....... a wrap around elastic/velcro mid-section (back brace) ... or maybe you haven't tried it yet .
These will help you when trying to deal with back injuries while doing physical stuff ... wrap/strap it up as tight as you can stand . Some of them even have hot pac pockets to go in them while wearing .
Not saying this brand in particular , there are many many makers out there ... but this link gives you the idea of what's available . A nice wide one is good , some types even have a full length back support .
epidural Do not be afarid to try that epidural that can work wonders.
In additon you did not mention if your disc was associated with pinched nerves.
A different kind of pain med is needed for the pinched nerves.
my borther has bone spurs that grow from his disc’s which pinch off the nerve roots. He found better relieaf with valium where as morphine did nothing for him.
I too have back problems and kneeling problems, I recently gave up my yak and bought a solo canoe as I could not get in and out of the kayak due to knees. I also use and inversion table. (you hand upside down and rock it back
and forth too. It does help. The worst thing is don’t just quit, If you don’t use it, you lose it and this includes you muscles. I stop every hour of paddling and get out, walk around and stretch. This helps too.
I can still cover 10-12 miles a day and I don’t do day trips so camp does feel pretty good.
Great posts here. A couple of my observations. If you have any Stenosis, don’t use the back brace as it compresses the spine and make your symtoms worse. Braces work well for muscle related back pain, even muscle pain caused by spasms that are caused by nerve inpingement. Sometimes the brace will cause the nerve to pinch more and this must be avoided. I too benefit far more from Valium than Morphine. I hate Morphine. I would not consider paddling on anything more than Advil or Alieve. Try alternating between them. Have you done much with your seat? Is your forward stroke well develolped? Keep your torso angle forward while supporting the front of your thighs. Pure vertical is often asking for problems, instability is usually worse in the vertical position when you place a load on it (paddle stroke). Keep experimenting and you will find little ways of helping yourself out. As you know core strength is everything in spine issues, and paddling is great for core strength. Finally, stretching and physical therapy only made things worse for me. Everyone is different. Bill
The Virginia Spine Institute specializes in research, PT, pain management, etc. Its a world class operation and on the lobby walls are pictures of recovered patients with success stories including sky divers, NFL football players, NBA stars, auto racers, and me If they can’t fix you, nobody can.
I had an MRI, which showed stenosis and bone spurs caused by a herniated disk and under went uneventful surgery. 8 months later and with the help of their expert PT therapist, I was back on the water with absolutely no pain and just a slight loss of flexibility. These folks are miracle workers. Good luck to you
1 hour of paddling is better than none. Perhaps you could get out and stretch a bit and lay on a blanket and continue a bit more? Gentle exercise always helps as long as you don't overdo it. You know your back best and you have to experiment to see what feels best for you. Good luck with any rehabilitation you do and try to think positive. Sometimes those topical ointments like "Cool Heat" etc. can help too.
Everybody in my age group seems to have a knee, elbow or shoulder that no longer works perfectly and we adapt to what we can do in comfort.
Morphine was my friend. Postoperative that is. If morphine didn’t work, it wasn’t the drug, but the strength. You could perform self surgery with the right dose and care less.
You know I have one It’s great for standing endurance but I have had trouble adapting it to sitting. Maybe I’ll work on it at the office and if I can get it to work, I’ll apply it to my kayak. Thanks!
There is a lot of good advice here and things I haven’t tried, back-wise, paddle-wise, and technique-wise. I will work on them all along with continuing to seek medical treatment. Above all, it’s good to know that there is a potential light at the end of the tunnel.
Lighten your load? I wonder if it would help you to get the lightest possible kayak and paddle, to put the least possible pressure on your back?
I realize that the mere fact of rotating your torso must be painful, but the Loon 138 is quite a heavy kayak. Intuitively, it seems that using a heavy paddle to move a heavy kayak might be more painful?
back brace for paddling… Maybe one of the better back braces would work well when out paddling! Think just about all of us could use one at beginning of spring season…
Inversion bench worked for me As others have said back issues vary widely. I suffered a herniated disk with sciatic pain a few years ago (mainly from years of sitting with poor posture at a computer terminal). I found that an inversion bench helped my back dramatically.
Regarding torso-rotation and back pain I got a different answer from every doctor I talked with. Answers ranged from don’t think about it to it will make your back stronger.
My mid-section was strong before my injury but I worked on my core as well as doing some of the exercises in “Treat your own back” with excellent results (the modified cobra pose where you lay on your belly and raise your upper body helped me).
