Dealing with back pain & playing

[mug25 2]

Most doctors will tell you that you should let it recover and then give it therapy (working out). That may mean now heavy playing for a while and will take time rehabbing. I recently started working out again and the main muscle group that I do not mess around with is back. I pay extra attention to form in the exercises as not to injure it.

[epstud74 24]

I've got two ruptured discs in my back. Pain killers and muscle relaxers allow me play hockey. If I don't take them even coaching and really sometimes even walking can be extremely painful.

Heating pads, icy-hot, hot showers and of course stretching, helps a LOT. Avoid the pain killers until they're necessary, I hate having to take them but I hate not playing hockey more.

Same here, but 3 herniated disks. The worst part is getting up the morning after a hard skate. Sometimes you have to just play through the pain and develop your core muscles. I've found that skating with a deeper knee bend has alleviated some of the pain along with custom insoles. I do agree with the hot shower statement as well. I take one before and after playing hockey to keep the muscles warm.

[heybrady 0]

Do any of you use Icy Hot while playing? I injured my back 4 weeks ago at lunchtime hockey. Not a specific incident, but just the hour+ of constant hockey after just getting back into it after 10 years off. Was on my ass for 2 weeks, now I am good when loose, but when I have to sit for more than 30 minutes or so in a hard chair, I am all locked up when I stand. Been seeing chiro for 3 weeks and it is largely better, but stuck at the sitting thing. Maybe have an MRI in my future.

But, first spring game is Friday night and I got the OK from the chiro to play. I think I am going to go with a heating pad on the drive out there, but want to stay as loose as possible during the game.

Thoughts? I'm definitely not looking forward to Saturday morning.

[chippa13 1844]

A couple of things you might try is looking your posture and the set-up of your chair. It can do wonders. Also, increase your abdominal strength. That will take some of the load off of your back while sitting. One other thing is to not sit on your wallet, especially if you carry the Costanza.

[heybrady 0]

I stopped sitting on the Costanza wallet about six months ago. That helped quite a bit.

I am largely slouching at work, which I know is not the best for posture, but it seems to lessen some of the pressue on the back.

[kovyperron5727 0]

I stopped sitting on the Costanza wallet about six months ago. That helped quite a bit.

I am largely slouching at work, which I know is not the best for posture, but it seems to lessen some of the pressue on the back.

LOL, that's a classic episode. I slouch too, I don't know if its for sure good or bad. My PT says its bad but my old chiropractor said its good for pain relief so idk

[SirJW 207]

Lie on the floor and put your legs up on an ottoman and or the couch it relieves the pressure.

A friend of mine bought one of those anti-gravity sleds / inversion tables and loves it. He bought it for cheap off of craigslist.

[ReggieDunlop 3]

Just received my first of 2 lumbar injections this morning - but I've done what everybody here suggested with some relief and will continue - -lost weight, inversion table(5min), hot tub before every game(6min), stretching and core exercises keep me in the game

[chippa13 1844]

LOL, that's a classic episode. I slouch too, I don't know if its for sure good or bad. My PT says its bad but my old chiropractor said its good for pain relief so idk

Slouching may ease the pain temporarily but it will probably lead to further problems down the road. You're better off improving your core strength and sitting with better posture.

[fatwabbit 93]

the main reason tht I asked about the inversion table is that I get sore back muscles after playing hockey or a long day at work. I slouch a lot, so posture is pretty bad. I do notice that if I do go to the chiropractor, I would be standing up tall for a few days before going back to the bad habits.

My cousin does a great job in 'cracking' my back. Everytime he does it, it feels like I've just finished another chiropractic session. He lives back home, so no help at the moment.

I have read that for those that have done the inversions, they feel the 'cracking' of the spine once they get fully inverted.

[kovyperron5727 0]

Slouching may ease the pain temporarily but it will probably lead to further problems down the road. You're better off improving your core strength and sitting with better posture.

+1 to improving the core, I have noticed that has helped me somewhat.

Just received my first of 2 lumbar injections this morning - but I've done what everybody here suggested with some relief and will continue - -lost weight, inversion table(5min), hot tub before every game(6min), stretching and core exercises keep me in the game

I've been there, 3 times actually. Hope the injections do the trick for you.

[Shark#81 0]

my theory: certain muscle groups get too strong playing over the years and this pulls the hips and spine out of kilter. Especially when you are using raised heels and hanging out over your front (playing position!). So instead of loading the joints naturally, you get pressure points, joints and weaker muscles prone to injuries.

Walking for example is 100% balanced, pull stride, push stride.

Skating is like 90% outward PUSH stroke only. So in order to balance that you need to design an opposite that pulls the leg back and crosses the knee over, rotating the hip opposite of the skating stride. Then you have to do like 100 reps of this for every game you play, plus stretching out the major muscles that are working the push stroke.

