who has back pains and tips

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:43 pm

I just got my sacroilliac joint put back into place by a physio, i was feeling a bit crooked after field work and sailing 4 days last week. when i think back though, i havent been pain free for years, it just gets worse now and then. Im pretty sure its not aggravated by sailing as hanging in my waist harness feels awesome. ive got a list of stretches and exercises to work on so hopefully things will improve- fast i hope, im going to the gorge in a week and i want to be healthy dammit!

so Im wondering from a windsurfing point of view if anyone here has been through similar issues and wants to share what worked or didnt for them, medical professionals they had good (or miraculous) experiences with, favorite meds..etc.. might make a useful discussion.

mortontoemike · Post by **mortontoemike** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:25 pm

I have heard many people swear by this book.

Pain Free
Written by Pete Egoscue
* ISBN: 978-0-553-37988-4 (0-553-37988-7)

ABOUT THIS BOOK
Starting today, you don't have to live in pain.

That is the revolutionary message of this breakthrough system for eliminating chronic pain without drugs, surgery, or expensive physical therapy. Developed by Pete Egoscue, a nationally renowned physiologist and sports injury consultant to some of today's top athletes, the Egoscue Method has an astounding 95 percent success rate. The key is a series of gentle exercises and carefully constructed stretches called E-cises. Inside you'll find detailed photographs and step-by-step instructions for dozens of e-cizes specifically designed to provide quick and lasting relief of: more at http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/disp ... 0553379884

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:42 pm

What? Me too.....had (have) a serious injury, herniated disk L4, last year March. Tried everything under the sun, then the book, some physio guys freaked about some of the exercises in there, I tried them all and some I retained, others I rejected cuz they seemed to aggravate things.
Added some yoga stuff but it also made things worse. Now I'm back to pills and occasional stretch.
To add to this apparently there's something wrong with MY sacro-illiac joint.....what did you have done??? I started doing stretches regularly 2 months ago for my back and loosening the hips (L) when this thing got worse and worse, have now stopped the stretching, curious what it is that you got treated Dave, got an appmt tomorrow

Interestingly enough my back's been a lot better since my hip is getting much worse

stretches improved range of motion but nothing else
Thanks for any PM or info

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:05 pm

ive seen 2 physios and 2 chiros in the last couple years (plus winddoctor gave me a freebie at the lake) that all focus on my left SI joint. when it goes out my hips go crooked then my spine offsets to the left. lots of pain for usually a week or so ( i have been able to windsurf in this condition but have trouble carrying the gear). ive had xrays that show my disks are ok. Now theyre talking MRI, what a pain in the ass, actually its more in the tailbone. No specific thing pops it out, its just oh crap, looks crooked again. im going to try some yoga once i can bend ok, maybe you can give me your old pain free book at the lake on sunday. im playing the fathers day card, pain or no.

Kite Kook · Post by **Kite Kook** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:45 pm

I suffered for YEARS with lower back pain, involving mostly my SI joint. Three times I was entirely incapacitated. I found a few things helped.

If in pain after neglecting to exercise/stretch, I will:
1. get a massage from an RMT to reduce the spasm
2. See a good Chiro. The Chiro can't really do effective work if there is too much muscle spasm. And a massage might be very effective, but I always like to follow up with a good Chiro if I feel really out of whack.

For RMT's , Beth Atkinson at Vitality and my wife

Sandra Pol at Cedar Hill Sports (and Vitality on Wednesday) have been best for me. Some prefer even deeper work - see Claire at Vitality.

For Chiro's, Rob H. at Cedar Hill can perform small miracles with the neck and back, and local sailor Simon Pearson is awesome too. Simon is especially useful for extremities - no one I have seen knows so much about the shoulders, knees and feet.

In a completely other vain, I know some find this book highly revealing:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044639 ... e&n=283155

One local kiter (any comment?) told me the book made a huge difference for him. I certainly found it very helpful as well.

Rob gave me some excercises to do, and I find if I do them, and heed the advice from the above book, I stay pain free.

Good luck!

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:07 pm

I have lived with back pain on and off for more years than I would like to admit on bwd.
A lot of the time it is not painful, I just know it is there and it is hard to get into a comfortable position. Kind of like a cold that never leaves.

Two years ago it started to get better and I wondered why? What was I doing differently?
I had stopped windsurfing and started kiting (I'm sure there will be feedback on that comment!). For some reason the upward pull of the kite just feels great. My back always feels better when I come in from a kiting session. It has been this way even when I started body dragging.
Part of the problem with my back with windsurfing was the awkward stance when carrying the whole rig to the water and later back on shore.
I have always used a seat harness, so that wasn't part of the reason.

This winter my back was almost perfect with hardly a twinge. I started yoga ( "she" forced me to) and it has helped more than anything else.
I follow a dvd by "Rodney Yee" called "Yoga for Athletes". It is about one hour long. Quite a few windsurfers/kiters in LaVentana recommended this dvd/tape after trying lots of others.

