a severe back injury to 90% recovery in 5 days? a miracle!
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Dealing with back pain & riding.
- Thread starter PrivatePilot
- Start date
roadrash
Well-known member
Lol pain was severe, guess injury wasn't. Couldn't bend or rotate at my lower back for two days. Sort of bed ridden. Babied it for 4 days, back up on my feet and riding today. Guess I should be grateful didn't herniate any discs ...a severe back injury to 90% recovery in 5 days? a miracle!
Thanks all. The trip to the Dragon didn't end up happening because the weather down there was the shitz. I spent a lot of time analyzing the forecasts and realized we were going to be riding in the rain (and heavy rain, a lot of the time) 90% of the trip - having looked after getting back, some areas got swamped with a FOOT of rain. Not upset we missed that.
We went NE instead and rode down from NE NY to the Catskills and then wiggled our ways westward and up and down across all the little windy mountain roads through PA and nearly to OH, then back up. 2400KM or so across 4 days, really enjoyed it.
With regards to my back, it's still not good...but it's better than the day I made this thread when I was riding back from a trip to Montreal (anyone else watch the Plane Saver series?) and it was really killing me. I was actually worried I was going to have to bail out of the trip above.
Anyhow, thanks for all the suggestions and pointers. Touching on the points I remember:
- Most NSAID's work the same, whatever the brand name - Aleve, Naproxen, etc etc...all NSAID's in the end. I take a prescription strength one called Vimovo which is a high (maximum) dose NSAID with a stomach/GI tract buffer (acid reducer) built in and it works for ~12 hours. Because I have chronic pain issues I take NSAD's regularly, and I had issues years ago with regular Ibuprofen and ulcers, so I'm very careful now. But it works decent and still provides some relief without resorting to narcotics, so I gotta take it fairly regularly...and since I switched from regular Ibuprofen I haven't had any ulcer issues thankfully for years. Sometimes I go weeks (or up until recently, a month or so) with low pain levels and I can stop to give my system a break, but when I do need it, it's regular.
- I'm going to hunt again for an inversion table now that I'm home. I've heard good things from many people.
- I have a great PT who worked me through my 4 month recovery from shoulder reconstruction last year, but unfortunately my benefits are no longer what they were at the time so I'll have to investigate more how many treatments I can actually swing now.
- I've been supplementing with an OTC (Shoppers) acetaminophen with a mild muscle relaxant built in that has also helped a lot, but there's a limit to how much you can take as well and I'm acutely aware of that...but I've been able to stay 1000-1500mg below the daily 24 hour limits (so I consider that pretty safe) whilst still achieving relief.
- Get a new bike...well, that's a hard pill to swallow, pardon the pun. If a year from now I'm still suffering, it'll have to be something I consider.
- Foot position, fair argument. The "chesterfield" position on a cruiser does put a lot of pressure on your spine, and my VTX is far from the plushest ride out there, zero question. See point above, however. I do have some flexibility to get my legs more under me for periods (my floorboards are long) and I found it helpful. I can actually, with some effort, get my ass out of the seat and into the air if I see a huge bump I want to avoid, but it is indeed awkward.
What ended up helping most on this trip was my Airhawk, and experimenting with it's position. I found that pulling it further ahead then where it would normally be helped immensely - it still supported my butt, but allowed my tailbone to "float" (for lack of a better way to explain it) in midair so that it wasn't subjected to the jolts from the road. It not only helped a ton using it that way, but seems to have allowed things to recover even despite a lot of riding.
Anyhow, I'm going to head back to the doctor and see what he thinks, it may be time to pursue things further.
In the meantime I need to refocus on some personal family stuff going on. As much as the big burst of wind therapy getaway over the last 5-6 days was a much needed distraction, reality has been pretty brutal recently and I can only run away from it for so long I guess.
We went NE instead and rode down from NE NY to the Catskills and then wiggled our ways westward and up and down across all the little windy mountain roads through PA and nearly to OH, then back up. 2400KM or so across 4 days, really enjoyed it.
With regards to my back, it's still not good...but it's better than the day I made this thread when I was riding back from a trip to Montreal (anyone else watch the Plane Saver series?) and it was really killing me. I was actually worried I was going to have to bail out of the trip above.
Anyhow, thanks for all the suggestions and pointers. Touching on the points I remember:
- Most NSAID's work the same, whatever the brand name - Aleve, Naproxen, etc etc...all NSAID's in the end. I take a prescription strength one called Vimovo which is a high (maximum) dose NSAID with a stomach/GI tract buffer (acid reducer) built in and it works for ~12 hours. Because I have chronic pain issues I take NSAD's regularly, and I had issues years ago with regular Ibuprofen and ulcers, so I'm very careful now. But it works decent and still provides some relief without resorting to narcotics, so I gotta take it fairly regularly...and since I switched from regular Ibuprofen I haven't had any ulcer issues thankfully for years. Sometimes I go weeks (or up until recently, a month or so) with low pain levels and I can stop to give my system a break, but when I do need it, it's regular.
