We talk a lot about growing a roofing business — leads, proposals, crew scheduling. We don't talk enough about the thing that makes all of it possible: your body. Physiotherapist Colby Bucci, owner of the Center for Fitness, Health and Performance in Toronto, joined the Roofer Report to talk about what 12-hour days on a roof actually do to your joints and muscles, and what you can do about it before it becomes a permanent problem. Here's what he had to say:
The most common roofing injuries
According to Colby, low back pain isn't just common in roofing — it's the number one muscle and joint disability worldwide for any physically demanding job.
"It just takes a toll day after day, year after year," Colby says.
Close behind low back pain are:
- Shoulder injuries — from overhead work straining the rotator cuff
- Wrist and elbow injuries — from power tools and leaning on your hands and knees
- Knee pain — from climbing ladders and kneeling all day
Repetition causes the damage
Colby estimates that roughly 90% of the injuries he treats are repetitive strain, not acute accidents. The damage doesn't show up all at once. It builds over time as you do repetitive movements over and over and over again.
Don't wait for the snap. If something's been nagging for more than a day or two, that's your alarm going off. Address it now or risk a more painful injury and longer recovery time.
Why roofers push through pain (and why that backfires)
A lot of roofers work without paid sick leave, which creates a brutal catch-22.
Colby's point isn't that you should stop working at the first twinge. It's that a short recovery window early on is almost always cheaper than the alternative. Ignoring pain doesn't make it go away. It usually just makes the eventual time off longer.
Three things that actually prevent injury
Colby breaks prevention into three parts:
- Warm up before you get on the roof. A few minutes of movement, stretching, and mimicking the positions you'll be in helps get blood flowing before you start hauling shingles at 4:30 a.m. in the cold.
- Recover after the work day. Massage, home stretches, icing sore spots, and (most critically) lots of sleep help the body heal after long days on the job site.
- Strengthen the tissue year-round. It’s not just about your biceps. Your core, back, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and rotator cuffs all need to be strong enough to handle the job.
Core work that actually helps (and what to skip)
Most people think "core" means abs. Colby's take: the muscles you see in the mirror are mostly for show. The muscles that actually stabilize your spine are deeper, and building them means avoiding moves that flex your spine the wrong way.
Start with:
- Planks — on wrists or forearms, whichever is pain-free
- Side planks — if tolerable
- Dead bugs — lying on your back, opposite arm and leg extending while your core keeps your spine still
- Bird dogs — on all fours, opposite arm and leg extending while your pelvis stays still
Skip (if you have a weak core or existing pain):
- Crunches and sit-ups — they put your spine into the same flexed position that already causes back pain
Colby's simple prescription: skip the crunches and sit ups. Instead, run through planks, dead bugs, and bird dogs as a circuit until fatigued. That's your starting core workout.
Once that's manageable, add Farmer's carries — walking while holding a weight in one or both hands without letting it pull you off balance. It's a great core exercise, and it directly mirrors carrying a toolbox or materials on the job.
Lifting technique: the basics that actually matter
Colby's core lifting rules:
- Lift close — Keep whatever you're lifting as close to your body as possible
- Use a hip hinge — push your butt back and bend your knees, keeping your back straight, instead of rounding over
- Avoid twisting while lifting — face the object directly instead of reaching across your body
Hydration is a joint-health issue, not just an energy issue
When you're dehydrated, your muscles get tighter and more prone to injury. The discs between your spinal vertebrae also rely on fluid for shock absorption. Chronic dehydration means less cushioning for your spine.
This matters most in extreme heat, when the temptation is to push through instead of stopping for water.
Do braces actually help?
Braces work best paired with strengthening, not as a replacement for it.
Use a brace for a genuinely heavy or vulnerable-position lift, or during a recovery period while you rehab an injury. If you're relying on it permanently with zero strengthening work behind it, it's a more of a band-aid than a long-term fix.
Long-term damage: what's reversible and what isn't
Degenerative changes — worn cartilage, arthritis — aren't going to regrow. But Colby's clear that permanent structural damage doesn't have to mean permanent pain.
The earlier you address a nagging issue, the faster it typically resolves. Twenty years of ignored pain can still improve. It just takes longer than a few weeks of physio to fix. The sooner you address pain, the faster it will recover.
What if you don't have insurance benefits?
Not every roofer has insurance, and that's often the reason they skip physio altogether. Colby's advice: go once.
Even a single session gets you an assessment, a few home exercises (often with a structured plan you can do at home with Youtube videos), and enough direction that you're not just guessing what's wrong. That's a far better starting point than waiting until the pain forces you off the job anyway.
The mindset shift: treat your job like a sport
Colby's biggest reframe for roofers: you're doing physical labor at a level that rivals or exceeds a lot of sports, without the athlete's approach to warming up, recovering, or asking for help.
That includes the stigma around asking for help lifting something heavy, or seeing a physical therapist. Colby's point: everyone on the crew is either dealing with the same strain (or will be eventually). Getting checked out isn't a weakness. It's maintenance.
FAQs: Preventing Injuries as a Roofer
What's the most common injury roofers deal with?
Low back pain. It's the most common muscle and joint disability across any physically demanding job, and it's typically caused by a combination of bending, lifting, and twisting throughout the day.
Is it better to push through a minor injury or take time off?
Pushing through repeated pain usually makes it worse over time. A short recovery period early, sometimes just a few days to a couple of weeks, is often enough to prevent a minor issue from becoming a long-term one.
What exercises help prevent back injuries for roofers?
Planks, side planks, dead bugs, and bird dogs build the deep core muscles that stabilize your spine, which is different from ab-focused moves like crunches. Farmer's carries also translate directly to carrying tools and materials on the job.
Should roofers wear a back brace?
A brace is useful for particularly heavy lifts or during recovery from an injury, but it should be paired with strengthening exercises. Relying on a brace alone without doing any core work just creates dependence on it long-term.
How does hydration affect injury risk?
Dehydration makes muscles tighter and less flexible, and reduces the fluid cushioning in the discs between spinal vertebrae. That means more strain on your back and joints, especially during long days in extreme heat.
Can years of chronic back pain actually be fixed?
Structural wear, like arthritis, isn't reversible, but that doesn't mean pain is permanent. Even after years of ignored pain, targeted treatment and strengthening can significantly reduce or eliminate discomfort. It just takes longer than if you caught it early.