Back problems

[Kram]

Right seems we are overdue a thread on this. Share your woes, tools and techniques for lifting or dealing with your back issues.

I do *not* have back problems myself and dont intend to either.

However I suggest for those with problems, hanging is good. I do a lot of climbing, that too is very good. Keep your core muscles strong and rely less on the back.

However tree work wearing spikes, is awful, often get aches after that.

 

[MattF]

I do *not* have back problems myself and dont intend to either.

That's where we all went wrong then. That day we thought: "You know what, I fancying screwing my back up today". In hindsight, how silly of us that decision was.

 

[harveyp6]

Currently I'm coming up to six weeks of my current bad back episode. I have no idea how I did it this time. At the start I couldn't really move, going from sitting down to standing up (and vice versa) was agony, and the only way I could get upstairs was on my hands and knees.
I think I may have it beaten, but I'm too scared to say that out loud....

 

[Smallfry]

I have had sciatica since my early twenties, as a result of getting under a car supported only by a jack. Nothing happened immediately, but a couple of days later I could not even get out of bed in the morning. Even trying to move was excruciating agony. Eventually ended up in Hospital on a trolley in a corridor for two days ........ nothing new there ......... before being discharged with painkillers

It comes and goes in varying degrees, and I have to be careful how I lift and do things. Even silly things like sweeping can provoke it sometimes. I cannot swim in the sea any more because the cold water shock will trigger it. The last time it went while I was at work, we were lifting a chest of drawers up a narrow dog leg staircase at a house in Norfolk, 120 miles away from base. I was in agony, and had to crawl back the van on hands and knees, and colleague had to drive back.

Happened again last year using a heavy concrete breaker. Was out of action for a week again

 

[nickk]

I too have had 30 odd years of it,then went privately for a discectomy,trimming No 4 disc,that was 9 years ago,I’ve only had 2 serious and agonising periods since,so it’s never gone away,just a rare occurrence now,where I’m only disabled for a few days.
I’ve found the twisting movements is a common trigger,I also do many jobs on my knees,avoiding bending when doing levering,pulling and pushing. It sure is a weakness in humans.

 

[MattF]

just a rare occurrence now

That's not good good, but better. Mine rarely tends to trouble me, these days, (touch wood), but I keep a back support both in the flat & in the van, just incase it starts.

The sciatic nerve in my left leg is my constant, these days.

 

[Smallfry]

That's not good good, but better. Mine rarely tends to trouble me, these days, (touch wood), but I keep a back support both in the flat & in the van, just incase it starts.

The sciatic nerve in my left leg is my constant, these days.

Thats really not good. "Luckily" mine comes and goes. Have you thought of trying a Chiropractor ?

MiLs friend says it works wonders for her, which was a result of working on the land and having animals to look after.

 

[Migmac]

Mine has been good ish for three years now. I do tend to think about what I’m doing and use any mechanical aids to make things easier. Wish I could turn the clocks back and say “that won’t happen to me “ !

 

[More Amps]

When i was young, (pre-decimal, and I'm in my 60's now) I thought I was fairly invincible...accidents involving push bikes, horses and motorbikes mean that I now know I am safely well past my peak level of physical fitness, strength and agility...and that recovery now takes longer than when I was in my twenties. My first major bad back episode occurred in my 30's and was the first time I went to a brilliant chiropractor. Since then, I have discovered that chiropractors range from the highly effective (worth every penny) to those who I'd not trust to align the spine of a dead bullock (and sadly price is no guide to which is which)

Currently I try to go to my chiropractor for an annual MOT to ensure that everything is more or less as it should be, or at least as good as it can be... I'm usually reminded that losing a little weight wouldn't hurt and a bit more exercise wouldn't do any harm either. I'm allergic to gyms and sweaty sessions lifting weights and prefer a long walk in the country (especially if there's a decent pub at the end)

Currently my shoulder is giving me grief and the doc thinks it's probably rotator cuff damage but I have to wait for a hospital appointment to check it out and see what's the best way forward. Options range from steroid injections (but which can slow recovery) through to keyhole surgery to clean out the joint with the doomsday scenario of joint replacement (recovery time up to a year, and it only lasts about ten years...so I'd be facing a repeat session in my 70's... Meanwhile the biking season will be starting soon and I want to be back in the saddle this year as I missed most of last year due to a faulty knee (thankfully now recovered enough to be able to swing a leg over the bike rather than having to strap a hop-up on the back!)

 

[cocker]

Mine doesn't play up at all now , stopping groundworking was the cure ! Best treatment was a good physio , years of chiro just cost me a packet for no long term benefit .