- I'm going to hunt again for an inversion table now that I'm home. I've heard good things from many people.
- I have a great PT who worked me through my 4 month recovery from shoulder reconstruction last year, but unfortunately my benefits are no longer what they were at the time so I'll have to investigate more how many treatments I can actually swing now.
- I've been supplementing with an OTC (Shoppers) acetaminophen with a mild muscle relaxant built in that has also helped a lot, but there's a limit to how much you can take as well and I'm acutely aware of that...but I've been able to stay 1000-1500mg below the daily 24 hour limits (so I consider that pretty safe) whilst still achieving relief.
- Get a new bike...well, that's a hard pill to swallow, pardon the pun. If a year from now I'm still suffering, it'll have to be something I consider.
- Foot position, fair argument. The "chesterfield" position on a cruiser does put a lot of pressure on your spine, and my VTX is far from the plushest ride out there, zero question. See point above, however. I do have some flexibility to get my legs more under me for periods (my floorboards are long) and I found it helpful. I can actually, with some effort, get my ass out of the seat and into the air if I see a huge bump I want to avoid, but it is indeed awkward.
What ended up helping most on this trip was my Airhawk, and experimenting with it's position. I found that pulling it further ahead then where it would normally be helped immensely - it still supported my butt, but allowed my tailbone to "float" (for lack of a better way to explain it) in midair so that it wasn't subjected to the jolts from the road. It not only helped a ton using it that way, but seems to have allowed things to recover even despite a lot of riding.
Anyhow, I'm going to head back to the doctor and see what he thinks, it may be time to pursue things further.
In the meantime I need to refocus on some personal family stuff going on. As much as the big burst of wind therapy getaway over the last 5-6 days was a much needed distraction, reality has been pretty brutal recently and I can only run away from it for so long I guess.
Trials
Well-known member
Improvise :I it's really not that hard
sƃǝl ɹnoʎ ʎq uʍop ǝpᴉsdn ƃuɐɥ oʇ
I finally caved to yoga and after a few weeks, I’ve found improvements to my back as well as joints and improved blood circulation.
I’m almost to the point of not feeling like an idiot at the city run classes. My wife encouraged me to start and gotta say it’s working out nicely..........
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I’m almost to the point of not feeling like an idiot at the city run classes. My wife encouraged me to start and gotta say it’s working out nicely..........
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Yoga is great for stretching things that rarely get stretched and gaining flexibility and core strength. If I go I stay at the back of the class to avoid being stared at while falling over.
Perhaps, check into Back Clinic of Canada... lol My back is screwed. I have been seriously considering contacting them. I hear their ads on Newstalk1010 constantly. I have to use codeine 30 MG 3 - 5 per day, and 50MG tramadol, (An OLD school narcotic), 1 - 3 times per day. Now that isn't just for the back it is also for a messed up shoulder, and ankle, from my goose encounter...lol
Trials
Well-known member
Ouch, I wondered how your recovery was going. Apparently, not so well. GWS Hedo.
Nope my riding days are done. beside the physical injuries, I also have recently been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. So, no more 2 wheelers, likely not long before 4 wheeled days are also done.
-Maverick-
Well-known member
Kijiji is def your friend here...one man's junk...Thanks all. The trip to the Dragon didn't end up happening because the weather down there was the shitz. I spent a lot of time analyzing the forecasts and realized we were going to be riding in the rain (and heavy rain, a lot of the time) 90% of the trip - having looked after getting back, some areas got swamped with a FOOT of rain. Not upset we missed that.
We went NE instead and rode down from NE NY to the Catskills and then wiggled our ways westward and up and down across all the little windy mountain roads through PA and nearly to OH, then back up. 2400KM or so across 4 days, really enjoyed it.
With regards to my back, it's still not good...but it's better than the day I made this thread when I was riding back from a trip to Montreal (anyone else watch the Plane Saver series?) and it was really killing me. I was actually worried I was going to have to bail out of the trip above.
Anyhow, thanks for all the suggestions and pointers. Touching on the points I remember:
- Most NSAID's work the same, whatever the brand name - Aleve, Naproxen, etc etc...all NSAID's in the end. I take a prescription strength one called Vimovo which is a high (maximum) dose NSAID with a stomach/GI tract buffer (acid reducer) built in and it works for ~12 hours. Because I have chronic pain issues I take NSAD's regularly, and I had issues years ago with regular Ibuprofen and ulcers, so I'm very careful now. But it works decent and still provides some relief without resorting to narcotics, so I gotta take it fairly regularly...and since I switched from regular Ibuprofen I haven't had any ulcer issues thankfully for years. Sometimes I go weeks (or up until recently, a month or so) with low pain levels and I can stop to give my system a break, but when I do need it, it's regular.
- I'm going to hunt again for an inversion table now that I'm home. I've heard good things from many people.
