31 PM, Rob & Helen Goodale wrote:</DIV><BR =
class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; =
border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; =
font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV><FONT =
face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" =
style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">Hello,</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">Typically I stay in the back ground and just observe the list but I =
have worthy inquiry. I am the staff tech at UNLV, (University of =
Nevada, Las Vegas). We have +/-65 pianos and occasionally a few must =
be moved around. I have one grand and one upright that I keep aside =
for when someone needs one for special events. The upright has a =
permanent heavy truck on it for moving around. For grands I use =
a</SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
"> method that involves tilting the piano up onto the skid while it's =
already on the dolly. The dolly is custom made with extra large =
hard wheels. Two of the wheels do not swivel so that it doesn't skip =
out while lifting. If it is a reasonably small grand, (nothing larger =
than a C-3), then it is surprisingly simple. I'm sure there are =
others who do this. Anyway to the =
point.</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" =
size="2"></FONT> </DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" =
size="2"></FONT> </DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">After lifting and moving pianos for years my back has just about had =
it. Every so often it slips out of place and I find myself in pain =
for several days. Recently I was required to move several pianos in a =
day and it just about did me in. This morning I found myself stiff =
and unable to crawl out of bed. The reality is that I can't continue =
doing this. At age 40 I have a long way to go and I don't fancy =
ruining my back for the likes of ungrateful university =
staff.</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" =
size="2"></FONT> </DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">I would like to know what other university techs have done regarding =
piano moves. Because of liability reasons they are not too =
enthusiastic about getting students to do it. The facilities =
management people are not reliable and can't be trusted to show =
up on time. The Faculty is certainly not interested in getting their =
hands dirty. I have occasionally called in another outside tech but =
that is not always possible. Unfortunately my Jedi skills aren't =
mastered well enough to move pianos using "The Force". So... what do =
</SPAN><U style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">YOU</SPAN></U><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">do?</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" =
size="2"></FONT> </DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" size="2"><SPAN =
class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px; =
">Rob Goodale, RPT</SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV><FONT face="Arial" =
size="2"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; =
font-size: 10px; ">Las Vegas, NV</SPAN></FONT></DIV><BR =
class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV><B=
R><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: =
separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: =
0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Jeff Tanner, =
RPT</DIV><DIV>University of South Carolina</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR =
class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>=