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Double Bass How to deal with back pain

A

A Spotless Mind

Aug 18, 2009
157
17
#1
Recently my upper and lower back has been hurting A LOT after playing for a while and it really bothers me.

How do you all deal with back pain? What do you do? Is there any stretches or exercises I can do to help relieve it and strengthen it?

Please let me know.
 
#3
First you should see a doctor and get good sound medical advice. Second, I have found that doing yoga can help many body pains including the back. Most back pain that is not a result of an injury is from weak muscle groups IMO, therefore exercise is of most benefit. Yoga is a full body workout and helps A LOT.
Good luck
 
#4
Stretching your entire body and strengthening the muscles of the abdomen that support the back are key, but any advice is a crapshoot without knowing precisely what the cause of the pain is. The most common causes are muscle spasms (mot commonly due to postural defects or disc herniations) and arthritis of the facet joints between the vertebrae. Many other, less common things can cause it. If you have pain radiating through your butt into your leg or are getting numbness and tingling in the leg or foot, simple muscle spasm is unlikely as those symptoms are strongly suggestive of nerve compression by disc or bone; if that's the case see a back specialist (my recommendation is a neurologist, because this a someone who neither operates nor manipulates and will gain nothing financial by any of the remedies/therapies he or she will recommend, unlike a surgeon or chiropractor). If it's simple back pain, try and readjust you posture. If you can find someone in your area who is a therapist in the Alexander technique, get a consult from that person who can adjust your breathing and posture. If it persists, see a specialist per above.
 
#5
Yes there are.
You have to practice the muscular system of the abdominal region. This is the middle of your body, it has to be strong to protect your spine. The spine is actually the thing that causes the back pain.
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/abdominalexercises.html
Here are some exercises.

I recommend static exercises (non-dynamic).
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/core-strength-training.html

It takes ten minutes per day and within two weeks you will have a different perception of the signs of your body. I have to add, that it always depends on how sportingly you are but static abdominal exercises are ALWAYS helpful.

Something like that. The easy way is to


Hope that helps. I'd love to give specific examples for exercises, but my English isn't that good.
 
#6
First thing to look at is your posture, preferably with someone who knows about that sort of thing. A human head is quite heavy and if not balancing on top of the spine can put unnecessary strain on the shoulders and back.
 
#7
jallenbass said:
First thing to look at is your posture, preferably with someone who knows about that sort of thing. A human head is quite heavy and if not balancing on top of the spine can put unnecessary strain on the shoulders and back.
Click to expand...

+1

I don't stand erect because I'm trying to channel Entwistle, but because I've had back surgery of the L-5/S-1 in the 90's. Scar tissue/arthritis and other complications have disabled me. More surgery is out of the question because too many discs would need to be fused. I have to rock from side to side shifting weight, thus preventing my back from locking up. It looks weird, but I'm not about to give up playing! The simple act of leaning forward while wearing my bass is enough to send me to my knees. I have GREAT friends that understand and help me with my equipment. So, POSTURE! There's no need to jump around on stage or lean into a bandmate to groove, let the showmanship come through via the fingers...NOT THE BACK!!!

Time for some more Vicodin, Later,
X8
 
#9
lomo said:
Stretching your entire body and strengthening the muscles of the abdomen that support the back are key, but any advice is a crapshoot without knowing precisely what the cause of the pain is. The most common causes are muscle spasms (mot commonly due to postural defects or disc herniations) and arthritis of the facet joints between the vertebrae. Many other, less common things can cause it. If you have pain radiating through your butt into your leg or are getting numbness and tingling in the leg or foot, simple muscle spasm is unlikely as those symptoms are strongly suggestive of nerve compression by disc or bone; if that's the case see a back specialist (my recommendation is a neurologist, because this a someone who neither operates nor manipulates and will gain nothing financial by any of the remedies/therapies he or she will recommend, unlike a surgeon or chiropractor). If it's simple back pain, try and readjust you posture. If you can find someone in your area who is a therapist in the Alexander technique, get a consult from that person who can adjust your breathing and posture. If it persists, see a specialist per above.
Click to expand...

