Back Problem(s)

Yeah - I wouldn’t bother with Chiropractors. I started seeing one without really understanding much about them and it was money down the drain. They got quite pushy about me going back but I just ignored their calls after a while.

Main things that help me are exercise/stretching, new hard mattress and sleeping on my back rather than on my front which used to give me a dull ache in my lower back for the entire morning. Ached if I had to stand on the train for more than 20mins.

Physios are great for those times went my back ‘went’ and they could help with areas that had gone into spasm. But that’s not really a long term solution.

I wouldn’t think so. The one we have is only a few years old. I’m almost certain this has come about from bad desk sitting habits. It started the week after I was working in a different plant where my usual double screen set up wasn’t compatible so I was using one monitor and my laptop screen as an alternative. I noticed late in the week I was slouching almost all day to compensate for the different screen heights.

What I find tricky is everyone having different opinions on everything. Some people told me my posture was causing it, some people say that makes no difference, some people said tight hamstrings were causing it, it’s a nightmare because you can waste time/money trying stuff and then find out it doesn’t work.

I had so many niggles that I stopped playing for a year. Restarted last Autumn and have played weekly since then without any major issues. I can only put it down to the stretching/core strengthening I have been doing. Also feel like I’m playing as well as I have done for years.

My worst episode was a month before my son was born. My back was aching for a couple of days and I just couldn’t get comfortable. Woke up one morning and… I can’t really explain it. My body felt like a Jenga tower that was ready to go. Sheepishly got in the bath and hoped that’d help, then went downstairs to watch telly and text work to tell them I was staying home, dropped my phone, went to pick it up, and ‘twang’, and area round my lower back spasmed and I was in total agony. Like, actually howling. My wife rang NHS direct or whatever for me and got a prescription sorted. I was having these agonising waves and at one point actually heard our next door neighbour scream “Jesus Christ - what are you f**king doing in there?!?”

IIRC there was FA Cup football on the next day including a really early morning KO and La Liga in the evening, and I ended up watching 7 matches, monged on co-codamol and urinating in an old sports bottle off the side of the sofa. All the while praying that my wife wouldn’t go into labour as there was no way I could stand, let along drive a car. Dark times, but got me to sort it properly and it’s been good since (touch wood)

2 Likes

ihave this thing where my back only really hurts when i try to have correct posture and when i go back to slouching or whatever it’s fine. obviously it won’t stay fine long-term but i don’t know what to do because it’s really painful if i correct my posture for any length of time

yeah with you completely on the last sentence, actually think it’s miraculous i haven’t any serious issues at mid-30s and a lifetime of slouching

Its a very quick sport and high impact. It keeps you limber in a way but also if you have any niggles they will get worse quickly. I have found stretching for 15 mins every morning really helps with waking up, my back issues and seems to be help keep me in ok shape as well

1 Like

This might be part of my problem too. I’ve been doing a fair bit of distance walking lately and been consentrating on trying to correct my posture. Maybe my back is rebelling after decades of hunchbacking my way around.

1 Like

Oooo I might be just slightly too vain to get with this… can you wear it under your clothes or would that chafe like a mf?

yeah it makes perfect sense really, I’m just hoping theere’s a painless way around it.

a reason this has been on my mind a lot lately was reading about Dolores O’Riordan (RIP)'s back problems, sounded so grim.

Like what sort of things? I’m getting increasingly wary of my back, even though i’m young. Need to stop crossing my legs when I’m sitting down and start manspreading.

Foot rests, monitor stands, eye tests if you’re using monitors, adjustable good-quality office chairs etc.

2 Likes

Might ask my boss to get a monitor stand, my screen is currently resting precariously on a pile of magazines

i’ve gone full standing desk wanker. This is after the company I work for published some information titled ‘Sitting is the new smoking’

Few weeks in and i’m quite enjoying it. Only sit down for lunch and in meetings. When I get home I absolutely relish sitting down on the sofa now as I feel like i’ve earnt it

2 Likes

Someone in our office fashioned their own, using empty iMac boxes and a laptop. They got sacked though (unrelated).

1 Like

image?

initially pictured this with Big Mac boxes and thought it was pretty impressive

1 Like

I should probably clarify, you have to ask for a height adjustable device that goes on top of my normal desk, work haven’t dished them out to everyone, think it cost 300 quid. Will try and take a photo later when people have gone home.

Reckon I’m stood for about 6 hours per day, have a little walk around my immediate floor space, do some exercises, shake a leg etc. Probably look a bit odd but definitely feel better for it

1 Like