sixsixT, I know what you mean. I spend a lot of my riding squatting. Let the knees absorb the impact[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I didn't know a single person with back troubles......until I had my injury!!!

Now,,,,everyone I know had a back problem.....

its funny how it works.....

 

thanks for all the stories and advice.....

It would be nice to raise the awareness a little!!!!!

If you feel anything funny in your leg,,,,,get yourself checked out!!!!

I think early recognition is critical,,,,,before the damage is too far along......

 

Late to the party as usual, but here's my added 'back adventure'.

About six years ago (before ATV's in our life) my wife and I were camping out in the Nevada desert at a remote spot we love. We took off on a simple 5-6 mile hike. On the way back, my left leg was losing strength - for no reason. By the time we'd gotten back to the trailer, I had to literally lift my leg with my arm to climb the steps into the trailer. My lower back was killing me! It was a 'million' degrees out and I was confined to the bed because the lack of any wind outside brought bazillions of bugs around.

Fast forward to the doctor's office. He sent me to a specialist guy who decided I was a "prime candidate" for back surgery. He sent me to another specialist who specialized more than HE specialized (I don't get all these 'specializer' guys...). Meantime, I'm talking to friends who have or have had in the past, back problems. They ALL said "avoid the knife at all costs!"

I'm a truck driver, and this put me out of work and on the short term disability policy. OUCH!

As it turned out, the next "specialist" guy actually knew what he was talking about and agreed with all my friends who said to avoid the knife. This guy sent me to a physical therapist who gave me an exercise regimen and of course, suggested I lose some weight.

Bottom line, after all this, was that I did NOT get surgery, and DID recover pretty well. The MRI showed that I had ruptured the customary L5 disc, and it always hurts to bend over (even to wash dishes in our RV). I no longer pick up really heavy stuff, and have learned to use my hand to lean on a knee when bending over to do anything.

It's been tough to admit that I'm no longer the big, bad Tommy who can do anything. But at 58, I can always use the excuse that I'm "getting old", though don't any of YOU tell me that - ha.

So far, I haven't had any problems riding our ATV's though, and that's a good thing. But we're basically "explorers" when we're riding and that keeps the adventures at a fairly 'safe' speed.

Hope this helps. Just remember, stay out from under the knife at all costs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yup, the "getting old" reason hangs in there. I was watching a TV talk show awhile back and a Dr. was explaining about the getting old thing. Seems we are designed to run hard for about 30 odd years, child bearing and continuing the species time, and then die. After 30 or so we have, as he put it, exceeded the warrantee period and will require constantly increasing maintenance.

Sure sounds like he was describing my life. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Two types of people in this world , those that have had back problems and the smart talking ones that are going too..!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Thanks again for all the comments!!

MrTommy, you really rang a tone as I read your post,,,,,,until the 58 part,,,,,im 31,,,oh well.

DeanZ made a bunch of sense too with his last comment. I was the smart talker I guess. I am fairly powerful for my chubby/dosile appearance and I usually find myself doing the lifting,,,,if something needs to be lifted (construction).

Keep it coming,,,,,,,,my back is feeling better as I read.

I am actually feeling better as of recent. I dont have that constant nerve twinge anymore,,,,it seems to be letting up a bit. (moving faster/surer)

 

I had an older friend (he's now about 65 I'd guess) who told me it all fell apart after 40. Well, 40 came and went and I had no problems whatsoever. I was lifting weights, eating right, and bicycling (I rode from Chicago to San Francisco in 1979) and busted right through 40 without skipping a beat or missing a breath. I even made it through 50 with no problems. But... after that things began to go awry. I had that back thing I described, I ruptured my Achilles tendon at work (luckily on worker's comp), and then broke my ankle (also luckily on worker's comp). And now due to my own stupidity, I've got a big right hand problem that I'm going to the doc tomorrow to see about. I just want to make it to retirement [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]...

I guess that L5 back thing is fairly common (popular?) because anyone who has back problems, has problems with that disc. Bummer. And if pressed, I can even trace that problem to something I used to do on the job and saw the signs beforehand but ignored them. This is called "stupidity"...

But, after all, I AM 58 and like tencubed says, "we're getting old".

 

If I only knew then what I don't want to know now.

I just think back about all times that I shouldn't have lifted this or that. Years ago my one friends wanted help lifting a 305 motor block into the back of his truck. The truck sat about 17 feet away from the motor block. My "friend" kept running up stairs then down stairs. I got tired of waiting for him so I just picked it up and walked (more like scuffed) it over and put it in his truck. Wasn't a good idea.

If I could do it over. I wouldn't lift anything over 70 lbs. unless in a correct movement while lifting weights. I've known a few guys that have lifted too much only to blow out their bicep. Kinda makes the bicep look like a window shade that flew up and can't be pulled back down. They did this while moving things like a clothes washer and water heater.

 

Boy, me too. I don't do what caused my back to get messed up anymore, but it's the old "no point in closing the corral after the horses are already out" thing.

My brother-in-law worked for the phone company for 30+ years (with no intent on retiring - he's a year younger than I). One day he was alone in the field and had to put this huge reel of wire into the back of his bucket truck. Rather than call for help (like he's supposed to), he just grunted it up himself. He was off work the next day with 'back pain', and since then (almost 10 years) he's had numerous back surgeries, and has to walk with a leg brace - or he doesn't walk. And of course, he had to retire. He got a good settlement from the phone company, and he was always a saver, so he's sitting pretty now, but I KNOW he'd give it all back to have that day to live over again - and call for help with that reel of wire.

This is all stuff we learn too late. And of course, when we tell our kids this stuff, they just laugh at us (like WE did when our folks told US!).

Like they say, the trouble with youth is, it's wasted on the young. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]