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Back pain how do you cope!

As a long time sufferer of back pain I was wondering what miracle or old wives remedies you have for this annoying by product of our industry. I know countless landscapers that suffer the same chronic pain in the lower back, which is not only painful but also can cost in terms of business and lost working hours.

Sometimes a problem shared is a problem halved or solved so any suggestions are welcome!

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  • Slipped a disc 8 years ago. Chiropractor really helped me. If I get pain now I make an appointment.

  • I'm off work today with back pain after a heavy lifting incident. Best thing is to try to avoid the pain in the first place; look at your heavy lifting operations and look into ways of taking the strain from your back in the first place.

  • Very careful with lifting nowadays but alas the latest back pain came from a minor slip on loose gravel which jarred my back :(

    Spent £100's on Chiropractors and such like... I suppose there are very little options available as the GP just gives you a prescription for pain killers and shows you the door!

  • I suffered every couple of years with a debilitating back pain, it would last two or three days when I was bed ridden and then be ‘uncomfortable’ for a week – then gone, just like that, nothing, not even a twinge. It would come from an awkward movement, rather than heavy lifting - leaning round a shrub to prune, stooping to knock a level peg in just out of reach – silly things, even twisting to get into my truck.
    Eventually I went to a physiotherapist who said it was a disc that would slightly swell, touch a nerve, the muscles would tense and grab more nerves, hence the pain. I was advised to wear a thick belt and when lifting to ratchet up a notch. I also used to wear a neoprene back support if I felt any twinges. I often think that the owners of the notorious ‘builder’s bums’ are storing up problems for the future.

    So – don’t let your back get cold, wear proper high waisted work trousers with a good wide belt and leave the jogging bottoms for the weekend!

  • This topic comes up quite often. Have a look at this discussion Back Problems

  • This wont help you or maybe it will, I dont know but it sounds like you have already done damage to your back. Im in my 20s so I have many years to get back pain lol. But what I did and still do to reduce back pain is to strengthen the muscles on your lower back (thats were I use to get pain). I started light and worked my way up to heavy weight lifting. I know it sounds silly but it worked for me, maybe only worked for me becasue I hadn't done to much damage to my back muscles to begin with. But strengthening and stretching regularly help alot.

    Ashley

  • I think we're probably all fairly sensible with our 'lifting and shifting', and it's the little things that get us. I have a friend who has a carnivorous plant nursery; all his trays of plants were on the floor, and the plants were mostly in 1L, 1.5L or 2L pots. He went to his doctor with back pain, expecting for the doctor to tell him off for carrying bales of peat around, but instead the doctor told him it was 20 years of picking up small pots from ground level that had done it, and that if he wasn't careful he would only have a few years left before he seized up for good. My friend faced the choice of investing in some hefty (expensive but tough) benching or losing his business; he went for the benching.

    Ashley; I'm 29 and get periodic back pain, mostly repetitive muscle problems setting 2-3L pots down during the nursery's potting season, or later in the year from occasional slips or awkward lifts. I have damage to my knees, so do tend to stress my back more than I should. I take your point about increasing the strength of your lower back; maybe I should try to set aside some time to do stretches to improve muscle strength, maybe even at a few points during the day...? You've got me thinking now- thanks for the pointer!

  • I have mild scoliosis and worked on a desk job for years that made it worse.
    I though doing manual work would make it worse but its actually helped as I have built up core stentgh that really helps with back pain.

    But I can tell you now, better than any pain killing drug....ICE is the best cure! Get an ice pack or and sit back and relax with an ice pack and muscular pains disappears.

    Hope this helps

  • core muscle strength is the answer, it will support your back or at least help protect it, I have 1 slipped disc and 2 bulging discs plus some sort of degeneration in my lower back, all I can do is put up with it, there is no cure,it will only get worse with age, when i first prolapsed the disc I was laid out flat for 7 months off my head on various strength pain killers even now 2 years down the road I still get a numb left leg but I won't let it get me down (most of the time)

  • I went and had 2 sessions with a Sports Trainer. Best money ever spent. He had had similiar problem and showed me excercises to stretch the nerve and my hamstrings. But everyone is different so what suits one person may not suit another

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