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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Jun 22, 2009 - 10:43pm PT
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John,
This is a completely homegrown, non-medical thought. Treat it accordingly.
I've noticed that climbing really helps to relieve back problems below the neck, and I've always figured that hanging by your arms lets the vertibrae stretch out. Like the opposite of those jumping, landing, jarring, compressing impacts. Sure feels good and loosens me up.
So when my neck gets stiff, like when I was bouldering in the Buttermilk a lot and some mornings would wake up and couldn't turn my head, I'd do self-traction on it. Like grip the bottom of my skull and push upward. Better yet, lie on your back and have someone else do it. They sit behind you, feet on top of the pelvis, traction on the skull. Gentle but firm and straight in line -- this has gotta be someone you trust. Ease into it and ease back down.
For what it's worth, until Werner's tone comes around.
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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Jun 22, 2009 - 11:08pm PT
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"No jump rope, jumping off boulders from any height, dirt jumping on the Mt. bike, etc."
I'm sorry to say this is excellent advice for anyone growing older . . . I hope you find some relief, John. Must be frustrating.
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jbar
Social climber
urasymptote
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Jun 22, 2009 - 11:37pm PT
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Hmmm, your shoulder popping sounds a lot like what has been happening to me lately. Could be possible you have a cyst as an underlying cause but they should have caught that. My stiffness and pain is typically mild and only after I climb but sometimes it gets worse. From Feb thru Apr this year I started getting bad knots in my neck around C1 and 3 lateral side pinching on the nerve. Very painful and wouldn't go away. I was thinking it had gotten worse but they went away and now I am fine again with just the regular old symptoms. Don't know what caused it. Happens from time to time. I wouldn't go in for any type of surgical treatment unless you just can't handle the pain.
Interesting diagram:
http://www.joelertola.com/grfx/grfx_new/cervical.jpg
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 23, 2009 - 01:02pm PT
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More great info - thanks.
Yes, I definitely ain't jumping around - no jogging either.
I'll see what happens when I go to my spine guy.
Could be arthritic in cause, extra pressure above and below my c6/c7 fusion point, over ossification of the fusion point itself, or some other crazy thing...
Thanks again all for the advice, jb
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Jun 23, 2009 - 01:09pm PT
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Jeez, I have "significant" arthritis (as my GP puts it) in my C6/C7 (thanks to several car and bicycle mishaps). I have seen the x-ray and it's not pretty, but as yet I haven't had any problems with numbness or anything.
Hope you find a solution John.
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hashbro
Trad climber
Mental Physics........
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For folks who have dealt with cervical stenosis know, the nerve impingement associated with the malady can cause a complete or partial loss of hang/arm.
If this were to happen at an inopportune moment, a climber might be unable to make a necessary move or hang from a critical hold....
Could this have been what happened to JB yesterday?
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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It seems likely that we'll never know. An examination may find some physical evidence of the condition, but there may be no way to positively connect it to what happened.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there mighty hiker, say, i was just re-reading this...
:(
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hashbro
Trad climber
Mental Physics........
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Are there any climbers out there who have had cervical bone spurs removed, that are now back at the crags and feeling like new?
I'm looking for success (or failure) stories before I go under the knife.
Hopefully surgery will breath new life into my neck's functionality with activities like climbing and cycling again being relatively pain free.
Btw, John Bachar rocked the ages!
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scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
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Hey Spencer, this doesn't address your problem directly, but...
In climbing and cycling, I find that every little bit helps,
in terms of range of motion, and limiting your range (in
practice, not in potential).
What I mean is, avoid things that require you to move your head
and neck any further than necessary.
Hats and helmets can be big culprits. If you're riding a bike
and can see your hat or helmet, you'll have to crane your neck
a few degrees more than if you wore none at all, or one with
no visor.
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