good physical activities during severe back pain?

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Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber

Out Of Bed

Aug 2, 2017 - 09:10am PT

Have you tried (not)-inversion ? A Teeter Hang-ups ' table? 'Graduated Progression' weight bearing/assisted.

http://teeter.com

Edit: with -
Frumy's experience ?

(You do Not Need to Hang Up-side Down, just past, or just to the tipping point that is comfortable)

While waiting for years to have surgery,
( more than procrastination, necessary,, at the time, still a bad idea )
As part of the gentle process of living with a broken gneck I was one of a few regular participants.
Short , sets building up to increased duration 1.5 minutes -up to 3minutes.( torturously enforced )
- then, after a while, after surgery, again.
Both periods of near daily use were at Phisio-Re-hab centers Now, for me it is the dual benefits that make it best 'control'd' core work out

. . . YMMV

MH2

Boulder climber

Andy Cairns

Aug 2, 2017 - 12:27pm PT

I read an article that aerobic exercise is keeps the brain on point, as well as the physical benefits.

Definitely have to find something besides walking to fill that gap...

Another out-of-the blue idea.

Any chance of volunteer work helping to feed homeless/down-on-their-luck persons? Those people can help a need we may not know we have. They are a big under-appreciated reservoir of empathy and the kind of humanity we need more perspective on.

ladyscarlett

Trad climber

SF Bay Area, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 2, 2017 - 06:39pm PT

:D!

FIGS! I love figs!!! ;). (really I do love fresh figs).

Alas, despite all the advertising, tasty fruit and veg will never be interchangeable with pastry. In fact, after much trial and error,for me, there is no whole plant based food I've experienced that is an adequate substitute for pastry. Good in their own right and an avid fan fer sure though!

As such, I must use every tool at my disposal to manage pastry (and other food) addictions.

For the record, my granpa (who was a Chinese peasant) said that they got LBP all the time. And they did what the rest of their family ands friends did-figure out their own coping mechanisms. Tiger balm was in use far before First World Luxury. I dunno about Africans though. No Granpa's from that side of the world.

Thanks for the suggestion to help feed the homeless/down on their luck. I understand the need for empathy etc in our world, but for now, today, it can't come from me.
I believe in a different morality. Just not quite aerobic enough...

Teeter...I've seen them in action. Pretty cool.

Thanks folks. Many things to try!

Cheers

LS

Ps- wheatgrass FTW! ;)

duncan

climber

London, UK

Aug 3, 2017 - 02:20am PT

I bet Chinese peasants or Africans don't get LBP.

It's quite common to think this for some reason. Possibly not a very helpful comment for LS and definitely not true. LBP is universal and "...causes more global disability than any other condition". Africans are as prone to back pain as anyone else and peasant farmers are probably the worst affected.

Tried that this weekend and it was great! Morale can be a mental challenge for me.

LS, that's great to hear. Well done! What ever it was, make more time for it in your life. Good luck in your search.

Adventurer

Mountain climber

Virginia

Aug 3, 2017 - 03:03am PT

LS, have you tried riding a bicycle? I have a lower back problem called Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and although hiking/walking can be difficult at times, riding a bike is painless and gives me plenty of aerobic exercise.

DM88T

climber

Dave Tully SanDimas,California

Aug 3, 2017 - 10:21am PT

Back RX

aspendougy

Trad climber

Los Angeles, CA

Aug 3, 2017 - 03:15pm PT

We have a professional here in Los Angeles who treats certain back problems as follows: You get in a warm pool,and have a flotation device on your chest. Then you put on ankle weights, and move your feet up and down until you get fatigued.

If you want something simpler, stand upright in water maybe just to, or a little over your head. Then move your arms and legs as if you are doing a hundred yard dash. In 30-45 seconds, you are winded and have to stop. Repeat 6-8 times. You get a great cardio workout, it works the arm and leg muscles some also, very short period of time. Basically you are doing stationary wind sprints in water.

Bruce Morris

Trad climber

Belmont, California

Aug 8, 2017 - 12:26pm PT

I bet Chinese peasants or Africans don't get LBP.
It's a FWL - First World Luxury which I've luxuriated in forever.

True Reilly. No native-born Kenyans have LBP (of course unless they have Mr C). Same with whiplash. Lithuanians don't get it, Norwegians do.

LBP does seem to be confined to technologically developed cultures in Europe, Asia and North America. Very similar to late 19th century Freudian hysterical neuroses. Very culturally specific.

