To those of you with bad backs....how do you cope?!

[bonbeau]

Hi,

I have just had to have various steroid injections into my spine due to wear/injury with some of my discs, currently very bored recovering!!!

I'm now really thinking about how to help my back and posture for the future, I have had pain in my back before this for some time and tried to bend/move better but still tended to use shortcuts as its generally easier/quicker! I could possibly have an ongoing problem so I really need to help myself.

Have you had problems in the past? What do you do to help?

When I'm better I'm going to start Pilates which should help posture and core muscles, but also little things like use a sack barrow to move shavings bales instead of just carrying them and trying to lift things by bending my knees not just bending over.

Any ideas will be great!! I really don't want to end up giving up my horses or being restricted with what I can do with them!

 

[Annette4]

I have to admit, since my back has been getting worse I've stopped poo picking for now (broken back 2 years ago and sciatic pain/numbness as well now) and am trying to find someone to harrow for me instead. Anything to easy lifting/carrying (inc OH ), doing resitance stuff in water really helped me in the past.

 

[Annagain]

Mine is nowhere near as bad as yours by the sound of it but I found Pilates really helped. If you have an office based job, make sure you get a desk assessment from your H&S officer (we all laugh at them but they do have their uses!) and that your chair is right for you - even if you don't need a specialist chair you need to make sure it's in the right position. Learn your correct posture and make sure you stick to it - I'm always having to remind myself not to slouch. Make sure your pilows are right in bed too - not so high that your head is at an angle, but not so low that your neck has no support - the memory foam ones are quite good.

In terms of the horses, I use three small water buckets rather than one big one and have found that changing my wheelbarrow for one with higher handles seems to have helped. I also carry haynets in the wheelbarrow rather than throwing them over my shoulder as that will make you very crooked!

Oh and I found a chiropractor good too - but mine is muscular rather than wear and tear so not sure if that will help you - might be worth finding out if it could help though?

Hope it gets better soon.

 

[Stateside]

I use a 3 foot long shoe horn to get my boots on and a sock puller to get my socks on, that's just to get me out the house. On the yard I push smaller barrow loads and think how to cut down on work, so I have auto drinkers in all the boxes , rubber mats , no beds just sweep out ,( I don't like doing this but it is the only way I can cope with 3 in).Only one horse has a straw bed but the extra work is amazing. Freezing weather is bad as I have to use buckets which is hard.
But the most helpful thing is a old walking stick ...I use this to get the rug straps from under the horse to pull to me so I don't have to bend down and under the horse to retrive so I can buckle the rug up. oohhh and I keep taking the pain killers double dose .

 

[BBP]

Have to admit, I'm the worst for advice on this. I didn't do anything different when I slipped my disc 21 months ago. I still rode, mucked out, I even stupidly started trickriding 2 months later (i lasted for 6 lessons/3 excrutiating weeks before I couldn't take the pain any more) The only thing I did differently was that I did it all very slowly and cried a lot! I'm an idiot though so not much help! I suppose I have reduced how much weight I put in the wheelbarrow and I'm careful about pushing it through muddy ground.

 

[Delicious_D]

Morphine, brufen and injections

 

[pansymouse]

Drugs and a truss

 

[JessicaRabbitt]

My recommendation would be a back belt for heavy lifting days, Pilates,and Shiatsu......or McTimoney Chiropractor

 

[puss]

I broke my back long ago and some mornings i cry with the pain i swallow loads of pain killers and drag my sorry butt to the stables. I have to cope no choice

 

[CambridgeParamour]

I broke my back in 4 places 6 years ago, and although I still ride 3 every day, I always wear my air jacket now.

I use the wheelbarrow to carry haynets and water buckets, and when my boyfriend is at the yard he loads the weeks supply of hay so I dont have to lug bales around.

If it bad I also wear a prolite back support, and go to a chiropractor every 4 weeks

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[wiglet]

Never broken my back or slipped a disc or anything serious but general wear and tear means I have a bad back. I now visit a chiropractor - once a week to start with but am now down to a visit every 3 months (unless I get pain inbetween) He gave me 'limbering up' exercises to do when I get out of bed and before I start with the horses. These have helped. Around the yard like others have said, I use a wheelbarrow to move haynets and waterbuckets. When sweeping I do some left handed then some right handed so I am working my back evenly.

 

[Wagtail]

I have had a bad back since the age of 13 when I sustained a slipped disc whilst riding. I find a lower back support is a must for me. I use a sportabac one and it has lasted me more than ten years. I use it for all stable chores and riding.

 

[Bundle20]

Pilates and painkillers!

 

[BBP]

Word of caution on the painkillers front, I took up to 6 ibuprofen a day for 18 months, sure enough one day I started to get crippling stomach pains and other ulcer symptoms.

 

[spottyfilly]

Tramadol! Amazing pain killer but seriously messes with my brain function!!