- I have a great PT who worked me through my 4 month recovery from shoulder reconstruction last year, but unfortunately my benefits are no longer what they were at the time so I'll have to investigate more how many treatments I can actually swing now.
- I've been supplementing with an OTC (Shoppers) acetaminophen with a mild muscle relaxant built in that has also helped a lot, but there's a limit to how much you can take as well and I'm acutely aware of that...but I've been able to stay 1000-1500mg below the daily 24 hour limits (so I consider that pretty safe) whilst still achieving relief.
- Get a new bike...well, that's a hard pill to swallow, pardon the pun. If a year from now I'm still suffering, it'll have to be something I consider.
- Foot position, fair argument. The "chesterfield" position on a cruiser does put a lot of pressure on your spine, and my VTX is far from the plushest ride out there, zero question. See point above, however. I do have some flexibility to get my legs more under me for periods (my floorboards are long) and I found it helpful. I can actually, with some effort, get my ass out of the seat and into the air if I see a huge bump I want to avoid, but it is indeed awkward.
What ended up helping most on this trip was my Airhawk, and experimenting with it's position. I found that pulling it further ahead then where it would normally be helped immensely - it still supported my butt, but allowed my tailbone to "float" (for lack of a better way to explain it) in midair so that it wasn't subjected to the jolts from the road. It not only helped a ton using it that way, but seems to have allowed things to recover even despite a lot of riding.
Anyhow, I'm going to head back to the doctor and see what he thinks, it may be time to pursue things further.
In the meantime I need to refocus on some personal family stuff going on. As much as the big burst of wind therapy getaway over the last 5-6 days was a much needed distraction, reality has been pretty brutal recently and I can only run away from it for so long I guess.
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Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
Awesome pic Dude... ✔
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I too suffer from back and neck pain, mostly from years of abuse, aggravated bu a little arthritis. Here's how I manage:
I tried a bunch of other things, here's how they worked for me:
- Aleve. It takes about a week to deliver steady results, but the results are better for me than Ibuprofen Acetaminophen.
- Exercise. I try to get in 15000 steps a day.
- See a physiotherapist, they can personalize a simple routine that takes a couple of minutes a day. I went to a sports guy, he helped a lot.
- Lost 20 lbs. Made a big difference.
- Ride upright. Sold off the sportbikes - everything is now upright and easy to adjust.
I tried a bunch of other things, here's how they worked for me:
- Oxycontin - yes, it works quite well. I never took this for back pain, It was prescribed for post surgery for another injury. I did notice the back pain went away -- I'm not interested in this as long term solution.
- Prednisone -- works when the pain is debilitating, not a viable everyday solution.
- Dr Ho (he used to be my neighbour!) - this works if I'm lounging.. i think. I know once I turn it off and get up the pain comes back quickly so this isn't a solution for me. Never thought about TENsing on the road!
- Massage - yup. Not going to elaborate... it works for a short period.
- Chiropractors - nope, tried half a dozen. Got better results watching Earnest Angley reruns.
- CBD drops. Nope -- see Chiropractors.
- Alcohol - when all else fails this does offer reliable temporary relief -- only good for end of day.
dont discount wieght when dealing with back pain, PP we've never met and so i have no idea, but one of the common things amongst my freinds with back pain is belly weight. Lossing 30-40 lbs fixed the one that was able to loose it. The others are in denial.
Very true. I hurt my back once by incorrectly lifting a barbell, and once in car crash.
I've been heavy, and also fairly thin. All depends how much beer I drink ?. When I put on a few pounds, my back injury rears it's ugly head at times. When I drop a few pounds, my back is fine.
Loosing the belly and firming up the core muscles goes a long way for a pain free back...
Trials
Well-known member
All of my back pain is injury related, my worst was that time my Scorpa lipped out on a big wet log and I dropped about 12 feet backwards onto a bunch of jagged rocks, I Almost curved my back and impacted other things enough to miss that one rock and not get hurt :/ but not quite.
... or possibly it was the time I was doing a catwalk up Winchester street and landed on my tailbone,
both of those crashes made me walk all crippled up for several hours :|
... when the truck rear ended my BMW that hurt my back too, took almost a week for the bruises on my lower back to really show bad but it was slightly less disabling at the time of impact. :I think that's all of them.
Rumour has it we are required to wear a back protector to compete in 2020
:/ probably a little too late for me now and I should have been wearing one since before they were invented.
... or possibly it was the time I was doing a catwalk up Winchester street and landed on my tailbone,
both of those crashes made me walk all crippled up for several hours :|
... when the truck rear ended my BMW that hurt my back too, took almost a week for the bruises on my lower back to really show bad but it was slightly less disabling at the time of impact. :I think that's all of them.
Rumour has it we are required to wear a back protector to compete in 2020
:/ probably a little too late for me now and I should have been wearing one since before they were invented.
A kidney belt helps.
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