Pain in the backache - your remedy?

[doxford jim]

Hi Guys,

I have read this thread with great interest. Like most of you, I have had back problems most of my adult life.
As a youngster I was very much into competitive swimming and water pole and had nil problems. Later on in my early 20's I started to develop some back problems. It each case of sever condition, i started with me bending over to do something, a loud "click" and then falling to my knees with a painful back. Over several years I was checked poked, xrayed, given various medication - even had a corset type back belt made. None of the above made any real improvement. Then the last time I had back problems (1979) where I was crawling around the house on my hands and knees, I figured that there had to be a better way of dealing with what I had.

I spent a bit of time going over what treatment I had over the years and no one had mention swimming as therapy - hhhhmmm! Knowing what I did of swimming and training, I thought why not. The water supports the body and eases movement. The swimming exercises all of the muscles freely and there are no real problems with muscles being pinched etc., or being severely overused. So I decided to use the swimming pool for my therapy. Well after two days of say 1/2 hrs of swimming, I was able to walk around with little or no pain - after being on my hands and knees ! After four or five days, I could not believe the difference. I no longer had any pain, backaches or stiffness. I could not believe that five days earlier I was helpless on the floor - crawling around on my hands an knees. I mainly used the front crawl stroke and whilst swimming, rolled from side to side to flex the spine a bit.

Since 1979 I have had no further serious problems with my back. The corset belt was thrown away as it was / is not needed. In my case, after the swimming therapy I made darn sure that I exercised regularly and watched how I lifted heavy weights etc. To date I have had no furter serious problems with the back. I do however, have problems with knees (rugby injury) and shoulders (over use?) and the occasional hip. For these problems I take a couple of Tylenol in the morning first thing and two more in the evening prior to going to bed. These I put down to old age (69 next birthday) and just keep myself busy and active - though I have to be careful nonetheless. I take a supplement for joint pain (glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM) and it makes things much more bearable.

Anyhoo, just thought I would mention my experiences and results. I still get aches and pains, but mostly the other parts that are attached to the back

Thanks
Jim

 

[lhfarm]

As an excercise program, I suggest 12 oz curls while seated in a lawn chair. :drink:

I've already been doing that, except in a rocking chair for the added workout. Not sure that did add to the problem, but not going to give it up!

 

[Turbys_1700]

All the drugs do is hide the pain, or make it bearable until the cause of the pain heals and goes away. I've had numerous back injuries and found that laying on my back, curling my head up to my knees and rocking back and forth to be very helpful. Sort of a massage and stretch at the same time. I do this numerous times during the day and it makes a huge improvement.

When I first got hurt, I learned that the spine is held in place by your abdomen muscles. The stronger your abs are, the better your back is. The weaker it is, the more likely you are to get hurt, and the more overweight you are, the worse it gets in both having injuries and getting better.

I struggle with my weight. I'm always on a diet, and I'm always up and down with my weight. I've never had an injury when I was thin, but when I get about 30 pounds overweight, it seems to happen every time.

Another thing that has been proven over and over again with back injuries is you have to stay active. The more active you are when you are hurt, the faster it heals. The worse thing to do is to do nothing and just lay around. I was a Union Steward for 8 years and worked freight for 13 years before moving out here to TX. It was proven beyond any doubt that the sooner a guy was put back to work, the faster he got better. Just making them come in to work and do light duty sped up their recovery. The records proved this overwhelmingly. You have to keep moving around to get better!!!

Eddie

Eddie, you are spot on...
I have always struggled with morbid obesity...
I've always been healthy but overweight...
I made a promise to myself to get healthy over the next year through diet and exercise...
I can tell you that when I wake up in the morning my back will be stiff...
I get over to the elliptical and work out 35 minutes and the darn thing is fine...
Once I get my weight down to a healthier level I hope that my back problems are reduced...
I bowl twice a week in league and it is hard on your back, legs, and arms...

 

[PhysAssist]

As an excercise program, I suggest 12 oz curls while seated in a lawn chair. :drink:

Unfortunately, that is one of my favorite exercise routines, but since my mid-thirties (after PA school) I have limited myself to 1 or 2 an evening while making dinner with the boss, or sitting down after work and have stuck to that with only one or two exceptions a year at local (or not so local) brewfests.

