Posts
(newest first)
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Dealing with Back Pain and Injury
Well, being a computer programming type dude, I have to sit at a desk most of the day, which is probably not good for my back, as we all know these days.
I've tried all manner of positions to help me stay comfortable, and have used back supports etc, but although back supports offer some relief, I think they also take away from the natural support your spine gives you.
When you rest your back onto a back support, the muscles relax and cause less pain, but, really, sitting in an upright position with the legs taking most of the weight seems better and more like standing, which our bodies are actually designed for, and allows for the spine to sit naturally and, perhaps, self adjust itself.
The other thing I have noticed is the number of muscles and tendons which carefully balance the back and keep the spine straight. These muscles pull on both sides of the spine, so you need an equal distribution of tension on both sides for best effect.
Usually, with a misaligned back, one set of muscles are bunched up and the other overstretched, so you must stretch the compacted muscles and tendons, and strengthen the opposing set to help the spine achieve alignment.
And so, it is much like life, you need a proper balance in everything you do, not too hard, not too soft, stretch yourself where you feel limited, reign in that which has gone too far, and achieve proper balance.
I've tried all manner of positions to help me stay comfortable, and have used back supports etc, but although back supports offer some relief, I think they also take away from the natural support your spine gives you.
When you rest your back onto a back support, the muscles relax and cause less pain, but, really, sitting in an upright position with the legs taking most of the weight seems better and more like standing, which our bodies are actually designed for, and allows for the spine to sit naturally and, perhaps, self adjust itself.
The other thing I have noticed is the number of muscles and tendons which carefully balance the back and keep the spine straight. These muscles pull on both sides of the spine, so you need an equal distribution of tension on both sides for best effect.
Usually, with a misaligned back, one set of muscles are bunched up and the other overstretched, so you must stretch the compacted muscles and tendons, and strengthen the opposing set to help the spine achieve alignment.
And so, it is much like life, you need a proper balance in everything you do, not too hard, not too soft, stretch yourself where you feel limited, reign in that which has gone too far, and achieve proper balance.
Friday, July 21, 2006
OUCH! or why I haven't posted for ages...
So last year (2005) I decided to go free running, or parkeur, with a bunch of peeps who meet weekly in manchester, North West Parkeur, I think, if I remember.
Now, I'm quite capable, fairly acrobatic, am quite used to scaling stupid things, balancing on thin objects and jumping over cars or whatnot. However, my brain usually thinks that I am more capable than my body, and that gap of inability widens as I get older...!
Feeling all bouncy and clever I attempted a stupid jump whilst warming up off a bunch of steps, about 10, over a pavement about 6 feet wide and onto a curb where the grass starts. Well, I made it after 3 or 4 attempts, but the last one, when I landed, my ailing trainers (or sneakers in the states) failed to grip and I plonked my arse onto the pavement fairly heavily.... enough to severly bruise my arsecheeks and impacted my spine a bit.
Being used to a lot of stupid pain, I rubbed my arse for a bit, massaged my spine and got on with it....
Well, the pain was ebbing off after an hour or so of antics and we had tripped off to a bar in Manchester, well, behind a bar, where a bunch of railings on raised platforms near a canal sit happily contemplating with beer drinkers.
Frolicking around with the other guys, I jumped through a railing but mistimed my landing and didn't push my feet down fast enough and pounded my, now severly distressed spine, onto the middle rail.
Well, that put paid to my training for many months, as I suffered in agony over the misaligned vertabrae that I had prescribed myself. Needless to say, at the time, i carried on for another hour jumping and climbing over urban sprawlways, before finally admitting defeat and limping home. My bad.
So, over the months of lack of activity, besides the depression that caused, my back muscles atrophied somewhat and meant that my normally flexible and greased spine was subject to injury through the most innocuous of activity, specifically bending my neck sideways to relieve a tight neck after waking up.
Krrrricktt!
Yep, another misaligned vertabrae, this time at the base of my neck, which has been causing untold pain now.
