Back Pain!

For those that suffer from back pain, how do you deal with it.

DPS was a big sponsor of the Worlds in 2000, unfortunately had to ride around in a golf cart and watch due to chronic back pain.

Finally for years in my search from ab crunch machines, massages, to hanging upside down,

now recently with the purchase of a new mattress, no springs, no high tech foam, 

a simple cotton and mix of foam my back does not ache so severely in the morning.

Wow, what a difference.

Everything in live is better!

[The FORCE]

Sometimes back pain is caused from over developed muscles corresponding with your dominant hand. If you do something that is sometimes strenuous with your dominant hand, your muscles in your back will develop unevenly and cause undesired back pain. The solution is simple, develop your back muscles so they are at equal strength.

[Jay and [e-mail]]

Suck it up

[Rescue]

Dude, you have to try REAL Pilates. What I mean by "real". Is that you must find a place with the "reformer machines" and under the eye of a PT. Mr. force is right as well, but Pilates will work your stablizer muscles (The smaller muscle groups) and it will help elongate your spine (majority of pain is do to compressive issues). One other thing, it's your core strength (Stomach and the muscles along the side of your body) that will help with back pain. Strengthening your back muscles is fine, but it's the muscles in front, that will make the biggest diff. I also do Yoga to some degree, too stay flexable.
Now, over the past decade I've done alot of PT due the the wear and tear on my body. Pilates was the most helpfull out of all the things I've tried.
Good luck!

[Skipper H / Ripdiscgolf.com]

"Suck it up"

Now that is funny, I do suck it up as much as I can, I play 2 - 3 times a week, but my back is so bad I have not worked in 4 years! My guess is the guy that says suck it up has a good back.... I say that because before I hurt my back I would have said "Suck it up" I know better now! Back pain is my life 365 days a year 24 hours a day.

[Jay and [e-mail]]

John Wayne Style

[Skipper H / Ripdiscgolf.com]

Oh man I never did like that guys acting... are what he was doing to at least try to act! There is not much in life I do that I base on movies! Something about movies that jsut have nothing to do with real life.

[Jay and [e-mail]]

lol this sport kills my back as well but i keep playing for some reason have a great holiday

[Pat Burke]

heat pad!

[Skipper H / Ripdiscgolf.com]

Heat makes it worth... ... Ice works better for my problem. I think I should get surgery in a few month... dang might be down for a while ... I guess I can at least walk the DGC and get some putting in :)

[Socsavvy]

Most of the advice posted above sounds solid. Strength and mobility exercises are a good place to start. But, I would definitely suggest trying out the services of a good chiropractor before diving into surgery. My family has a history of back problems (myself included), and I've seen too many back surgeries do more harm than good--especially to my father. That isn't to say they can't work for you, just that such intrusive procedures aren't always the best option. But, if you've been dealing with back pain for as long as you say you have, I'm sure you've already been weighing your options accordingly.

Best of luck to you all on a speedy recovery, and cheers for not letting anything stand in between you and this awesome sport!

[Rescue]

Ya, I would have to have "drop foot" (severe nerve damage or soon to be), before I would go under the knife. Back surgery is truely a flip of a coin. Heck even most ortho's worth a darn. Will stear you away from surgery. Even with possitive results, they tend to only last several years before the issue returns.

[Skipper H / Ripdiscgolf.com]

I have had problem for 4 years and tried about everything.... so I am not saying that it's the best thing in the world to get surgery, some times it's one of the few options left. I am 33 years old and have not worked in 4 years... I have 2 kids and one on the way.... every Doc I have talked to say's it needs surgery, and as I have been there and done that it's time! I have a family to look out for... and when it comes to surgery I listen for the most part only to ones who have been through it... not those who think they know.... and about 95% or more seem to be much happier after.