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herniated disc / pinched nerve
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benspikey



Joined: 02 Aug 2008
Posts: 167

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:41 am    Post subject: herniated disc / pinched nerve Reply with quote

Greetings all,

has anyone else suffered a herniated disc / pinched nerve from windsurfing?

Not positive that this was caused by windsurfing ( spend most days working on computer) but windsurfing seemed to have aggravated the issue.

Have done an MRI and the doctor did not believe I need surgery. Told me to take some time off and rest the body. ( no sailing, lifting anything heavy, or straining the neck ).

Just seeing if anyone has been here before and what worked for a cure. Have attempted to work out and go to gym but ended up in misery and paid for it the next day. Seeing physical therapist but doctor suggested I lay off PT for short term.

Any advice? Very hard to sit by and be idle even if this is best thing for me.. Have started hiking / long daily walks which seems to help loosen up my back.

Thanks everyone in advance for your replies! Cheers!
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gvogelsang



Joined: 09 Nov 1988
Posts: 435

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had disc problems in the past, probably exacerbated by the golf that I have played. Occasionally my back will flair up after windsurfing.

I find that the best exercise for my back is road bicycle riding.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

• Surgery is not just a LAST resort, but a desperate measure. MRIs show herniations in most people, symptoms or not.

• Chiropractic has a better track record than surgery for lower back pain.

One it has calmed down and your doctor and/or chiropractor say it's OK, the best preventative I know of is Pilates. Our spine is more like a chain than a column, with inner core (NOT abs) muscles holding each vertebra in place. When those muscles get weak or imbalanced, the chain meanders. Strengthen them (NOT with crunches) and they'll behave much better.

• Rest is OK, but NOT including bed rest.

• The more likely source of your problem among the activities you've mentioned is sitting*, not WSing. Or it could be uphauling 10 meter sails incorrectly or gym abuse such as clean and jerk, a Smith rack, or lots of crunches.

* I'm sure you know that sitting continually much of the day is as lethal as smoking even if we spend hours a day exercising.

• If your orthopedist says it's time for surgery or won't admit that a lowly chiropractor can often do more than the orthopedist can, it's time for 2nd, maybe 3rd opinions, as FAR too many back surgeries do not help and may make it worse.
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Brian.bigfella@gmail.com



Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 127

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup, going through that right now, but I think I'm on the downhill side of it.

Slogging and swimming aggravate it way more than sailing in a harness, so I've only been going out in pretty steady wind. When I slog I have to constantly pull my hips in over the board, which contracts all my back muscles. Not good. But if I can get out and in my harness it feels pretty good.
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ramps



Joined: 07 May 2000
Posts: 94

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have had back issues although not with my discs per se - but I have lots of stenosis and when my muscles get strained and tight I am in agony. Had an excellent P.T. who gave me stretches and exercises that I do regularly, has helped a lot. Still get numbness in my feet when standing for long periods (maybe a foot issue?) and other back pain including facet joint irritation. P.T. said that the only problem with chiropractors is that they don't give one anything to help you once you leave their office.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brian.bigfella@gmail.com wrote:
Slogging and swimming aggravate it way more than sailing in a harness ...

Yet one more reason I VERY seldom slog. I've never understood why so many people do it so much, at least unhooked. About the only time I do it for more than a few tens of yards is when the wind backs off unexpectedly after sunset, and even then there are ways to mitigate that. It's hell on backs, forearms, shoulders, legs, hands, language, and mental well-being, and is usually mostly avoidable.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ramps wrote:
the only problem with chiropractors is that they don't give one anything to help you once you leave their office.

Drugs are only a bandaid; they don't fix the underlying problem that rehab and re-alignment MIGHT fix. Real disk damage and your stenosis are a whole different issue, but as you've found even they can be mitigated. I won't know until I'm too lame to exercise whether the stenosis I was promised after crushing L1 on Feb 20, 1983 (we tend to remember stuff like that) hasn't struck yet due to luck or exercise, but so far they were overly pessimistic.
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wynsurfer



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 940

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am one of the lucky ones that surgery did work very well for only after I had exhausted every other means. Things got so bad I could not stand up. Surgery was no picnic though. My surgeon, [orthopedic] told me " you don't want surgery unless it is absolutely necessary."

He was right! I could not sleep for five days, and felt like I had been run over by a truck. My back now however is better than it's ever been. Results vary, some are worse after surgery.
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wynsurfer



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 940

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am one of the lucky ones that surgery did work very well for only after I had exhausted every other means. Things got so bad I could not stand up. Surgery was no picnic though. My surgeon, [orthopedic] told me " you don't want surgery unless it is absolutely necessary."

He was right! I could not sleep for five days, and felt like I had been run over by a truck. My back now however is better than it's ever been. Results vary, some are worse after surgery.
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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also am a poster boy for L4/L5 fusion. It's been more than 30 years,
and I'm still Windsurfing and Snow skiing, and biking. Hoping to keep the
luck going for another 30, but happy with what I've had so far.

-Craig

p.s. would only consider it as a risky last resort, but when you're there you know it.

slinky wrote:
I am one of the lucky ones that surgery did work very well for only after I had exhausted every other means. Things got so bad I could not stand up. Surgery was no picnic though. My surgeon, [orthopedic] told me " you don't want surgery unless it is absolutely necessary."

He was right! I could not sleep for five days, and felt like I had been run over by a truck. My back now however is better than it's ever been. Results vary, some are worse after surgery.
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