6 Back-Saving Tools Every Older DIYer Needs

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Many DIY projects at home involve a lot of physical effort. Although this might not be an issue if you're younger, you might start having some second thoughts about working on more complicated projects as you get older. Because we're often not as spry and nimble when we get older, it's wise to adjust our tools and workflow to take our age into consideration.

In fact, I found out about this the hard way when I had to carry a heavy load in an emergency. Since I'm much closer to 40 now than 30, that incident resulted in lower back pain that saw me getting a doctor's appointment. This resulted in several tests and eight weeks of therapy, which, thankfully, my insurance covered fully. And while I no longer have pain in my lower back, I still feel pressure at the affected area at times, especially when I'm sitting or standing for long periods.

That's why it's important that you protect your back, especially when doing some heavy DIY work. To help you do that, we're listing some back-saving tools and accessories to keep your back in good condition. Whether you're an older DIYer or a young adult just getting into the hobby, you should consider these items to help prevent life-altering injuries.

A cart is often quite convenient if you need to move heavy articles around your property, especially if you're moving them across paved surfaces. But if you want something flexible with a good, solid base that can carry a ton of different items, consider getting a platform hand truck. 

The large, solid base on this equipment makes it quite versatile, as you can put a lot of different items on it without worrying that they will fall through the gaps, like on this convertible hand truck from Harbor Freight that's useful for moving. Aside from that, it usually has a high carrying capacity for transporting heavy items one at a time, or you can pile in several smaller items, allowing you to take several items simultaneously instead of making multiple trips.

For example, this MaxWorks foldable platform truck push dolly has a maximum weight capacity of 660 pounds and features a textured platform to prevent your cargo from sliding around unnecessarily. It comes with a padded handle for easy handling and padded edges to avoid damage when you bump into walls. You'll also get four heavy-duty wheels, with the rear two capable of rotating 360 degrees for better maneuverability. Most importantly, it costs less than $68 on Amazon, meaning it's a small but durable investment that will make it easy to move heavy items around without risking your back.

If you need to move a heavy piece of furniture or appliance, you should consider using furniture moving straps, such as this one from Shoulder Dolly. Note that using this tool is a two-person job, as two people must wear the harness across their shoulders. They slip the strap under the item that they want to carry, adjust it accordingly, and lift with their legs simultaneously.

What it does is carry most of the weight of the item on the strap, which is then spread across the torsos and legs of the users. That does not mean that you can use the device hands-free, though — you still need to support it by pushing against the object you're lifting as you both stand up to give it stability. You also need to know your limitations, as you still have to exert effort to lift and move the objects. The Shoulder Dolly doesn't carry the weight for you; it just safely distributes the load across your bodies. But with proper use, this gadget helps two people safely carry up to 800 pounds.

This item was first developed for professional movers, but is now widely available to just about anyone who needs to do heavy lifting. It's also quite affordable, as you can get the Shoulder Dolly for under $50 on Amazon. So, if you like to frequently do DIY renovations and rearrange your furniture and appliances, this is the perfect solution to help you avoid back injuries.

You've probably heard of standing desks and the benefits that they deliver to remote workers, but did you know that DIYers could also take advantage of the same adjustable-height technology when it comes to their workbenches? Since you're most probably exerting effort when you're using your workbench, it's good to have it placed at the ideal waist-level height. That way, you'll find yourself in a comfortable posture as you work on your project, reducing the chances that you'll get a repetitive strain injury, back pain, or joint issues.

If you're buying a workbench for yourself, you may think that you don't need a height-adjustable model as you won't share it with others. But it's still nice to have the option to adjust its height, as the height you're comfortable with may vary depending on the task at hand. For example, you might want to lower your workbench and use it as a table when you're planning your next woodworking project, but raise it to waist level when you're screwing together the pieces that you're working on while you're standing up.

However, you shouldn't just get any height-adjustable workbench when you're out shopping. Look for something that's sturdy enough to withstand the projects that you intend to do and has useful features like tool holders and wheels for easy movement. These extra features can cost you, though, with one example, the Vevor Work Bench for Garage demanding more than $360 on Amazon. You can also pick one from Lowe's workbench and table offerings at around the same price range. But considering you can use this for several years and avoid health issues, it could be well worth the investment.

A power drill is a quite versatile tool to have in your DIY kit, as you can use it for both drilling holes and driving screws. However, if you encounter a particularly stubborn screw or bolt that has been torqued down way too much, you'd need to put a lot of pressure on it by physically pushing your drill into the screw head while holding it steady to counteract the reactionary torque.

This means you're probably exerting a lot of effort using your entire body, and if you make one wrong move, you could end up with a bad back. To prevent this, consider adding an impact driver to your power drill collection. While you'd still use the latter for making holes on surfaces, the former is far more useful for driving screws and bolts.

What makes an impact driver different from a power drill is its driving mechanism. Instead of just using a powerful motor, this tool uses a hammer-and-anvil mechanism, wherein the hammer is pulled by a spring around an axis. This allows the tool to build up potential energy, which is then released in one go. The hammer then hits the anvil, which drives the collet and bit with much greater force than if driven directly by a motor. Because of this, you do not need to exert as much effort when you're using it, saving muscle strain and reducing the potential for injury. 

Tool belts are quite handy accessories that help keep all your tools within reach. Tools tend to be quite heavy items, and the usual belt design concentrates all that weight on your hips and lower back. This can lead to body aches, pains, and fatigue, especially with prolonged use and uneven tool distribution.

Because of this, we suggest getting an ergonomic tool belt to help save your back. This accessory still puts a belt around you, where you hang all your tools. However, it also comes with thick, padded shoulder suspenders to distribute the weight across your shoulders and reduce the pressure on your hips and lower back.

One example of an ergonomic tool belt is the Milwaukee Contractor Work Belt with Suspension Rig, just one of Milwaukee's products that will save your back. Some DIYers might balk at its $139.99 price at Ace Hardware, but having this may prove priceless as it can ease your workload and contribute to preventing injury.