Members sharkhamill Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 so i've totally quit playing for a year, maybe longer.Just can't seem to stay in good Back Health... As i've posted before, no particular injury caused my problems...more just the fact that i never stretch and i've never donea lot of abdominal work, ever. i've started now, at 32, butit's slow going cuz, well, it still hurts... Has anyone here ever hurt their back and gotten wellenough to get back on the kit??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lossforgain Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I know one drummer that I play with is working with intermittent pain. He just tries to take care of his back and lift well (or not at all). Fortunately he's not in pain everytime he plays, only once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sharkhamill Posted February 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 it's a major bummer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ulank Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Where is the actual pain and have you gone to a doc to get it looked at? Depending on what/where it is and the severity, they may prescribe physical therapy and give you exercises you can do to specifically treat/maintain your particular source of pain. About 3+ years ago, I had to stop playing for over 6 months because I had a back issue that was causing numbness in my thigh. Through physical therapy, yoga/pilates exercises and losing some weight I've been able to manage it fairly well, though I have small bouts with it on occasion. Get yoself checked out and start maintaining it! It ain't gonna get better just postin about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marko46 Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Back injuries are tough. I've not ever had one, but I do deal with injured workers at my day job. Are you seeing a Physical Therapist? If you can, you should. Also, strengthening your abs will eventually make a HUGE difference. Stay away from sit-ups. Do crunches, hands across your chest, NOT behind your neck, you'll pull on your spine from the "pulling up on your head" motion. You should only come off the floor 3 to 4 inches and squeeze your abs the whole time- hard. Make them do the work. Go slow and good luck man. Hope you heal up soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease...(damn, I nearly typed 'dick')...some time around 1992. The pain actually started about 5 years before that, but I managed to keep gigging fairly heavily until a heart attack and surgery took me out of action in '95. I didn't go back to playing drumset until late 2005. I now have essentially no L5/sacrum or L4/L5 disks, and every day is painful, but drumming doesn't seem to make it any worse than it would be without drumming. (Walking up and down stairs is a much bigger burden.) I don't do double-kick any more, and I only play as a "hobby," so there's no commitments to screw up, and I can stop if it hurts too much. Really though, coming back to it after 10 years away was much more painful in the hands and wrists than the back, although I've learned to live with a certain amount of back pain. Everyone is different in terms of threshold and effects. I'd like to offer you encouragement to keep at it, or at least take up disciplines other than drumset, but only you know what's right or not for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ulank Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease. Same here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wellhungarian Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease...(damn, I nearly typed 'dick')...some time around 1992. The pain actually started about 5 years before that, but I managed to keep gigging fairly heavily until a heart attack and surgery took me out of action in '95. I didn't go back to playing drumset until late 2005. I now have essentially no L5/sacrum or L4/L5 disks, and every day is painful, but drumming doesn't seem to make it any worse than it would be without drumming. (Walking up and down stairs is a much bigger burden.) I don't do double-kick any more, and I only play as a "hobby," so there's no commitments to screw up, and I can stop if it hurts too much. Really though, coming back to it after 10 years away was much more painful in the hands and wrists than the back, although I've learned to live with a certain amount of back pain. Everyone is different in terms of threshold and effects. I'd like to offer you encouragement to keep at it, or at least take up disciplines other than drumset, but only you know what's right or not for you. I think most drummers can agree with Rumstik about living with a little back pain, but I don't know about the degenerative DICK disease. It would be tough, to get that diagnosis from the doc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Well, most of us degenerates are dicks, so it's kinda redundant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sharkhamill Posted February 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I think most drummers can agree with Rumstik about living with a little back pain.... Some more than others probably. I'm a dork when i play, i play very aggressively most of the time, throw my whole body into it like an idiot. Can't help it. So that's a lot of my problem right there. Never been one to sit still with good posture on the drums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Yeah, learning some economy of movement and posture certainly could help. Coming back to it after 10 years away, my style is much less "physical" now than it was back in my gigging days. But that's actually been a plus, both because it's easier on the body, and because it produces a better product. I still hit fairly hard when the dynamics call for it, but a lot less of the energy originates in the torso than before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sharkhamill Posted February 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 good advice, dude. i've had a severe pain episode probably once a yearfor the past 4 years now...and i just deal with stiffback and a little pain here and there in