Back pain, how do you cope.

[centaursailor]

Missed the first three decent weekends this year with lower back pain.
Generaly sail singlehanded and wonder how others cope.
Safe sailing

[Minnewaska]

You had three decent weekends already? Pretend you're in New England and wait another month or two to get better!

I have occasional back pain, thankfully, not chronic. If you google thermacare heat wraps you will see what I use. I think there are several different brands. They are very large chemical heat pads that stick to the affected area and work extremely well.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[LaurenceU]

Hi I am a new member. I've been sailing many years in Australia mostly racing and cruising in protected and coastal areas. Owner of 24' cruiser/racer (Spacesailer 24 for 17 years)

Best seek professional help if you can but I will relay my experience and hope it helps. I suffered from a prolapsed disc which was extemely painful and laid me up for quite some time. Initially I suffered just dull pain that came and went lasted for several days maybe up to a week at a time.
I've now generally recoveredfrom the acutepain but still have pain if I spend long periods sitting on flights, driving or in the office. Generally if I am active I have minimal pain.
What works wonders for me is following excercise:
Make up an ice pack. Lie face down on the floor/deck. Place and probaly secure icepack to lower back. I use a belt to pull it tight to the lower back.
Now do push ups. Keep your hips pushed to the deck and really arch your back. Do sets of 10-15 then rest 30 seconds. repeat many times. Up to 200 if you can.
This worked for me. The ice keeps any swelling down. The back arching really aids flexibilty.
Best get prof. advice. For me in Australia best advice has come from physiotherapist and not Drs or chiropractors.

Laurence

[Flybyknight]

After a lot of skepticism (and pain) I relented and went in for physical therapy, and to my amazement, it worked.

Dick

[WanderingStar]

I suffered severe back pain intermittently for some years. Eventually, caution and stretching improved it. Be very careful how you sit and stand. Do not put you wallet in your back pocket. Do not wear a thick belt, it presses on your spine. In my case, lying on my back and pulling my knees to my chest one at a time helped stretch my spine. A very good chiropractor can work wonders.
Not to preach, but I remember one June vacation week in which I was bedridden with pain. I felt pretty sorry for myself. Then I remembered my aunt was at the same time losing a fight to cancer. I knew she would never get up again. Perspective made me feel a bit better about my back and a lost week. Feel better, sail carefully.

[chef2sail]

Streching....lay on your stomach for 5 minutes every hour to straighten out back.....Tramadol

[Skippyman]

Spinal decompression helps. An inversion chair works. Care should be taken if you have high blood pressure due to an increase in crebrial pressure.

[Slayer]

Work your abs. When I stop doing sit ups, etc. my lower back pain reoccurs.
For immediated relief, ibuprofen works wonders.

[ingasguns]

ibuprofen did not work for me... tramadol seems to... only been on it 2 weeks but it does seem to help alot. it is better than the "vikes" ,, "percs" or "oxy" not as much fun but better...

[sawingknots]

i first started having severe lower back pain when i was in my twentys,no doubt i went to work too early and being full of myself i often lifted objects that were too heavy,i've had major back surgery and been to more quacks then i care to admit,eventually i came to realize that i was my own worse enemy and ajusted my way of thinking,once you strain your back it can take yrs to fully recover,plain old relaxing and strenthening exercises eventually paid off,i still sometimes have pain but nothing like 30 yrs ago so don't dispair, explore exercises and stick with them even though you may be feeling better