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Help my back

#41
I use a comfort strap which helps distribute weight
I play a sub 8lbs bass most of the time

Lost of good advice here but by far the one that gets my +100 is to exercise.
I'm 55 and try to exercise regularly most days of the week.
Clear it with your doctor ( not chiropractor ), or see a sports therapist if you can.
Exercise is the single most potent mitigator of aging related deterioration, both physically and mentally.

I ain't perfect, and life gets a vote, I fall off the exercise wagon, get fat and lazy during the holidays, and all normal human failings.
I get back on the path at thy gym, it always surprises me how much better I feel, how much chronic aches vanish, how sleep improves,
and how my energy, attitude and ability to cope with life improve.

like so many things bass related , simple but NOT easy.
 
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#42
Coach Rich.

I was searching for a strap I saw mentioned here on TB that connects to your belt to offer as a suggestion that might help but I did not find what I was looking for.

I did find something on Amazon called: "Neotech Support Harness Guitar Strap" that is $120 :woot: , and some straps from this company: Ergonomic Guitar Straps | Bass Straps.

Anyway I hope you find maybe a combination of things that help.
 
#44
I have similar issues. One thing that really helped was using the Groove Gear Duo double strap that went over both shoulders. It allowed the weight of the instrument to be placed evenly on both shoulders. Ultimately I stopped using it because it was rather cumbersome and not super cool looking but it was really beneficial. I still have it around if I ever need it though.
 
#45
red_rhino said:
Absolutely agree. There's a lot of things that can contribute to lower back pain. A past injury, a degenerative condition, simple posture or muscle weakness. What is your chiropractor telling you?
Click to expand...
The chiropractor said my discs were bulging in the lower back. And it was very evident from the X-rays. I underwent 10 weeks of decompression and they look much better. All this guy is telling me is to keep getting adjusted and then my lower back will stabilize. I started this thread thinking maybe there’s more to it and I can’t be the only guys afflicted with this.
 
#46
Admiral Akbar said:
Hey Coach — Take video of yourself playing - do you play standing or sitting? Does your back also hurt after you practice at home on your own?

I’m 52. One thing that destroys my lower back when playing is if I play slightly leaning forward… I noticed this would happen if I play guitar standing up. I learned to stand perfectly upright and relaxed. The LBP is completely gone. Maybe it’s a similar postural thing for you? Feel better!
Click to expand...
Love it. I’m going to records myself at our next rehearsal
 
#47
Aledal said:
Coach... there are few good suggestions above (Right posture, right shoes, exercising and strengthening back muscles etc) but I would strongly recommend going to a 'real' doctor and emphasising how much pain you're in and how inhibitive it is to what you're looking to do with your back.

Firstly and anecdotally, I would rethink everything you're doing at the moment. Chiropractory is very often a practice that gives temporary relief but does nothing to alleviate the root cause of back issues. In my experience, it made my back feel great for 12 hours, ok for 48 hours and then I'd be back to limping around and feeling sorry for myself...there are a lot of journal articles about how it can be more destructive in the long term than remedial. Get an MRI and follow the MDs advice.

Painkillers are fine if they work and by taking them you don't exacerbate the pain for when they've worn off.

If you smoke, try to decrease or quit, it's something I never thought would be connected but is.

Make sure you're doing the right stretches to help and start doing them twice a day. I can PM a list of resources for these kinds of stretches to you if you'd like.

If you have someone that practices the Alexander Technique anywhere near you and it's cleared by your MD, go try it. They pull the ligaments and tendons connected to your back rather than just stretch your back...worked wonders for me.

Good luck and Godspeed.
Click to expand...
I’d love to know what those stretches are
 
#48
I just want to thank everyone who took the time to think about and comment with a suggestion. This is my life’s passion. It’s a horrible feeling thinking about how much I might be hurting during or the next day after a gig. This is supposed to be fun and my reward for all the BS I had to put up with all week to get to the place where I get to play and forget about it all for a few hours. This pain is a real downer on my primary relief and escape from all of life’s crap.
 