^ This

Not to minimize anyone attempts to be helpful or their experiences with back pain, but please note this thread is posted in Orchestral Technique [DB]... the "slider strap" prolly ain't gonna help :D


I'm home from work today on day 3 of a sciatica flareup (the sciatic nerve can cause the "pain radiating through your butt into your leg"). A week ago my lower back was fine and the pain was right between my shoulder blades. As the late Gilda Radner said... "it's always something" . I suspect stress, overuse, muscle imbalance, improper lifting, and a desk job all contribute to my stuff. For anyone living with chronic back pain and struggling to function day-to-day while continuing to music on the "big piece of furniture", electric bass, EUB etc... yeah, it sucks, but I admire you for playing when you are able and not giving up on making music.

Good luck, Spotless, with getting your pain issues worked out. Hope it's something that can be corrected and not chronic.
 
#10
I've been practicing a lot lately, and I play sitting down. I've was having a lot of lower back pain going on. During the break about two weeks ago I actually heard the violin players talking about how the shift slightly the way they hold the violin and the way they sit. they were talking about very minor shifts that helps them distribute the weight etc.
I thought about moving the angle of my bass slightly during the rehearsal and even switch to the next end pin notch up or own every hour or so. I still feel a little stiff here and there but the horrible pain it's gone now.
Hope that helps a little...
 
#12
A great relaxing exercise is lying on your back on the floor in front of a chair with your thighs perpendicular and your calves resting horizontally on the chair. Nothing under the head and with arms at 45 degrees to your body with palms up. Relax, breathe normally and feel your back gradually flatten out on the floor. After about fifteen minutes see how your back feels then.

I agree with all the above advice about exercise, stretching and posture. My first port of call would be a good physiotherapist - take your bass along and demonstrate playing positions.

Cheers......

DP
 
#14
Playing bass with proper posture shouldn't cause one's back to hurt. That suggests to me that either there's something medically wrong with your back -- and I'd see a doctor about the pain in any case -- ; or that something's wrong with your playing posture. It could be both, because both in music and in sports, a slight pain sometimes causes us to compensate in various physical movements, and that very compensation then throws other things out of whack.

Don't try to gut it out, though; address the problem now before it gets worse.
 
#16
I can attest; swimming is great for back pain!

My wife is just getting over a slipped disc in her back and our regular swim routine has been helping.

Also, I have had periods of more back pain than others during my time playing and I agree that it's a matter of making sure you have proper posture to begin with and then strengthening those muscles. Swimming is great for that as you are supported by the water and have virtually no impact so you can strengthen without having to stress.

A lot of people will try to tell you that Chiropractors can be cooks, but I have seen ours do miracles lately.

Good luck!
 
#17
In addition to all of the below, get this book -
The Bassist's Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health by Dr.Randall Kertz


[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Written by a bass-playing Chiropractor, with forward by Victor Wooten. Posture, stretching and analysis of your body mechanics is important. I also refuse to consider a bass that weighs more than 9.5 lbs, no matter how many virgins hand rubbed the wood with their body oils.
 
#18
Bill Bentgen said:
Aren't there some people on this list that are experts on Alexander Technique? I've heard good things about it but never had the chance to take any training.
Click to expand...
I'm an Alexander teacher. It is contrary to the AT culture to claim to be "expert".
While there have been several citations of valid means to make the pain go away, none of them have anything to do with the stopping the cause of the pain. They are responses to pain, not preventatives.
I can't help the OP without knowing where he/she lives.
 
#20
I got back pain a few years ago from playing the double bass. After a few months of swimming 2-3 times a week the pain was gone. It is a very demanding instrument physically, and as you get older it is more important to be in god shape to avoid problems!
 

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