So, no training, at times, no fast walking, never mind running, and certainly no heavy lifting, and definitely no biking, so been very glum and depressed for some time.
Slowly, I've been self diagnosing my problems and though I can't fully fix the problem, I can alleviate the pain through massaging the muscles of my back, neck and shoulder, and stretching the tendons and muscles so they don't pull unduly on my vertabrae.
Lately, I've noticed that my lower back, where I caused the first injury, has been feeling a lot better, and more aligned, if not fully, but that causes me a lot less pain, so I'm gonna keep at it. More specifically, I need a decent course of physio and somebody who can manipulate my spine to at least a working order, so I can start strengthening my body again.
Meanwhile, as I'm not in constant pain anymore, I'm gonna start taking up Tai chi again and possibly yoga to keep flexible and build up strength without impact (yeah, yeah, swimming, but I hate swimming....).
Anyway, that's pretty much why I haven't been posting, due to depression, and not having trained for over a year (and thats after over 20 years of usually daily activity).
Still, limits drive creativity as they say, so I've been putting a lot more energy in my non-physical interests, which usually centre around computers.
So, word of advice, a little fear is a good thing, and knowing what you can and can't do is even better!
Now, I'm quite capable, fairly acrobatic, am quite used to scaling stupid things, balancing on thin objects and jumping over cars or whatnot. However, my brain usually thinks that I am more capable than my body, and that gap of inability widens as I get older...!
Feeling all bouncy and clever I attempted a stupid jump whilst warming up off a bunch of steps, about 10, over a pavement about 6 feet wide and onto a curb where the grass starts. Well, I made it after 3 or 4 attempts, but the last one, when I landed, my ailing trainers (or sneakers in the states) failed to grip and I plonked my arse onto the pavement fairly heavily.... enough to severly bruise my arsecheeks and impacted my spine a bit.
Being used to a lot of stupid pain, I rubbed my arse for a bit, massaged my spine and got on with it....
Well, the pain was ebbing off after an hour or so of antics and we had tripped off to a bar in Manchester, well, behind a bar, where a bunch of railings on raised platforms near a canal sit happily contemplating with beer drinkers.
Frolicking around with the other guys, I jumped through a railing but mistimed my landing and didn't push my feet down fast enough and pounded my, now severly distressed spine, onto the middle rail.
Well, that put paid to my training for many months, as I suffered in agony over the misaligned vertabrae that I had prescribed myself. Needless to say, at the time, i carried on for another hour jumping and climbing over urban sprawlways, before finally admitting defeat and limping home. My bad.
So, over the months of lack of activity, besides the depression that caused, my back muscles atrophied somewhat and meant that my normally flexible and greased spine was subject to injury through the most innocuous of activity, specifically bending my neck sideways to relieve a tight neck after waking up.
Krrrricktt!
Yep, another misaligned vertabrae, this time at the base of my neck, which has been causing untold pain now.
So, no training, at times, no fast walking, never mind running, and certainly no heavy lifting, and definitely no biking, so been very glum and depressed for some time.
Slowly, I've been self diagnosing my problems and though I can't fully fix the problem, I can alleviate the pain through massaging the muscles of my back, neck and shoulder, and stretching the tendons and muscles so they don't pull unduly on my vertabrae.
Lately, I've noticed that my lower back, where I caused the first injury, has been feeling a lot better, and more aligned, if not fully, but that causes me a lot less pain, so I'm gonna keep at it. More specifically, I need a decent course of physio and somebody who can manipulate my spine to at least a working order, so I can start strengthening my body again.
Meanwhile, as I'm not in constant pain anymore, I'm gonna start taking up Tai chi again and possibly yoga to keep flexible and build up strength without impact (yeah, yeah, swimming, but I hate swimming....).
Anyway, that's pretty much why I haven't been posting, due to depression, and not having trained for over a year (and thats after over 20 years of usually daily activity).
Still, limits drive creativity as they say, so I've been putting a lot more energy in my non-physical interests, which usually centre around computers.
So, word of advice, a little fear is a good thing, and knowing what you can and can't do is even better!