#49
Coach Rich said:
I’m not sure which forum I should start this thread? I’m 53 and have chronic lower back pain. No accidents or anything like that. I guess I’m just falling apart? I do see a chiropractor and because of this am pretty much pain free.

Then a play a gig or even just go to a rehearsal for a couple hours and my lower back is really hurting towards the end. What ive been doing:

1. I tend to stick with headless basses for better ergonomics and lighter weight

2. I stretch before playing

3. I take a pain killer before playing.

4. Try to stop in to the chiropractor the next day.

Any other suggestions? I don’t quite want to give up and be a sit down player yet if I can avoid it.
Click to expand...
Had low back surgery in 2008/2010. I highly advise against taking pain medication before doing something physical like playing a show. You need to be able to feel your pain/limits or you will likely make things worse. Deal with it and take one after if necessary. Also, as has been said, MRI with contrast ASAP. This isn't normal.
 
#50
I've been in constant pain my entire life. Polycystic Kidney Disease and the damage it caused my spine and ribs, effects it had on the hips, legs and stomach, the bursting cysts and migrating stones and the high levels of toxicity were/are all very real and not "in my head" as some professionals and non professionals would have us believe.

IME, taking pain meds prior to rehearsal is not enough. Usually it requires a build up and reserve to be effective. Think of it like Free Chlorine and Total Chlorine in swimming pools.

If I have a gig coming up, I'll use paracetamol for a couple of days prior to the gig, before and halfway through and after the gig. It may require the use of something else, like diclofenac, on top of the basic paracetamol to assist with the desired effects, depending on the given conditions.

Even so, after each gig, I still struggle to walk or move smoothly for up to 3 days afterwards.

Recently (4 weeks ago) I returned to swimming to assist in movement and easing pain.
Gone are the days of swimming 15km a day but a more sedate 2km (not suggesting anyone starts off with that kind of distance) every second day with gentle walking before and after, have really helped to not only reduce pain levels but also reduce the amount of pain meds by up to 70%.

I still get sore after rehearsal and gigs, but it's not lasting as long and is much more tolerable.
I'll be 55 in 3 months.
 
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#51
No shame at all in being a sit-down player. Have two really bad knees, been playing semi-seated on a custom stool, a bicycle saddle on a rod threaded into a cast iron mic stand base for the last 3 years. Seated height about 3 inches below standing, takes weight off the knees without cramping the diaphragm so can still sing.
On Halloween night last year had a serious accident, intertrochanteric hip fracture, 6 days in hospital plus rehab. Metal rod inside the thighbone from knee to hip (New meaning for heavy metal?) The traction force put on the broken leg to reduce the fracture in surgery further damaged the knee, and just played a gig last weekend seated in a wheelchair. If you need to sit, sit. Nothing is worth sacrificing your mobility.
 
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#52
smeet said:
Leaning forward was mentioned earlier, and it reminded me that I have often played with my neck bent forward so that I could see the fingerboard. Your head is at the top end of a long lever arm so that puts a lot of stress on your back. I’m training myself out of the looking at the fingerboard habit and it’s helping. Keeping my spine straight and upright when doing anything - playing, lifting, climbing stairs - makes a big difference for me.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Chin back, shoulders back when you walk. Making as straight a line as you can with your upper body considerably reduces lower back strain.
 
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#53
LiptonJigglers said:
I've been in constant pain my entire life. Polycystic Kidney Disease and the damage it caused my spine and ribs, effects it had on the hips, legs and stomach, the bursting cysts and migrating stones and the high levels of toxicity were/are all very real and not "in my head" as some professionals and non professionals would have us believe.

IME, taking pain meds prior to rehearsal is not enough. Usually it requires a build up and reserve to be effective. Think of it like Free Chlorine and Total Chlorine in swimming pools.

