I used to suffer when I was younger. I did two things that made the world of difference David. 1/ Did core strength exercises with one of those big Swiss ball thingies. 2/ Learnt to walk away from 'rangas.
At 52, I have days like that ... 'specially this last week, max temps 28 - 33 and it's just the start of Spring down here.
I injured my back shoeing a couple years ago. I am able to keep working because: 1. I lost some weight. 2. I do a morning exercise routine focusing on core and leg strength. 3. I don't touch a horse without wearing an elastic back brace. 4. I see the chiropractor at least every couple months.
After my collapsed disk, I learned what my daily limit is and don't go over it. I also watch out what kind of horses I work on. I also have a back brace I wear everyday making things better.
About 30yrs ago I hurt my back while waterskiing in cold lake water one spring...if that makes any sense? A buddy and I were learning how to barefoot waterski but we didn't have a wet suit then or a more powerful boat to pop us up out rather than drag me up..6 ft 3inch and only weighted about 140lbs? I was up and we always did a slalom course to loosen up..I had trimmed about 20+ horses earlier that day and I was tired and the water was cold without a wetsuit so I felt tense in the first place...I was an aggressive skier and loved to make super cuts and shoot a roostertail as high as I could...anyway felt my left knee knuckle over and my back Popped?? I let go and told my friend I wanted in the boat cuz I felt weird in the water, when my butt hit the edge of the boat it felt like someone stuck me with a 10 cell hotshot in my back left side? Ok remember I said that happened 30 yrs ago, I have had issues like the rest of us...locking up and tightness...WELL this Dec while watchin football ( the American kind) I was tight from sitting so I stood up and started stretching and my son started laughing at me? He said "Dad , you want Me to pop your back ?" and I told him Please Do,cuz I haven't had any luck with the chiro guys . So he gets me on the floor flat and he started pulling and pushin and had my back popping like popcorn it seemed? I had him redo me last month and It is amazing because I asked him how he learned it and he said he finds knots in my back and just works them out...feels like someone is stickin a blade in your back and twisting it and then the pain goes away...come to think of it I might just call him to come over tomorrow to put me back in...ahead of time..
I ve had back problems since high school, Like Mikel, I ve found that a back support seems to help and a few years ago discovered deep tissue message seems to loosen everything up ,keeping the spasms away, drugs have never helped but Guinness applied liberally,internally helps to take the edge off , but only as a medicinal aid. When it gets real bad, I go see Andre as the Chiro, ray
I do find that I am reliant on chemicals, Eastern European women and alcohol, Maybe its no surprise my core strength is on the wain!
I have ruptured disk and suffer from back pain. learning to live with it and learning your limitations are a must. earlier this year I started trying to do a lot of walking witch seems to help but I also got on a really good vitamin and started watching what I eat and both has helped me quite a bit. the vitamins were pricey compared to others but I notice a difference in my energy level, attitude and most of all I seem to recover and heal up so much easier. Cutting out some of the greasy food from my diet has helped but it seems like the good stuff is the bad stuff and I miss it, lol
Do you need a prescription for those Eastern European women,or are there over the counter brands? I d check with Mrs. Steele......but I m not sure how to approach her about this ,even though you say they might be good for my back......... can I say that it was your suggestion? I was at a horse trials yesterday for approx. 12 hours, most of the time on my butt with a small amt of walking and standing, my back is killing me today and i feel exhausted....... so I m going out to cut and split wood to limber up, there seems to be a different back pain, ie work vs doing some/anything different, for me anyway. I often find ,when travelling ,that if i get to trim/shoe 1 horse early in the day, that i have less discomfort than if i don t do any at all. ray
I agree Ray. On the rare occasions I get to take a vacation and dont get under a horse for a few days, I get so stiff and sore that its hard to get going again.
Core strength is important but it has to be the correct core strength. Many of us have a bit (or more )of a paunch and that added weight in front can cause the back muscles to fatigue more quickly. Once that happens, injury often results. To fix this you have to both lose the 'spare tire' around the midsection and do back muscle strengthening exercises. If you do that, in conjunction with a common sense approach to how many horses to safely work on in a day, many of the strictly back muscle related aches, pain, injury will go away. Oh, and stay away from those pukes who fight you and set you up for injury.