Stretch out quads and the tensor/band that runs down the outside. Strengthen groin and hamstrings and opposing rotation of pelvis.

it is very difficult to isolate and solve the above with the proper group of excercises, but with the help of the TRX I think i am finally homing in on it.

[epstud74 24]

Do any of you use Icy Hot while playing? I injured my back 4 weeks ago at lunchtime hockey. Not a specific incident, but just the hour+ of constant hockey after just getting back into it after 10 years off. Was on my ass for 2 weeks, now I am good when loose, but when I have to sit for more than 30 minutes or so in a hard chair, I am all locked up when I stand. Been seeing chiro for 3 weeks and it is largely better, but stuck at the sitting thing. Maybe have an MRI in my future.

But, first spring game is Friday night and I got the OK from the chiro to play. I think I am going to go with a heating pad on the drive out there, but want to stay as loose as possible during the game.

Thoughts? I'm definitely not looking forward to Saturday morning.

Icy Hot is great, but not for the back/hips. I tried that once and the sweat collected at the bottom of my nut cup. Not good

[Shark#81 0]

Here is some more research I just pulled off a fitness bodybuilding forum. This is from a guy who had an MRI done to evaluate the muscle structures around his pelvis. There is also a thing called a Thomas test too, i don't know anything about that.

I think the statement below describes what happens to hockey players - the lower back gets worked/strong and tight, the front quads, and hip flexors involved are strong/over developed due to the push stroke and this all leads to what's below:

" lower crossed syndrome "

" combination of tight hip flexors and a tight lower back, paired with weak abdominals and weak glutes. This combination leads to an excessive arching or rounding up your lower back (swayback), a flabby or protruding abdomen, and a flat butt due to weakness in the glutes. This is a very dangerous combination of muscle imbalances due to the excessive stress that it places on the structures of the lower back "

BTW - today is the first day I have got up in the morning and felt no lower back pain. Doing the right exercises, hitting the target is WAY better than any other coping activity - the painkillers, chiros, ice, heat, inversion, stretching you name it.

[Law Goalie 147]

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/FlexFunction/ThomasTest.html

[Shark#81 0]

thanks for the link. used our center kitchen island, did the test and my thigh lifts way up. there is no doubt there. very subtle and gentle test, not much force is required pulling down on the bent knee to get the lower back to contact the board, and the free leg just pulls right up. i also felt pulling in my quads.

also hockey players are going to have good glutes, it's this one, the quads, tight lower back and weak shins even that all come into play.

i'm a mess!! sorry to be blubbering on here but I have had to hang 'em up due to a chronic/serious back injury and at that point again.

[flyerman 0]

Hey guys, need some advice and support here....

I have advanced degenerative disc disease and have been playing with pretty significant back pain over the last six years.

About four years ago I showed my xrays to my best buddy back home, who's a chiropractor. He was amazed I was able to skate at all, and told me sternly I should quit hockey immediately and take up swimming if I planned on being able to be active enough to care for my young daughter and continue to have a functional life down the road. The L3/4 disc had severely degenerated and the bones had spurs (vertibrae are trying to fuse themselves together). But of course quitting hockey was out of the question, and I kept playing through the pain.

My symptoms were usually just aggravating localized low back pain, with occasional back spasms. I took a lot of advil, took long HOT showers letting water run on my back, and stretched about 2 hours before every game. I saw the chiro for adjustments and last year started see a sports medicine chiro who specialized in ART (Active Release Technique). This did seem to help relax my back muscles and allowed me to play. But I wasn't consistent with treatments, and this past summer had to be carried off the ice after a mid-back spasm bowled me over competely. This was nothing compared to the pain I was soon to endure.

This past Fall, the top of my right foot began to tingle and feel numb. Stupidly, I ignored it and just kept playing. Then in January, my piriformus on my right side just got really strung "tight". I kept stretching and stretching, but it never felt like it relaxed. I played games on a Saturday and Sunday. On my last shift of the Sunday game, I turned and skated left behind the net while passing across my body to the right, and I got a stabbing pain from my low back to my foot. That night horribly intense sciatica set in and I could do nothing to alleviate the pain.

I spent the next four weeks in the worst imaginable pain. It felt similar to when I broke my leg playing soccer years ago, except that this pain ran from my butt all the way down to my foot. I was prescribed all sorts of hard-core pain meds, and these did not even touch the pain. I got an MRI that week after being tortured by the sports chiro, who made it worse (I found out later that he should not have been doing anything whatsoever to aggravate the sciatic nerve). MRI showed I had one herniated disc, and 3 circumferential bulged discs L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1 with severely advanced degeneration of the L3/4 disc, significant stenosis, and facet arthrosis.

I had to wait two weeks before I could get in for my first epidural, which after 10 days provided no relief. But finally after about 2 weeks after the shot, the pain subsided significantly and I could sleep and walk and drive again somewhat normally. But my foot was still numb and very weak. I could basically bare no weight on the heel of my foot.