If I have a gig coming up, I'll use paracetamol for a couple of days prior to the gig, before and halfway through and after the gig. It may require the use of something else, like diclofenac, on top of the basic paracetamol to assist with the desired effects, depending on the given conditions.

Even so, after each gig, I still struggle to walk or move smoothly for up to 3 days afterwards.

Recently (4 weeks ago) I returned to swimming to assist in movement and easing pain.
Gone are the days of swimming 15km a day but a more sedate 2km (not suggesting anyone starts off with that kind of distance) every second day with gentle walking before and after, have really helped to not only reduce pain levels but also reduce the amount of pain meds by up to 70%.

I still get sore after rehearsal and gigs, but it's not lasting as long and is much more tolerable.
I'll be 55 in 3 months.
Click to expand...
My mom has pkd. So I understawhat you’re going through. But I wanted to share that she had a transplant at Ohio State’s hospital about 14 years ago and she’s returned to a normal life.
 
#54
OP,
If you are opting for frequent use of NSAID pain treatment (i.e., Advil, Motrin) as part of your regimen, make sure that you are consulting with your physician. While they can be better at pain reduction than Tylenol, they can potentially harm you in serious ways if you have an underlying progressive condition like chronic kidney disease.
 
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#56
Coach Rich said:
The chiropractor said my discs were bulging in the lower back. And it was very evident from the X-rays. I underwent 10 weeks of decompression and they look much better. All this guy is telling me is to keep getting adjusted and then my lower back will stabilize. I started this thread thinking maybe there’s more to it and I can’t be the only guys afflicted with this.
Click to expand...

I approach chiropractors with a GREAT DEAL of reserve. Too many of them claim they can do things they can't, and too many of them give you temporary relief that only masks the real causes. I do agree there are some things they can help - but their entire industry is famous for overpromising and claiming benefits they can't deliver. I don't view chiropractors as the complete solution for any physical problem.
 
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#58
Core strength training and a more comfortable strap. Everyone says to go with a wide strap, but I find a guitar strap (~ 2.5") made out of a pliable leather that conforms to your shoulder to be a better fit for me. But, mostly core strength training.
 
#59
Coach Rich said:
I’m not sure which forum I should start this thread? I’m 53 and have chronic lower back pain. No accidents or anything like that. I guess I’m just falling apart? I do see a chiropractor and because of this am pretty much pain free.

Then a play a gig or even just go to a rehearsal for a couple hours and my lower back is really hurting towards the end. What ive been doing:

1. I tend to stick with headless basses for better ergonomics and lighter weight

2. I stretch before playing

3. I take a pain killer before playing.

4. Try to stop in to the chiropractor the next day.

Any other suggestions? I don’t quite want to give up and be a sit down player yet if I can avoid it.
Click to expand...
For me the double strap in Y shape was a real game changer for my back
 
#60
mambo4 said:
Yeah Chiropractors are not real doctors, but many mistake them for such. I view them as massage therapists with extra pseudoscience.
The "real doctor" version of Chiropractor is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Click to expand...

I'll take a well-trained and certified theraputic massage specialist. I've never done biz with an Osteopath, so I can't comment about them.

I have similar reservations about some podiatrists. I remember that one of them wanted to amputate my mom's little toe to relieve a nerve problem. She said no, bought some sneakers and cut a line down the outside, so there was no pressure on the toe, and in six months of wearing them the nerve problem was solved. All she needed was more room in that shoe.

OTOH, here in Fort Collins we have a guy who's a podiatrist but also a specialist in regenerative medicine. He's good enough that at least one NFL team consults with hi about their players who have had ligament surgery. He also corrected a major problem in one of my Achilles tendons without surgery, including eliminating calcium deposits that were causing a major problem.

There are really good doctors out there, it just pays to evaluate them so you don't work with one of the losers.
 

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