While no one suggests starting drinking to non-drinkers, the evidence is pretty strong that doing so on a very limited basis, i.e., no more than 1-2 drinks per night (and half that for women) is not going to hurt you, and may be protective against several of the more common causes of mortality (except for persons with a personal or family history of alcohol problems or breast cancer).

BTW, a drink is considered to be 1 oz. of liquor, 4 oz. (I think) of wine, or 12 oz. of beer, cider, or wine/other coolers.

Thomas

PS: I too share the shooting pain and crooked back episodes when my sacroiliac or whatever gets out of whack, and just like you, it can start from a sneeze, lifting (even correctly), or as I recall from one of my worst episodes, from pulling the car seat forward while holding onto the steering wheel.

What seems to be common in all of these is that what ever action or activity is involved happens while your back is both bent and twisted.

For me, one of the things that triggered my episodes, and when compensated for reduced them, was that one of my legs ended up about 1/2" shorter than the other after I broke my femur (another long boring story) and it healed slightly crooked, which shortened it. The chiropractor noticed it, and gave me lifts for my shoes to reduce it.

Then in 2010, when I had my knee replaced, the surgeon (at my strong request) compensated for the bend, and I have had significantly less episodes since then.
T

 

[scott_vt]

As an excercise program, I suggest 12 oz curls while seated in a lawn chair. :drink:

Good Evein Moss,
And how many reps would you suggest Doc ??? :drink:

 

[dmccarty]

Eddie, you are spot on...
I have always struggled with morbid obesity...
I've always been healthy but overweight...
I made a promise to myself to get healthy over the next year through diet and exercise...
I can tell you that when I wake up in the morning my back will be stiff...
I get over to the elliptical and work out 35 minutes and the darn thing is fine...
Once I get my weight down to a healthier level I hope that my back problems are reduced...
I bowl twice a week in league and it is hard on your back, legs, and arms...

I used to know a guy who was morbidly obese who got on a diet and exercise plan and lost over 180 pounds. At the time, I was around 180 pounds, I wish I was still around 180 pounds , so he lost more than me in weight. :laughing::laughing::laughing: I do not think he was on any special diet other than watching calories. We used to try to tempt him with potato chips but he would refuse. :thumbsup: He would get on an elliptical trainer and go for hours. The guy was a PITA but I had to admire is discipline to get that weight off his body. Weight loss sure ain't easy...

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

I've already been doing that, except in a rocking chair for the added workout. Not sure that did add to the problem, but not going to give it up!

Light weights!

I use 22 oz bottles and rock a two seater porch swing! Not a little, itty bitty, rocking chair! :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Course, this has not helped the weight so I only do this on the weekend. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[riptides]

Light weights!
I use 22 oz bottles and rock a two seater porch swing! Not a little, itty bitty, rocking chair! :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Course, this has not helped the weight so I only do this on the weekend. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

Bah! I'll do six 12oz'ers standing and recycle the bottles accordingly, a night!

 

[dmccarty]

Light weights!

I use 22 oz bottles and rock a two seater porch swing! Not a little, itty bitty, rocking chair! :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:

Course, this has not helped the weight so I only do this on the weekend. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

Bah! I'll do six 12oz'ers standing and recycle the bottles accordingly, a night!

The 22oz bottles are full of my home brew. Some of the beer is 4.5-5.5% alcohol but some of the brews are 8-10%. A single 22 ounce bottle can be more alcohol than four store bought 12 oz bottles. I made a mistake one day when smoking/cooking some pork and "curled" one too many of the 22 oz high alcohol beers. It is very important when exercising to not push things to far! :drink: :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I was feeling no back pain that is for sure!

Later,
Dan

 

[RobertBrown]

Anyone try one of those 'hang upside down' things as seen on TV? Wondering if that will help a self diagnosed pinched nerve?

I have used one for many years and I think it has helped me a great deal. I cannot prove that, and I have loaned my inversion machine to others who have back pain but are unable to stand being inverted for more than a few seconds.
If you are the type to self diagnose and you think it may impact you positively then I suggest you spend the 200$ or less and get one.