Got two more epidurals, and still no change with foot numbness and weakness. Meanwhile I started PT and bike riding, which totally aggravated my lower back again. So now I am dealing with constant low back pain and tightness, and occasional back spasms. My old chiro (not the sports ART guy) believes I may have permanent nerve damage, and both PT I have seen have told me I am done with hockey forever and should not even consider playing again. Meanwhile, I have a consult with a neurosurgeon at the end of the month. But honestly, surgery is an absolute last resort for me. It is invasive and risky, not to mention impossibly expensive. My friend and old teammate of mine, a great hockey player from Minn, recently had his back fused due to a similar condition. He can barely function now. Plus he said his pain was actually worse than before the surgery.

I am writing now because I am beginning to feel hopeless. Missing the last three months of hockey has been really hard for me, so much so I didn't even want to go to my teams' (which I have run for the last 5 years) games to support them because I felt so depressed. I played D3 college soccer, and suffered many injuries throughout my playing career, but I always had a goal of rehabbing to be fit and strong again....so I could play. Same with hockey injuries I have had in the past. Rest, rehab, and get strong and flexible again to play the game I love. But to be told by 3 different medical professionals that I should quit and not even consider playing again is a big blow to my confidence that I can actually get better. Plus it removes the impetus I need to actually want to rehab.

Many of my friends don't really get it, and ask me things like, "Is it better yet? When can you skate again." But my condition by nature is just going to get worse and worse has it has over the last 6 years. And of course I don't want to just say screw it, and rehab as best as I can and go out and play -- only to cause more damage with a simple twist of my body the wrong way. I have just spend about $4,000 on medical treatments since I am not insured (each epidural costs a grand each!), so I don't want to go out and undo the little relief I have gained. But I am not ready to throw in the towel and quit the greatest love of my life next to my family. As my buddies tell me, "doctors are wrong all of the time."

If anyone has experience with being told they should quit because of this kind of injury/condition, I would love to hear your stories and what you decided to do. And how you were able to protect your back so as to avoid further damage and injury.

Thanks guys!

[sickwilly 37]

I wish that I had some suggestions that I knew would help. I certainly hope you can find some answers that will give you some consistent relief and maybe even a shot at playing again.

The things that have helped me the most are regular chiropractic care, an inversion table, yoga, icy hot, flexeril when needed, and an occasional epsom salts bath. It hasn't fixed everything, but I'm still able to play. I am in no way trying to replace medical advice with these suggestions, just sharing some things that have helped contribute to keeping me on the ice. I think that doing a better job keeping my weight down would help a lot, but I've struggled with that all of my adult life after college.

I have had doctors and friends suggest that I stop playing before. Some of them have been pretty understanding when I explained to them how much playing means to my mental health and physical health.

Best of luck to you through all of this!

[chk hrd 164]

I've been through the back ringer for many years. One thing that helps me and I suggest is an inverted table. It's one of those contraptions you hook your feet into then put your arms up making the table rotate so you're hanging upside down.

[shotty 7]

hot yoga does wonders for back and neck pain, stiffness, recovery, balance, core strength, improving flexibility and promoting blood flow.

i started bikram seriously about a month ago after going on and off for a few years, and there was immediate improvement in all aspects of my health and wellbeing. even my golf swing improved. if you can try it, most places will give you a free class or two, but the trick is to go at least three days in a row for the first two or three weeks.

[flyerman 0]

I've been through the back ringer for many years. One thing that helps me and I suggest is an inverted table. It's one of those contraptions you hook your feet into then put your arms up making the table rotate so you're hanging upside down.

I really appreciate the feedback and support guys.

Inversion and traction have both aggravated my lower back. Ultimately my back muscles just go into spasm instead of relaxing. I'll try gentle inversion again and see how it goes, but it just seems to make it worse, probably because my muscles are overcompensating for the instability and compression in my spine.

I've done yoga in the past -- but with sciatica, many of the poses just aggravate the sciatic nerve. Right now, along with sciatica and constant low back tightness and pain, I have started getting intense muscle cramps in my hams because I cannot stretch them out properly, as doing so just irritates the sciatic nerve. As a result, I have never been so tight and inflexible in my life. So the cure (PT) just seems to be creating a new set of problems. Incredibly frustrating!

[sickwilly 37]

One other thing that was immensely helpful for me was to work with a D.O. who performed OMT (Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment). Unfortunately, she moved form our area. During the time I was getting the treatment, my back felt much better than it had in years.

[flyerman 0]

One other thing that was immensely helpful for me was to work with a D.O. who performed OMT (Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment). Unfortunately, she moved form our area. During the time I was getting the treatment, my back felt much better than it had in years.

May I ask what lower back issue/injury you have specifically?

[sickwilly 37]

Shoot me a PM. I think that my back problems are due to a combination of things.