MH2

Boulder climber

Andy Cairns

Aug 8, 2017 - 05:37pm PT

I understand the need for empathy etc in our world, but for now, today, it can't come from me.

Aha.

The suggestion was that it might need to come to you, not from you, and in a form you won't find on the internet.

But you best know what you need, no irony or return fire intended. You are fully capable. Not every problem can be fixed but almost every problem can be helped.

edit:

People who are down-and-out and have next to no material resources often, but not always, seem to understand the need to provide empathy. An under-used resource, I believe, and it works to improve almost any problem.

perswig

climber

Aug 9, 2017 - 03:58am PT

So, barring anything related to water...

Negotiable?
Aspendougy mentioned passive traction; you're also looking for aerobic involvement. Treading and even limited lap swim could be very helpful for core recruitment and balancing large antagonist muscle groups. If suspended water work is off the table, wall or shallow-end exercises at an aerobic rate, modifying resistance/duration, still give you plenty of ways to stimulate circulation, maintain CV fitness and flexibility.
Many options to manage/assist floatation and traction concerns, if those are your concerns. Finding a good PT with aquatic experience AND the right environment to allow a low-stress, staged intro to water would be the challenge.

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0269215508097856

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26291492_Clinical_Effectiveness_of_Aquatic_Exercise_to_Treat_Chronic_Low_Back_Pain

http://www.moveforwardpt.com/Resources/Detail/top-10-exercises-to-do-in-pool

^^Some of the references listed at the end of these links might be useful if you would be even a bit open to the idea. I get it that some folks just can't do water. Hope you can find a routine that works.

Oh, you could be taller, too.
http://www.pmrjournal.org/article/S1934-1482(11)00054-2/pdf

Dale

(edit to fix link)

ladyscarlett

Trad climber

SF Bay Area, California

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2017 - 08:46am PT

MH2

Gotcha-totally misunderstood and get what you're saying. Thanks!

Week 3 of nursing the Back. Have been able to climb and do all the muscle building bodyweight exercises, which is great.

But damn if I don't miss running. Sheesh, such a far cry from bitd when I hated everything about running except the aftermath.

Thanks all!

Cheers

LS

Contractor

Boulder climber

Aug 10, 2017 - 12:05pm PT

I had bulging disc, sciatica issues for years. I was at my wit's end and considered the situation beyond manageable. That's until a large fragment of disc broke off and lodged against a nerve. The bulging disc may as well have been a hang nail compared to this. I was forced to quit surfing, hiking, carrying loads and every other physical activity you can't do dragging one leg- it was pretty much a total shut down.

The doctors suggested surgery as a last option and promoted intense rehab with the hopes the fragment would reduce in size over a couple of years. I was pissed and beside myself but went full in on their program.

It's been three years and they were right. Swimming got me started, then I advanced to deep sand runs and intense core workouts. I've just started to surf my short board again and 95% percent recovery seems reasonable. There was a dark time when I had written off any strenuous physical activity for the rest of my days.

Last summer I summited Whitney on a 22 mile day hike and went back a month later and climbed the East Buttress on a criuse. Through the process and at 50, I've finally learned what uncompromising commitment is.

Don't give in to it and good luck!

Contractor

Boulder climber

Aug 10, 2017 - 12:22pm PT

Dingus, I must come clean... My wife bitched at me incessantly to stay on it :)

Contractor

Boulder climber

Aug 10, 2017 - 02:25pm PT

Hope your in a cycle of recovery DMT!

rottingjohnny

Sport climber

Sands Motel , Las Vegas

Aug 10, 2017 - 07:48pm PT

Contractor...What kind of core exercises solved your back problems...?

Contractor

Boulder climber

Aug 10, 2017 - 08:34pm PT

That cheap little power wheel (started from the knees- now from a stand up position), yoga ball crunches, lock off the elbows on a pull up bar and raise feet to the ceiling, reverse dip planks with belly button facing the ceiling, side planks and the dune runs actually engage the core quite a bit. Curls, push ups and all the standard sh#t is mixed in. It seems like a lot of this stuff may be similar to Pilates positions.

An hour a day, six days a week- anyone can do it if they commit to gains every day. I do two reps of everything and every rep I max out then grunt out two more. The point of grunting out those extra reps, besides guaranteed gains, is to build core heat over the course of the workout. The heat is critical in loosening up the lower back and pelvis. 30 pounds lost... It's definitely a love hate thing.