My rough coaster days are over

[Hercules]

I've had problems with my lower back since my senior year of high school. I was the captain of the Delaware Valley golf team and to get to that point, I had played 27-45 holes a day, 5 days a week (work permitting, but working at the golf course helped) for about 6 years. The pain was a tightness in my lower back and it bothered me, but not to the point that I wasn't able to function. I would go into the trainer at school and get a rubdown and then head off to the course to try to defeat the competition. The pain was a progressive thing and kept getting worse little by little until a couple of weeks ago, when the pain got more and more severe, and got to the point that I couldn't walk well at all. The thing that completely aggrevated it was when I lifted a 75 pound table at my father's bowling alley. It wasn't the thing that caused the problem, just the thing that put it over the edge.

 

I went to the chiropractor two days later and found out that my pelvis is disaligned, with the right side being higher than the left, which is placing a great amount of pressure on my sciatic nerve, which is now basically twisted up like a pretzel. Since, I have gotten 3 adjustments, and I have to say that I feel pretty good right now sitting at my desk at my apartment at school. Thank God. Although I do feel a little bit of discomfort here and there walking around campus or sitting for an extended period of time, I feel tons better than what I did.

 

Some things that I have learned from this experience:

 

1. I am addicted to the chiropractor.

 

2. Not being able to function sucks.

 

3. Too much of two very good things (golf and rough wooden coasters) can be a bad thing.

 

And the moral of my story... if you have lower back pain or pain anywhere else, don't be a stubborn ass like me and get it checked out right away.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciatic_nerve

[BeemerBoy]

Jay, as a lifetime golfer myself, I completely sympathize with you on this one, man. I hope it doesn't keep you sidelined forever! It's also nice to know I'm not the only one in here who plays.

[ECZenith]

Sorry to hear that, bro. There's always the swiss steel out there.

[RayOfLight]

I'm having sciatica right now! It started two weeks ago, after an hour of jogging. First is was very painfun right over my butt, and as the days went by, the pain went further down behind my leg.

 

As it was on it's worst for over a week ago, I thought about going to the doctor, but since it was a weekend I decided not to do that (because it's very expensive to see the doctor on a weekend).

 

At the beginning of this week, the pains in my lower back started to give up, while my leg was still at least as bad. It started to go away day by day, and now, today, I don't really feel anything while walking normally or sitting, but once I try to run or step my foot rather hard on the floor, I feel a strong pain behind my leg.

 

So what should I do? I REALLY want to run again

[RayOfLight]

Sorry for double post first of all...

 

So, today I felt that I should try to jog again. As I told on the post above, my sciatica had gotten better and I only felt it while stepping hard on the floor. But after jogging for like 3 minutes, I was back where I was for two weeks ago when it all started I'm going to try get a doctor appointment tomorrow...

[Hercules]

That is definately the best idea. Don't mess around with it. Find out what the problem is and get it fixed as soon as you can. Hope it all works out for you.

[mcjaco]

I threw my back out last February, literally from coughing while sitting down. I ened up going to the ER, to which the docotr stated it was one of the worst cases of back spasms they'd ever seen. It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced.

 

I work in insurance so, I don't have much faith in chiropractors. They seem to over and mis-treat simple things. I will say that a weak back is typically related to tight leg muscles (especially hamstrings) and a weak abdomin (two things I have). Once I got my back "loosened up," I started a stretching regimen for my legs and my back. I also started doing crunches regularly. In the past three months my back pain is virtually gone.

[krouvi]

First of all I am happy you feel better as such pains can make you go nuts.

I think you should think twice before getting to any ride BUT you dont have to give up all rides.

Maybe you can ride it using that special back belt motorcyclists use.

 

I have problems with my neck and coasters dont help. Beofre riding any ride I take a good good look at the ride and other riders to spot any movements that may send me looking for my painkillers. Wooden coasters are ok but inversions can shake my head badly. Corscrews are the worst for me.

 

My worst neck experience was in Walibi Belgium inside the Vekoma SLC. I just got out of the ride any cried from the neck pain I got. I was so bad that it turns into a migraine. I just remember how my neck moved from side to side like a palm tree in a storm.

 

The good news that you can work on your back muscles to make them stonger and it might help you support all your back area. Thats what I do with my neck when I am not too lazy.

 

Good luck

 

Krouvi

[Hercules]

The really sad thing is that I used to work on my back all the time. It was really strong at one point, I think I just tweaked something along the way and never got it looked at.

 

I went for a 2 hour run today and I have to say that the pain in my back actually lessened and now I'm sitting here without pain for the first time in a very very long time. However, there is still pain in the leg and groin area, so that sucks.

[krouvi]

I know my doc told me to go swimming as much as I can .

I think and hope that time will heal hit. You will ride coasters again I am sure.

[RayOfLight]

I went to the doctor yesterday, and it turns out I don't have sciatica I have something called Lumbago, and it should go away in 4-6 weeks. No activity that hurts my back/leg during that time...

[Hercules]

I've heard of that. I'm sure it sucks.

 

Swimming is definately a great thing to do. I'm going to try to hit the pool and stuff as much as I can here, but the hours are just screwy. Plus I've been in the gym working on my b-ball game since practice starts in October. No pain, thank you very much. I know I'm jinxing myself.