Now, if I could get myself into a routine of doing it as often as in Baja!

Martin

KUS · Post by **KUS** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:40 pm

yeah, I tried the Yoga thing (decent tape) but.....still don' t really see the SI Joint issue's connection with the back...appreciating radiating pain, alignment and all that, it seems a bit far fetched, no?
After sailing more often than ever this winter/spring my back was really acting up, I see one decent physio guy who notes my left hip is waaaay too tight and I agree, then I do stretches for both and the hip thing starts flaring up bigtime....like it doesn't wanna be free and moving....doesn't make much sense but made me "forget" about my back. I really notice the hip when I squat a bit, like after working in the garden, pushing lawn mower, washing vehicles......hey, now there's a plan

anyway, it just seems like it gets tired and tightens up, causing limps and misalignment which then affects the back. Xrays show mild arthritic changes, what else is new

which joint doesn't
Carrying the rig's never bothered me

at least not that I noticed

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:05 pm

good info guys. i never did as much yoga as on my last trip to ventana in '03, who were those guys at the south end of the camp again? it was good stuff, i think my problems flared up when i left so i should really head back down there.

bwd · Post by **bwd** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:14 pm

Add me to the list

. I injured my back 2.5 years ago and I've had chronic low back and hip pain on and off ever since. I remember the day well - I was in Sault Ste Marie for work doing some heavy lifting packing up our gear. The next morning my back went into a huge spasm when I was getting dressed. I fell on the hotel floor and couldn't move for about 4 hrs...that was the lowest point of my life and the worst pain I've ever felt.

Now onto what has helped me, but everyone is different:

- strengthening the core muscles (not by doing crunches). I do lots of balance work on the exercise ball and it really helps my back and my sailing too. I try to sit on a ball at work for an hour a day too.

- swimming

- finding a good physio. I go to Rich Berman (sp?) at Broadmead Physio Clinic. He spends a lot of time with me and also does painful but effective accupucture.

- I recently bought an inversion table and its seems to really help stretch out my hips and spine: http://www.teeterhangups.com/about/benefits.html

- I do lots of stretching and yoga and this really helps. My main problem is tight hamstrings and hips and I have some good stretches for those parts.

The only time I get pain when I windsurf is when my waist harness is a little high. But after consecutive days of windsurfing I do feel it. Hopefully I'll make it through this years Gorge/Coast trip.

Thanks for the book links, I think I'll check that book out mortontoemike.

morewind · Post by **morewind** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:02 pm

about once a year I get a bad lower back spasm that pretty much sends me to the floor. It often happens about 3-4 days after some traumatic crash (like getting chucked after hitting a log at Cook st). Sometimes for no reason like bending over to tie shoes

the recovery is usually 4-5 days of hobbling around, and pain killers.

I've found that a combination of Yoga and back exercises keep the spasms in check. exercises that work for me are in this web link:

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/arc ... -spams.htm

spasm free since Nov 2005

JL · Post by JL » Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:25 pm

I get a sore back from lack of regular exercise !!! I'm chronically lazy. I compressed a vertebre (third lumbar 20%) when I was ~20...I'm 46 now & regular kiting or windsurfing keeps the supporting muscles in tune...The only exception is a nasty flue. ( like the one we had this winter)...Heres the book I like http://www.911healthshop.com/acowibadobyd.html

downwind dave · Post by **downwind dave** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:18 am

funny, my back troubles began maybe 3 years back when my son was born. there was a drastic decrease in regular exercise coupled with countless reps of lifting a 8 lb weight thats since increased to 40lbs (but i dont have to lift so much anymore, just chase around!) This year im exercising a lot more, mostly biking, sailing and the odd trail run, youd think my body would be loving it.

extremekindness Erik · Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:12 pm

I have 2 suggestions... (coming from a guy who broke his back and had a genetic predisposition to back problems)

1. Subtle approach. Cranial Sacral Therepy has been the MOST profound healing experience I have ever experienced. There is a woman in Cook st who does it next to the beagle. Very subtle but made a massive difference for me.

2. Not so Subtle approach. ART. Hurts like a bastard but manialive it gets you back in shape in a hurry. It's very forceful but Jamie Grimes at Synergy Health (Shelborne and Mackenzie) will get you bak in the water ASAP. (He should he's a kiter.)

Best of luck.

Erik.

P.S. Yoga needs to be a persoanl thing but initally a series of classes is the way to go in my opinion. Yoga also helped my back a lot.

Kite Kook · Post by **Kite Kook** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:49 pm

FYI - The Cranial Sacral Therapist next to the Beagle moved downtown. Her name is Sarah Hovey, and she is also a Registered Massage Therapist. So, many people are covered to see her through extended health. She doesn't do regular massage though - as she has specialized in CST.