Yukon Mike/ Dave Parks--back pain

W

wis boz

Well-known member
Neither of your back problems should be any of my business but backs/sports injuries was my business for over 30 years so I'll stick my nose in in order to possibly give you some help. I'm not talking "CURE" ( I dislike that word ) but some daily relief to enable you to get thru a day with some activity. I'm talking about 10 to 15 minutes a day. It's an easy stretching of the hamstrings, heel cords, lo back and then easy back extension. If interested I can email you the program. Again, this won't take care of your basic problem but possibly give some daily relief.
wis boz
 
Boz:

Sounds like the ssort of suff that any of us old war horses should be doing as preventive maintenance. You can sure send it to me.

Thanks,
 
Well that's sure nice of you to try to help! I do find stretching like the one Dutch said to be helpful, as well as walking if I can.

My problem is a broken L5 vertebrae with a Gr 2 Spondelolesthesis (Slipped disk?) Sitting is very painful, and standing is very tiring and leads to back spasms to try to protect the spine. Laying down relieves much of the pain, but too much leads to stiffness and soreness, and me not getting anything done. If I overdo it tring to stretch out my lower pack, it responds with spasms. Some days, getting out of bed seems to overdo it. Reaching for the toilet lid can be the end of an otherwise good morning.

This week, I've been avoiding sitting, and when my back feels tired I take a little 15 min lay down break. I've been able to determine that my comfortable vertical time window is about 2 hours max BUT if I don't overstretch that time I can do it 3 times in one day for 6 hours upright. That's a big improvement. To help me not overdo it I've been using a stopwatch. One of the biggest problems is determining HOW I want to use that time. Housework is not top of the list, but I want to help out Jane more. I cleaned off the top of the fridge the other day. Jane can't see that high so we use it as a storage device for CRAP. I found all kinds of good stuff.


May 6th is my surgery day in Calgary, and I'm hopeful that once they get things all bolted together I can start exercising without re-injury. I don't think I'll be throwing out any dog bumpers this summer, but I can still send her. Meg said she'd throw for me.

If you think you've got some stuff that would help Jim, by all means send it along. There is definately room for improvement here!

Mike
 
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Reaching for the toilet lid can be the end of an otherwise good morning.
Click to expand...

Mike, There is always a silver lining in every cloud and you just found it. You now have an iron clad reason for leaving the seat up! hehe


As for throwing bumpers this summer, consider getting one of the .22cal launchers. Id recommend one with the extended "stock" which you can brace against your leg. Besides saving your back from the throwing effort, it will launch the bumper a lot farther than a thrown one, which will pay off when hunting. My dog being trained only with a hand thrown bumper did not do well on longer retrieves. He only wanted to search for the duck in a zone comparable the the zone in which I could throw a dummy. Getting a launcher extended his search zone.

Hope everything goes well for you in May.
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Dave, I fell into the same trap with my Jack and went one day to a gun dog seminar with Tom Doken and he called me out in front of the whole group. Not real embarasing but insightful. Then I bought a launcher. Wis- I would go for that stretching plan too, seems like the back doesn't get better all by itself and I do not want to lose another fall or mess up the Argentina trip.
 
Dutch;
Those stretching exercises are good but are too much for a painful back in my opinion. Those I sent to you should do the job without increasing pain but should be done daily.
wis boz
 
Mike:
Although Dutch's stretching exercises are good I would think too extreme for you. I did email those I suggested to you hope they are readable.
wis boz
 
For what it's worth:
Several years ago I broke a lateral process on 4th Lumbar and crushed the disc. It caused extreme pain and muscle spasms that affected my middle back as well. Went to the orthopedic surgeon for help. Since it was the end of my working season with winter coming on he suggested I not opt for surgery, but lay in the most painless position I could find to allow the L4 process and vertebrae to fuse naturally. I had just made a new freight sled for my dog team, a nice 6 footer with an upswept bow for running through the willows. We moved it into the living room, put a sleeping pad in it and I basically stayed in it for most of the winter. My wonderful wife hauled the water (from the spring in 5 gallon buckets), split and carried the wood for the stove, fed and exercised the dog team, and took care of me as I healed. When it was possible for me to walk I found this to be the best therapy of all for strengthening the back. I started out just walking back and forth through the cabin, then extending the walks until by spring I was doing about 2 miles per day. I was healed enough to be able to start work after break up. Walking is great for the back. When I was able I also did sit ups and crunches to strenghten the abdominal muscles. Years later I still have occasional flare ups of spasms, and live with a little pain from my hip to my knee, but they seem to go away go away quickly. I'm 65 now and can still carry the deeks and gear the mile through the woods to the slough on the river I hunt. I walk or slow jog for about 20 minutes every day to keep strong and limber. Walking is great for the back!
 
I'll try anything if it will help. The Bone Doctor can put me back in shape, but that only lasts a few days. Judy and I both see him just before we leave for our Montana hunts each year and it helps with the long drive.

My problem is that I lave little left in the way of cushioning between four vertebraes in my lower lumbars. I used to be able to do an excercise that would align them, but it does not seem to do much anymore. Ever sinc ethe dozer accident in 1977 the Doc;s have all said the same thing, if I want releif they will have to fuse them together. Trouble with that is, I won't be able to bend over to tie my boots.

My email address is available by clicking on my name at the top of my posts. Thanks,

Dave
 
Thanks for the story Jesse.

As far as Alaska with Mac in Sept, I sent off the gun paperwork last week and bought him a lic, so we'll see where I'm at when the time comes. I have some options as well, like letting friends help with the boat and the decoys and stuff. But if I can't do it this year, Mac will understand. He's seen me laying around all winter, and he wants me fixed right.

The kids have been hauling firewood for me all winter, and today Meg vacuumed out my truck for me while Mac cleaned the kitchen. They are really good kids. Actually, Meg had a fundraiser/birthday party this weekend and raised about $160 for an orphanage in Nepal. I'm so proud of her - no way I would have given away birthday money when I was 9!

Thanks for your support guys.

Mike
 
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