 

[Dapph2]

I have had sciatica since my early twenties, as a result of getting under a car supported only by a jack. Nothing happened immediately, but a couple of days later I could not even get out of bed in the morning. Even trying to move was excruciating agony. Eventually ended up in Hospital on a trolley in a corridor for two days ........ nothing new there ......... before being discharged with painkillers

It comes and goes in varying degrees, and I have to be careful how I lift and do things. Even silly things like sweeping can provoke it sometimes. I cannot swim in the sea any more because the cold water shock will trigger it. The last time it went while I was at work, we were lifting a chest of drawers up a narrow dog leg staircase at a house in Norfolk, 120 miles away from base. I was in agony, and had to crawl back the van on hands and knees, and colleague had to drive back.

Happened again last year using a heavy concrete breaker. Was out of action for a week again

Once you have back problems you will always have them usually getting worse as you get older . Changing what you do helps delay things considerably . Surgery is not always a cure either , often it makes thigns worse for a lot of people if there is much internal scarring
Having had back probs for 60 or so years tells me I should have never stayed in the Army being a roughy toughy , but got a job as a tea taster some where warmer than the UK

 

[Olderisbetter]

My back is fine, it's the rest of me that is the problem

 

[Onoff]

My back's playing up at the moment. Worst bit is that it reminds me I'm still alive.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

What worked for me was ditching the office swivel chair and replacing it with a bog standard dining room chair with 4 legs.

Since switching I've been ok...had the odd twinge but nothing like what I've had in the past where I couldn't even walk or stand up unassisted!

 

[Dapph2]

I too have had 30 odd years of it,then went privately for a discectomy,trimming No 4 disc,that was 9 years ago,I’ve only had 2 serious and agonising periods since,so it’s never gone away,just a rare occurrence now,where I’m only disabled for a few days.
I’ve found the twisting movements is a common trigger,I also do many jobs on my knees,avoiding bending when doing levering,pulling and pushing. It sure is a weakness in humans.

Do you use a thick kneeling pad glued to some chequer plate , which helps stop it sliding about .

I wrecked my left knee skiing backwards on an icy hill and hit a tree in the wood line with my back.
Roll forward 30 years I was fitting a computer line in a clothing store and knelt on a bunch of a customers lost keys with my right knee . After surgeries I've always used such home made kneeling pads , till 2005 when my left knee joint went arthritic and prevented me walking , had a total artificial replacement knee joint in 20017 .

Walking is uncomfortable most days though usually still possible but I have to use crutches for the spinal injuries and walking .

 

[Tom O]

I just tell the Doctor that the kidney stones are back.

 

[MattF]

Have you thought of trying a Chiropractor ?

It's a muscle in my backside that's pressing on the nerve, apparently. I take tablets each day to suppress the pain. It's always there in the background, but it's tolerable. Certain things do make it act up, though. That manifests itself as a "Pass out or puke" feeling, due to the tablets suppressing the pain. I know when I feel like that, that I've pushed it too far. Fortunately, I've done neither of those yet, but that's the effect I feel.

Occasionally it does also decide to give me a quick, notable pain reminder that it's still there. People must think I'm tapped when they see me talking to my leg, & calling it some choice names

 

[knighty]

this is me... I paid for scans etc.. after a few weeks of my girlfriend putting my socks and shoes on for me

Diagnoses (2025):
1. Bilateral lumbosacral pain and lower lumbar pain.
2. The patient, 9 years ago, had an accident in which he fell from a height of 20 feet, landing
on his head and shoulder and was informed that he may have had 4 vertebral injuries.
3. MRI scan shows at L5/S1, the patient has severe degenerative disc disease of grade 4 to
grade 5 with severe acute Modic changes seen in the STIR sequence. There is also
some high signal within the disc on the left-hand side, but the endplate appears to be
reasonably preserved. There is moderate facet joint arthritis with some hypertrophy, with
lateral recess and foraminal narrowing bilaterally touching the S1 and the L5 nerve root.
4. At L4/5, the patient has grade 4 degenerative disc disease with a Schmorl’s node and
chronic Modic changes. There is a triangular configuration of the spinal canal with some
foraminal and lateral recess narrowing.
5. MRI scan of the thoracic spine shows the patient has a small disc bulge on the left at T6/7
and on the right at T7/8. There are small atypical haemangiomas in the T3, T8 and L1
vertebral bodies. There appear to be degenerative changes in the costovertebral joints,
more on the left side at T3 and on the right at T9, with bilateral facet joint arthritis noted in
the lower thoracic spine. The patient says that he had rib fractures previously and this
could be secondary to that injury.

there was enough swelling that the radiologist thought I had an infection in my spine and I had to have blood tests

apparently years of powering through the pain wasn't a good idea


I never gave it much thought, assumed it was all muscle pain and it would sort itself out, didn't realise I was doing permanent damage

I've been doing mostly light stuff for 6 months and it has helped a lot... Doc said no heavy lifting for 3 years :-o

sitting round and working in office is driving me crazy