 

[RutlandH2O]

I've had spinal stenosis for years, with disc bulges at L3, L4, L5, S1. I've had no end of root block and facet joint injections for almost 2 decades. Some have worked for well over a year, and then I get a bit too confident and abuse my back by carrying loads best reserved for the likes of a rugby player. I live on Tramadol and Voltarol (never on an empty stomach!). I have a slightly longer right leg (or higher right hip), so I wear a 1cm cork lift in all of my left shoes. The difference that makes is staggering. It puts me in balance, so that when I walk I'm not landing heavier on the left. I have grabbers in almost every room of my house, and in the tack room and hay barn. I avoid bending down at all costs, if I can. I have 4 Shire horses with 16 white, feathered legs. That's a killer for me. I have to groom those legs, applying oil and/or medication daily. I pay for that in pain. I try to get back in the house as soon as possible so that I can get onto my back and do my stretching exercises (alternating pulling each bent leg to my chest and holding tightly). For years I couldn't sit. I did everything standing: eating, letter writing, reading, watching telly. That has passed, so, for me, that's progress. I haven't ridden for well over 35 years, and I don't miss it. I don't use haynets any more. I use ring feeders in my 45' x 90' polebarn. Instead of using a wheelbarrow to transport the hay, I use a flatbed trolley with a handle (much easier to load the bales than lifting them into a barrow). Everything I do, now, is done with the focus on protecting my back. I have water taps in every stable, barn, field. I have a wonderful handyman who mucks out and does the heaviest lifting. I have permanent tingling in my feet and toes, but that is bearable. I do have bad days, but the good days are well and truly quantifiable and welcome. If there is anything you can do to give your back a rest, try it, no matter how silly or ridiculous you might think it is.

 

[bonbeau]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I'm still struggling, I know if I do too much I will make it worse and I've got to give my back a rest to hopefully get better, not feeling too positive though!
I work with horses so I have agreed with my boss that I will have January off and see how I am after a decent rest.
I still have to do my horses though, they are seeming like 3 very big expensive pets at the moment, and as I can't work I am now facing difficult decisions with what to do money wise when livery/hay is soon due, have had to postpone the farrier (which isn't too bad as I can't ride so shoes are in good cond!), I spent the last of my money on feed yesterday and I can't pay anyone to help me, managing to do their 3 beds, I'm having to deep litter on straw, hay on the floor and top up waters with the hose. Husband helps at the weekends so can do waters properly and stock up hay so it's close to stables.
Painkillers have been making me ill so trying not to take too many, and the physio has given me pilates exercises to strengthen my muscles. I have some muscles that are constantly tense so the ones underneath have given up and wasted away a bit.
Not quite sure what I'm going to do job wise and horse wise now, I have a fantastic youngster that I can't do anything with and feel like he's going to be wasted. My mare won't load so I can't loan her out which would take off a lot of pressure.
Stuck in a rut!!!!

 

[Mince Pie]

Dihydracodeine, diclofenic and a hot water bottle! I slipped a disc 18 months ago and still waiting for surgery... I also have arch supports in my shoes to help my posture.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Even if your back is capable of recovery OP, you're probably not going to recover by working with horses because you'll keep doing the things that made it bad in the first place. You might be able to manage your own horses in time, but I'd definitely look for a new job. If you don't change things now and wreck your back completely, you might not be able to even have horses as a hobby. Don't worry about wasting the youngster. Horses have no concept of being wasted. If he has sufficient work to be happy and you get pleasure from owning him, then that's enough.

 

[applecart14]

Hi,

I have just had to have various steroid injections into my spine due to wear/injury with some of my discs, currently very bored recovering!!!

I'm now really thinking about how to help my back and posture for the future, I have had pain in my back before this for some time and tried to bend/move better but still tended to use shortcuts as its generally easier/quicker! I could possibly have an ongoing problem so I really need to help myself.

Have you had problems in the past? What do you do to help?

When I'm better I'm going to start Pilates which should help posture and core muscles, but also little things like use a sack barrow to move shavings bales instead of just carrying them and trying to lift things by bending my knees not just bending over.

Any ideas will be great!! I really don't want to end up giving up my horses or being restricted with what I can do with them!

I've a slipped disc L5/S1 and my chiro, physio, doctor and consultant have all said the same, that pilates is fantastic and the way forward! I did it for about 18 months and it really helped my back.

Pilates also advise you to clench your pelvic floor muscles when bending to lift anything up and this sets your core muscles and help protect your spine.

I am really careful about lifting/pushing heavy things, and trying to slam tack room doors, or stable doors that come off their hinges really upsets the back. so does lots of cantering or jumping (something we both adore).

The co-codamol and gabapentin really help. The facet joint injections didn't really help, only for three weeks and then the back started hurting again.

I haven't ridden my horse for two whole weeks as I've been recovering from a nasty virus I got before Xmas. Last night I walked him (he's lost a shoe) for the first time in two weeks for about five mins in the menage. Last night my back was terrible! And that's just walking!!!!