between.But after this last bout where i couldn't even walk cuz ithurt so bad and I almost fell over, forget it...it's timeto get off my dumb ass and do something about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ulank Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Yeah, learning some economy of movement and posture certainly could help. Coming back to it after 10 years away, my style is much less "physical" now than it was back in my gigging days. But that's actually been a plus, both because it's easier on the body, and because it produces a better product. I still hit fairly hard when the dynamics call for it, but a lot less of the energy originates in the torso than before. Yep. I used to tense up and over-exert and it was detrimental to both my playing and my body. I went with lighter sticks and, incidentally, practicing/playing with a vocal mic in my face helped me settled down on the playing. Of course, a good quality throne, with backrest, is essential. Sometimes I just sit back and chill while gro0oving away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sharkhamill Posted February 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 I ALWAYS used cheap crappy thronesor whatever was on sale for years. The budget thrones with little to no cushion, because I wastoo cheap to splurge on a "real" throne. Those Pork Pie thrones always look cushy...Probablyway worth the money, ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted February 16, 2009 Members Share Posted February 16, 2009 Dayumm Rumstick! Purple Heart for you man. B. O. T.Hows your physique? I've found that a big gut and/or full bowels can cause severe spinal compression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zildjian@consol Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 I ALWAYS used cheap crappy thrones or whatever was on sale for years. The budget thrones with little to no cushion, because I was too cheap to splurge on a "real" throne. Those Pork Pie thrones always look cushy...Probably way worth the money, ha! Half of your trouble right there. X floor man, cracked a vertebra and flattened the disk around it. You can recover because I did.10 years after that raced motocross. Your core strength and your waist line-read big-have alot to do with it. Go slow on working your core, gut and back, till pain goes away. If pain is to intense go to the doctor.It's a long haul ,don't get impatient, but don't quit either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 Dayumm Rumstick! Purple Heart for you man.B. O. T.Hows your physique? I've found that a big gut and/or full bowels can cause severe spinal compression. You had to ask that, didn't you? I hate when people go on about their health issues, but just to extend the story.... A few months after having bypass surgery, (and the subsequent Percodan withdrawal), I started getting some odd symptoms...rapid weight loss, weird itching, sweating, erratic emotional spikes, bulging eyes, and more. Thyroid. Hyperthyroid. So they nuked the gland to a hypo-productive state, and betstowed upon me a sluggish metabolism for life. So, in short, I'm not quite obese, but I'm heavier than would be ideal given the spinal condition, and losing it is difficult to say the least. I'm 5' 10". Was 190-ish when I had the heart attack, 150-ish when thyroid was nuked, and about 215 now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darten Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 I had a back injury that kept me out for nearly ten years. I had to rebuild my musculature over many years. Core strength training, bends twists, lifts sit up ups are all the basics. But see a physical therapist that specializes in "Core Conditioning". It will make a difference in your life for the rest of your lifetime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skinthrasher Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 DITTO to all of the above, I just went through the exact same thing myself recently. Two key things that I can personally reinforce from afore mentioned comments 1 lose some weight around the mid section that is a HUGE factor 2 core strenghtening is crucial Don't get down about it your state of mind means alot and it WILL subside:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wellhungarian Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 If you can get to a pool, I'm telling you that swimming will make you feel better all the way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wellhungarian Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 Dayumm Rumstick! Purple Heart for you man. B. O. T. Hows your physique? I've found that a big gut and/or full bowels can cause severe spinal compression. I feel the love between you two. Maybe eat a little Activa a day. Release the tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RumStik Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 I feel the love between you two. Yeah, like I always say... When you find yourself washing someone else's underwear, or discussing their bowels, you have found intimacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 Hey that was a generic bowel caution to the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ulank Posted February 17, 2009 Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 Wait, so you're saying I should use a toilet for a throne? Sweet! Instead of a GONG, I can go with a FLUSH for the song climax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sharkhamill Posted February 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 17, 2009 Half of your trouble right there. X floor man, cracked a vertebra and flattened the disk around it. You can recover because I did.10 years after that raced motocross. Your core strength and your waist line-read big-have alot to do with it. Go slow on working your core, gut and back, till pain goes away. If pain is to intense go to the doctor.It's a long haul ,don't get impatient, but don't quit either. appreciate the advice guys, bigtime! I'll shut up and stop whining about it. I'm doing something about it, now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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