In Pt. 1 of my blog on Back Pain we briefly went over some common back problems and how the neutral swing can help prevent things from getting worse in the long and short term. In part 2 I will be talking about what has helped my back get stronger than ever even with an inflamed l4/l5 vertebrae.
With Golf it’s usually lower back pain that gets the most of us. It’s usually and initially caused by some type of overuse, strain, or injury to the muscle or discs’s. It can lead to an imbalance of your spine and your lower back muscles and being tight makes you more prone to injury. When you have tight or sore back muscles it leads you to walk different and move differently than if your muscles were not as stiff.
The Basics:
– Your Bed. Is your bed too soft? Is it old? Are you turning your bed every couple of months? You spend a lot of time sleeping and in my situation a firm bed made a big difference. My previous bed was only 2 years old yet had sunken where i usually lay and when this happens it further increases the pressure on the back. They call these pressure points and for most people a soft bed doesn’t help a bad back. I would suggest a firm bed, nothing pillow top or at the least a firm pillow top but keep in mind that if your bed has springs the chances of it sagging 2+ inches is possible and it will create pressure points.
What about Memoy foam? well most suck to be honest but Temperpedic makes a great one that they guarantee will not sag for 20 years or no more than a half inch or you get a new bed. Buy your bed from a store that offers 60-90 days return policy and really be critical of how you sleep and how your back feels when you wake up.
– Elevated legs. When you have back pain one of the most simple things to do is put a large pillow under the knees or rest your legs on a chair or something elevated. This takes a lot of the pressure off of your lower back. This seems like its small but if your lower back hurts do this off and on for 1-3 days. Any longer may cause your muscles to weaken.
– Exersize & Stretching. For me working on my hamstrings, Ab’s and lower back Ab’s very lightly during the recovery period helped a lot. It strengthens areas that support your lumbar region. Stronger Hips, Ab’s, and Hamstrings take a good portion of the stress off of your back. Making your hips stronger using the abductor and aductor machines help a lot as well. The stronger your muscles are in the support areas of the lower back the more weight & stress you can handle in those areas.
Stretching a little bit a couple times a day helped me alot. It took several months but my mobility has increased along with flexability. Yoga is fine as well but lets face it not many men get into it. I would say when your watching TV do some basic stretching during commercial breaks and anotehr biggie is when sitting at a desk or on a chair for hours at a time take a break every 30 -45 min stand up and do a few stretches.
– Hot & Ice Packs. Hot packs are for muscles usually and IMO don’t help for spinal structure related back problems. Hot baths actually inflame joints and bones. I like Ice packs they reduce inflammation and swelling Not very comfortable but if used quickly after injury they really reduce swelling and inflammation.
– Chiropractor. I used to go to a chiropractor for many years. I have had doctors that told me its great and others that say its not so great. In the end my neurologist talked me out of continuing my visits. The adjustments would make my back feel better in the short term but in the overall picture we felt the adjustment was creating more inflammation and shock to the spinal area.
– Massage. I suggest a membership at a massage club, If you sign for the year they end up around 39.00 an hour. In my case I go to a place called massage envy about twice a month. It’s + 18.00 for an additional 30min for a total of an hour and a half. After bouncing around to different masseuses in this location I finally found one that I am comfortable with and helps with the pain.
– Med’s. You should visit your primary first to see what he/she says about your problem. In my case my Primary was just too happy go lucky for what I considered a serious back issue, I ended up seeking a referral to a Neurologist but my primary did put me on a run of steroids then later anti inflammatories.
It sounds like a lot but it really isnt, just a handfull of the remedies that helped me may add more comfort to your situation. After you get into the groove of elevating your legs when you have discomfort, stretching here and there, getting a massage once a month, and getting on a plan with your doctor its really simple and just makes things much easier in life. 8 out of 10 people will have back problems in life, it’s how you handle it that makes the difference.