 

[Hen]

Pilates, Back on Track clothing so that I am always as warm as possible, regular osteopathy and anti-inflammatories as necessary. And a growing application of the attitude that if I'm feeling a bit ropey on any one day, 90% of what I'd planned to do does NOT need to happen!!

 

[LittleMonster]

I have had to give up riding however i dont actually know whats wrong they sent me to physio which has made it worse imo... , i gave up horse riding around 4 months ago and i still have sleepless nights due to my back.

co-codemol, Deep heat and hot water bottles help me. I dont think il ever be able to ride daily or weekly agian so i get horsey fix on here

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I can no longer lift hay bales or sacks of feed so get my teenage son to do that, riding can be very uncomfortable and has limited me to just walk with a little trotting and I don't do that through the winter as when I am cold my back seems stifffer. Mine isn't that bad and as long as I am careful with bending and picking things up I am fine. When our new miniature arrived last October she decided to squeeze through the fencing and then fell into a ditch which I physicaly picked her out off, needless to say my back was very bad for about 6 weeks. I couldn't even pick the horses hoofs out as I couldn't bend at all. So please be very careful.

 

[Antw23uk]

I feel for you. I put my back out Boxing day and the pain was unbelievable I also suffer from sciatica. Mine is purely muscle pain though so the more i work the easier it gets ... although filling a haynet on Friday morning saw me lieing up in the haybarn for about half an hour in agony

Sadly the thing with keeping horses is its a very labour intensive job!

 

[frb]

I have bulging discs T1 , L4 & 5. It hurts if I rest or if i carry on. Cocodamol 30/500 and tramadol. Back support and ice backs when very bad. I do spin classes and weights, a lot of strength and core strength work at the gym, nothing with too much impact. Running really hurts. I carry on riding even when bad, often it loosens me up but if am spasming I just hack for a couple of days. Find a good chiropractor. I find keeping moving and ice packs, plus serious drugs keeps me going!

 

[Rachellouise1]

A second lover of back on track stuff, I have their back support, it's fab!! I go to Pilates nearly every week which has been a god send, mines nowhere near as bad as yours sounds!! Also found a chiropractor who is FAB!!! Take care xx

 

[bonbeau]

Even if your back is capable of recovery OP, you're probably not going to recover by working with horses because you'll keep doing the things that made it bad in the first place. You might be able to manage your own horses in time, but I'd definitely look for a new job. If you don't change things now and wreck your back completely, you might not be able to even have horses as a hobby. Don't worry about wasting the youngster. Horses have no concept of being wasted. If he has sufficient work to be happy and you get pleasure from owning him, then that's enough.

I'm definitely going to have a career change! It does put things into perspective when you're restricted, I'm only 27 and as many people have told me I shouldn't be struggling this much at my age!
It's been worse since I've had the injections so I don't know if they've worked but I was told that it may take a while for it to get better which will involve lots of exercises to help my muscles, the injections only have a 64% success rate which isn't really that high!
My youngsters got very grumpy, my older mare is the sort of horse that needs riding she has so much energy so she's on edge a lot at the moment, she's a bit of a worry wart anyway and now she isn't working she's quite sharp! Then I have the shetland who is no problem at all!
I am thinking about finding them homes (not the shettie as he costs nothing/is barely any effort and I've had him for 12 years so he'll never go anywhere!) but I can't ride, not earning any money as I can't work so getting into a horrible situation so it doesn't look like I have many options!!

 

[bonbeau]

I have had to give up riding however i dont actually know whats wrong they sent me to physio which has made it worse imo... , i gave up horse riding around 4 months ago and i still have sleepless nights due to my back.

co-codemol, Deep heat and hot water bottles help me. I dont think il ever be able to ride daily or weekly agian so i get horsey fix on here

Do you have your own horses? How are you coping without riding? I hate it I really want to ride but I know it will hurt at the time and after and I'll make myself worse! I'd probably go for a slow hack if I had a quiet horse but my mare is a tit at the best of the times!!

You should ask your doctor to refer you for an MRI to find out what's wrong. I think it's so wrong that they don't investigate properly, I had my pain for 4/5 years slowly getting worse spent fortunes on pointless physio and only when I had a fall in the summer and it got a lot worse did I get serious to finally sort it out, doctors are generally useless luckily I have private medical so I went to a specialist who take you a lot more seriously than GP's!

 

[ozpoz]

My saddle(no tree and really shock absorbing) and my footwear(supportive,and shock absorbing),and flex stirrups all make a huge difference.
heat, back supports, hot baths,yoga, painkillers when I have to.

 

[chazza44]

I can completely sympathise as have idiopathic scoliosis and my back gets pretty sore.

Best advice is to try and keep active - swimming, cross trainer etc are good as lower impact activities and try to find some exercises to strengthen your para spinal muscles. I find yoga really helps too and if I get the muscle spasm type back ache a good warm bath and a sports massage can help.

The worst thing you can do is nothing if that makes sense?!