bad back advice

  • Thread starter Deleted member 438
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
I've been having back issues for quite some time now. I'm only 32, but I am a package car driver for a parcel delivery company and after 7 yrs of abuse it seems like my L5 has died. I've had a bad year where I have been out of work for a couple of months and I'm just wondering what to next. I've tried physical therapy and chiropractic, but I'm still messed up. What do I do now? I have a feeling the UPS doctors are going to want to do surgery eventually, but I just want to see what my other options are.
Thanks for the help guys.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mansack

Mansack

New member
Dr_Doom, you're not alone. I have a herniated disk in my L4/L5 with two bulging disks above that. I think I got mine from driving around in Humvee's in Afghanistan / football in HS / being stupid in the gym with a lot of weight. I've had epidural steroid injections into my spine which did absolutely nothing to help. The physical therapy didn't do much either, though they did find that my leg muscles are incredibly tight and that could be pulling on my spine in strange painful ways.

I still lift weights, but put nothing on my back (squats), and I don't stand when I lift anything (no standing barbell curls, but sitting preacher curls work). I can run with no pain, but sitting for extended periods of time kills me.

I think we have to build up muscle in our backs. Yoga is something that might be able to help with that, and especially with my tight muscle issues. I also should probably drop a few lbs since I'm 6"4' 213lbs. Oh, and I'm 28, so don't feel bad about being 32.
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
I wish I could tell you how stupid I've been, but I'm on comp right now. This totally sucks because I have been rendered useless twice this year.
 
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
lance2448 said:
UPS has their own doctors?
Click to expand...

Company doctors, they send you to their clinic. With the money UPS makes they should have a full time medical/physical therapy clinic in every building. Injuries at our job are higher than ever because volume is way up because of ecommerce.
 
C

Camo

Guest
Sorry to hear that mate! Hope it comes good for you.
My sport doctor told me the simplest way to look after your back is to always work on your core strength and maintain a good amount of flexibility.

I too work out of the back of a truck and find if I stretch my hamstrings regularly and do sit-ups every night, my back feels solid...and I'm a fat bastard lol.
 
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
highoctane said:
Someone on here swears by the teeter hang up If I recall, Sorry to hear your messed up.
Click to expand...

I've got one of those and it hasn't helped me. Maybe I'll go hang on it now and see what happens.
 
S

Shock

Guest
I would seek out a good doctor. The last thing they want to do is operate on a young man. It maybe time to look for alternative employment.
 
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
Shock said:
I would seek out a good doctor. The last thing they want to do is operate on a young man. It maybe time to look for alternative employment.
Click to expand...

The way I hurt right now I wouldn't be able to do anything. I guess I'm.just freaking out and I should wait and see what the company docs want to do.
 
H

Hoover

Guest
Buddy, inversion helped me no end. I have degenerative disc disease and L1 through 4 are shot and it is spreading to 5. I have been using a Teeter for years and it changed my life. They don't work for everybody and you have to have it set just right but for me, winner winner, chicken dinner. :chicken:
The other thing was a Tempur-pedic bed. Best 3K I ever spent. It reduced my flare ups by a third.
I'm sorry you are off work, but so am I so suck it up bucko ;)
I will load up some Cow and head your way this week :cheers:
 
V

Vapordan

Guest
Let them operate on your back. When you are cold and stiff! Have them list the success rate followed immediately by the complications and you be good to go. Know before you go 6 myths about lower back pain, busted | Health | Get Healthy | Best Health I have degerative L5 and bulging. It took me about 18 months to fix mine. Could hardly walk. Invest in a good mattress designed for the back. Then start to slowly strengthen your back muscles. There are specific exercises for those. Finally, stretch those hamstrings for immediate relief. It's about equal to taking pain medication. That shit don't come overnight, it won't go away overnight either.
 
S

Shock

Guest
Hoover said:
Buddy, inversion helped me no end. I have degenerative disc disease and L1 through 4 are shot and it is spreading to 5. I have been using a Teeter for years and it changed my life. They don't work for everybody and you have to have it set just right but for me, winner winner, chicken dinner. :chicken:
The other thing was a Tempur-pedic bed. Best 3K I ever spent. It reduced my flare ups by a third.
I'm sorry you are off work, but so am I so suck it up bucko ;)
I will load up some Cow and head your way this week :cheers:
Click to expand...

Damn we have the same diagnosis. I never tried the inversion table. When the back goes out I take ultram and Valium 3xday
 
D

Deleted member 438

Guest
How long are you guys hanging on the inversion table? I noticed that it makes me hurt while I'm hanging.
 
Jwood9

Jwood9

New member
So many options, im a personal trainer and no i dont think i know everything...but look into yoga and this thing called active isolated stretching it will help. I work with a lot of elderly clients and they are stiff and brittle. Stretch a lot it will help is my :2cents:
 
S

solosnail

New member
disc repleacement

i have a disc replacement l4-l5 and three bolts at l5-s1. totally worth it for me. i did Pro-Disc C replacement and there is discomfort but I'm much better then before.
 
D

DJK1505

Guest
Inversion therapy
TENS machine
Lots of drugs
And then finally surgery

Had L4/L5 herniated in 08. Broke my neck in 10. The herniated ones I was able to repair with a lot of stretching excercise, and chiro. I still go in every 4 weeks or so for a chiro crack up.

Neck, well I got some dead bums bones fused into my neck. Two plates, 8 screws and a dead bum to fix my neck. Still gets stiff and I can hardly bend it at times, but I go to the chiro and he cracks me all up, Im good for another 4-6 weeks.

Back pain/ problems suck. They are the worst, so many factors can contribute to them its hard to narrow down what exactly caused the herniation. Take your time researching surgeons, if you go under the knife, nothing worse than having a hack job done. My leg is held together with 23 screws, one going through my ankle (or at least it looks like it does on the x-ray), and two plates going 13 inches up my leg (all for a break that was less than 4 inches long). The x-ray looks like some 2 yr old went to town with a drill. When I moved to Va from Ca, I took all my info into my new doc, he made a comment about the surgery. My leg and ankle are always hurting, and the ankle pops like crazy now.

DJ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top