Toyotaguy: If you are in significant pain after 6 details, there could be several factors at work: poor body mechanics and poor muscle strength, especially in the abdominal and back muscles come to mind first and foremost. It would be useful to know your age and physical shape. If you are overweight and out of shape, you're going to have problems. There are insurance plans for the self-employed...you would have to call various insurance carriers to see what they are and how much they cost. They will be more expensive than the plans provided by employers of larger companies because there will be no employer to help underwrite the costs and can purchase plans at a volume-type discount. I've often thought that a national association of detailers of some type would be useful in securing volume pricing for things such as this.
Joint pain associated with repeated physical impact may not necessarily be arthritis, although many people would refer to such pain by this term. Degenerative joint disease (DJD) may be at work here as well as some other possibilites. Distinguishing osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, DJD, synovits etc....and there proper treatment means a visit to the doctor.....an orthopedist or rheumatologist. Some things can be treated and resolved, like synovitis, others may require chronic meds or surgery and many can be minimized by using proper body mechanics along with muscle strengthening. Alot of people have found benefit in glucosamine/chondroitin compounds for improving joint function. Until the issue is properly defined, the appropriate interventions cannot be determined, just like in deciding which steps, products and tools are needed to correct defects in the finish of a car to be detailed. Be aware that self-medicating with over-the-counter compounds and herbals is self-treating. These things are medications and should be treated as such. You need to be informed, informed, informed when using them and that will require some concerted effort at research on the part of the user befrore taking them. You can do some of this research at
www.consumerlab.com, the American Botanical Council's HerbClip at
www.herbalgram.org or
www.naturaldatabase.com. This last site costs 92 dollars a year and may be available through your local pharmacy, physician or hospital based pharmacy. It will give info on clinical testing and what, if any, are the known drug-herb interactions. If you are on other meds, this information can be crucial to have. Many herbs can potentiate the effects of various prescribed meds. You must always state what herbs etc...you are taking to your health care providers and if you are admitted to the hospital for any reason, but especially for surgery. Herbs such as Ginko can anticoagulate (keep the blood form clotting). The same is true for large doses of Omega3 fatty acids and this effect can be increased by taking such simple things as Pepto-Bismol.
Proper body mechanics and positoning while working can help reduce muscle and joint strain. Muscle strengthening of the abdominal muscle in particular (they support the back) can be helpful as well. The back support brace mentioned by another member has been helpful to some but must be combined with muscle strengthening. Well padded mechanics gloves may help reduce carpel tunnel type issues...I certainly like mine and use them whenever I get out the PC. Use of tools such as Polishing Pals can reduce hand and arm fatigue as compared to regular foam applicators. I use mine religiously for that reason. Other things such as raising the car by driving it onto ramps can make working on the lower panels easier if that is what is needed for you to maintain proper body mechanics. Using a step ladder or platform instead of reaching with a heavy polisher and trying to apply pressure will help as well. Breaking up polishing with other tasks may help. Frequent short breaks with some stretches could possibly be helpful as well.
...then I :wall 