I started slowly and was paddling (and rolling) at 100% after about one year – good enough to handle some major expeditions with no pain at all.
pain In my other life, the one that funds my hobbies, I am a Medical Record Coder - and one of the things I code is pain clinic. There is a lot they can do for your back - nerve root blocks, radiofrequency ablations, epidurals for what ever ails you, trigger point injections. Any reasonably sized hospital will have a pain clinic - get with one. Life is too short to hurt.
If you have not had previous surgery, the use of an inversion table might be helpful. I have had previous surgery and used an inversion table to try to help myself recently. It did not go well. If you have not had previous surgery, start with low incline and work your way down over time. I have had a few focal blocks and while they are primarily a diagnostic tool, they do lay lydicane and steroids directly onto the affected area. You can find an excellent and compassionate neorosurgeon to accurately identify the source of your pain, or you can try some of the methods that have worked well for people in the previous posts. When I was 21, a chiropractor worked miracles on me. When I was 36, a chiropractor did me alot of damage. Back specific workouts and an inversion table might be a good start. Good luck with whatever you decide. Bill
Do your homework Like anything else you have to check out whatever procedure or doctor you see. A second opinion helps. I had herniated discs that were hitting my sciatic on the left leg. Tried the pain management-pain pills, epidurals, chiropractor and therapy. Each one said they would fix the problem. I was afraid of surgery but after gaul bladder ruptured and almost dying, I wasn’t afraid of the back surgery. One doc wanted to do a full fusion and 2nd wanted to go in and clean up what he could. Went with option 2. That was before I started kayaking (started last fall). Haven’t had many problems after surgery or any with paddling. Surgery should be a last resort but I am glad I did it. Good luck
Hoping Not Lost One Of My Fav Hobbies The wknd of New Years I slipped on our deck while shoveling and (learned later) I herniated the disk at L3/L4. I found this thread while researching paddling with a back injury. Thought I’d add my observations and experiences.
I haven’t been back in one of my kayaks since the injury. My beloved sea kayaks are presently up for sale (Dagger Atlantis & Baja) to cover some bills which accrued while I was down with this damn injury. We’re thinking of replacing them with a canoe when we can afford it. We still have our trusty Pungos.
I’m on my 2nd epi steroid injection, and I invert twice a day at a 40/45 degree angle on a Teeter Hang-up. My 3rd and final epi is next month. So far so good, with decent progress. Started with excruciating pain down to my right knee cap, which was numb for months. Now just a pain in my upper thigh/groin area, that’s no longer constant. I’m avoiding surgery at all costs. I was on heavy doses of pain killers for most of Jan., and weaned myself off of them by March. Don’t want to return to those either.
Which is why I’ve been researching back injuries and paddling. I don’t wish to go thru this again. Twisting motions are not good, but hoping with back and abdominal strengthening things will be better.
From what I’m reading, a canoe may be the way to go, versus sitting in the bottom of craft. Can’t say I’ve every paddled kneeling, but willing to try. No other injuries to worry about.
For those of you suffering with herniated disks, give the epidural steroid/inverted traction recovery program a try. Takes time and patience, but may enable you to avoid surgery.
All back injuries eventually heal, the question is, at what cost? There are few god reasons for getting surgery. The single most important is the permanent loss of nerve function in any given area such as foot drop(I have), loss of bowel or bladder, or any other needed function. In these cases the pain often dies with the nerve. Anyone who is seeing “some” improvement in pain and function, and who is not experiencing real neuro deficits should hold off on any surgery. If you are getting better, odds are you are going to be ok. On Wednesday of last week I was having serious nerve pain and hip binding, on Saturday I paddled 51 miles in 10 hours. Today I feel very good for me. Paddling, in my opinion, is a fantastic back exercise. Bill
My brain is back to normal...just completed an order for a solo boat...it's been more than a few years...this beautiful weather is driving me bonkers not being on the water.
Dragon... You might consider going to a little more flexible paddleshaft in an Ottertail(maybe), instead of the standard Beavertail...might be a lot easier on the body(neck/spine/shoulders). A comfortable, little twist in the shoulders/upper-spine against the gradual pull of a less-stiff shaft, rather than loading on lots of resistance in a stiff paddleshaft, will help put some fun back into your paddling....along with everything else said....and yes..why not look for something efficient(if possible), but I think a paddle change you'll notice immediately.
If they can’t fix you, nobody can.