@db4690; and others. I have had back issues starting at age 21; spent 5 days in bed-call it a lesson hard learned.
I do core exercises 5 days a week. It helps. From stretches to everything else. I have avoided surgery or even imaging my back-I know what its going to show.
yep. db. the stretching and core strengthening definitely helps. just learn to do it properly
@db4690: “Parts, Accessories, Advice” --Autozone didn’t say anything about car advice. Perhaps they are simply helping the lovelorn. 
+1 for galant and wes. Back problems are the absolute pits. However, the thread has gotten a bit off topic. Could you please bring it back somehow? Thanks.
There are still those who will have JL do their work. Drive in service without an appointment, they could probably provide wi fi if they were enterprising enough. JL is the “fast food " of car service. I predict that like MacDonalds, they won’t lack for customers. I don’t know that it’s a great place for a kid to learn his mechanical expertise anymore then it is for a kid at MacD’s to learn to be a culinary expert. You get what you pay for and convenience is a huge selling point. I can see the sign now…”.mechanic for brake jobs wanted, will train and work around your after school obligations" @SteveC76 I can tell you exactly where they will get some of their techs from.
I just hope they need at least one or two certifide mechanics in charge, who isn’t out back sleeping off a hangover, or worse. 
just trying to be funny, they will get the creme de la Creme …MOF, we do have a "fast food " car service business right next to a MacD’s in town.
I think auto mechanics are prone to back problems because they are often contorted into strange positions while doing heavy work, not good for the spine
@wesw
True story…I stopped going to the local Tire Warehouse where I always got good service at a reasonable price. I had to stop because I always got the same worker it seemed who had the worse body odor. It took a week to get the odor out of my truck…I was just too polite and stopped going there, choosing instead to pay more elsewhere. JL gets the same guys…with back problems and body odor.
“JL gets the same guys…with back problems and body odor.”
…or with legal problems…
One night, several years ago, a very alert police officer in my town decided to investigate a car that was sitting in back of the local J-Lube. The two guys inside the car were too distracted to see his car approaching, and he caught them in the act of putting “nose candy” into their nasal cavities.
Yup!
You guessed it.
The two guys who were apprehended were the manager and an employee of that J-Lube.
That particular location was closed for several days, most likely because the franchise owner needed that time to locate a new manager.
I understand “nose candy” does wonders for back pain. A great prep for mechanics before they spend all that time bending over working on your brakes. It might just have been a practical use for illegal substances by a JL technician. I always popped a couple of I Ibuprofin before I rotated my tires. Same thing… one time I used the Ibu PM by mistake. It took me twice as long to get err done and I left the compressor on and plugged in for two days.
@VDCdriver
I’ve also observed Pep Boys mechanics shooting up or snorting in the far corners of the parking lot, when they think nobody’s watching
I’d hate to be the owner of the car that gets worked on directly after their break is over
It’s so obvious, who do they think they’re fooling? 2 guys go to the far corner of the parking lot, then they come back all jittery and bouncing off the walls
Perhaps if you work there, you’re supposed to be “peppy” . . . ?
@dagosa
One guy I used to work with, his body odor was so offensive, customers would complain about the smell when they got their cars back
From what I understand, he didn’t shower or brush his teeth regularly.
One time, his supervisor told him he’s not giving him any more work until he takes a shower . . . !
I know not everybody smells like roses, but you have to at least try to be civilized
Ya know I have used a great chiropractor for a number of years. Now I was convinced my 2 month hip pain and inability to walk up and down stairs was due to I needed a new hip like my sister and mother. I originally went to him for back 15 years ago pain, and got orthodics and have been living well for back pain. My wife decided not to go to a chiropractor but to a surgeon. She had spinal fusion and has been in pain every day of her life since. 3 other people at work with the same doc then multiple surgeries now on disability. She declined further surgeries.
Now she has hip pain and it is a consequence of spinal fusion. Nerve ablation worked once then failed and insurance will not give another try, now an implant of wires and a controller.
Now my hip after 3 weeks starting to tackle stairs, wife got rearended and decided to see him on my urging as they cannot get her in earlier than Jan 14 for an MRI. Stepped neck he says, xray to make sure no cracked bones.
My take surgery as the last option. Am starting stairs again and have so minimal pain compared to what I thought was a hopeless situation, And my back was so bad at times years ago I literally had to crawl to the bathroom! Been so long since that pain, and only mentioned the hip in passing, but he is on it and it is stuff that works. But any day without surgery is what I consider a good day in my book. Sure I am on a maintenance plus more now for the hip, but a happy camper.
JL picked up the trade that was left behind when gasoline stations did oil changes, brake work, tune-ups and tire repair. I think that the oil companies had a lot to do with the demise of the corner gas station. Our town had a station leased by an outstanding mechanic and he had a great business. However the oil company wanted a cut of the profits as well as the lease payment and its profit on the gasoline. This mechanic started his own tune-up shop and had the latest in Sun test equipment. In cases where an individual owned the building and pumps, the oil companies made it unprofitable for the owner to pump gasoline. Furthermore, the oil companies divided up the nation. Gulf and. Texaco that were prominent in my area were suddenly gone and most of the stations were closed. Motorists need oil changes so JL came along to pick up the business. It doesn’t take a,rocket, scientist to understand JL getting into brakes and air condirioning.
As to this thread migrating into body ailments, I have been fighting dental and foot problems for the last decade. When I had my last physical check up, I asked my physician about my problems and the cause. He looked at my teeth, then my feet and exclaimed “You have hoof and mouth disease”.
“I’ve also observed Pep Boys mechanics shooting up or snorting in the far corners of the parking lot, when they think nobody’s watching”
Yeah, that's the "Pep"! But seriously, I must agree, no matter what people do on their own time.. it doesn't seem particularly professional to wander off into some corner and get high at work.I’m not advocating chemical recreation at work, but I would have to admit that some jobs are so boring, demeaning, or just plain soul-killing, that I understand why people would want a pick-me-up. (or a mellow-me-out) True, just a change of jobs would likely be healthier for all involved.
Re. excessive BO, there was a Seinfeld episode that I remember where he got his car back from the mechanic with BO that no one could eradicate…
when I stopped the pain meds, I had a putrid odor exuding from me during night sweats. it was so horrible that it would wake me up. the clothes were ruined as the scent could not be washed out. when the clothes went into the dryer the whole house stank and the other clothes in there were ruined too.
I think alcholics have similar issues when de toxing