Backpacking with Back Injury?

[Jplus4]

I pulled a muscle in my back about a month ago. Getting over it now, but I think it has brought on a second issue. I have all of the symptoms of sciatic nerve pain. I have pain from my back all the way down the back of my leg to one knee. I haven't gone to the doctor yet.
This has really got me thinking about hunting this year.
Anybody else hike with back problems? Any advise?
Thanks
JM

 

[Hardstalk]

No advice but ill be following closely. I have 2 compressed discs in my back and ibuprofen is the only remedy I have found. Along with proper posture and a well fit pack. I tend to leave the weight load at times to my hips as much as possible. It alleviates pain temporarily.

 

[Curtis C]

Two surgeries for a herniated L4-L5 disc so I know the pain. Last surgery was July 2012 and we hiked in 9 miles for the last week of 2012 season. I had a couple of bad days on the trip but did OK for the most part.

I have to be consistent with stretching or my pain level starts creeping up. A good fitting pack that transfers the weight to the hips is also a must. I dont think I could do that without a quality pack.

GO TO THE DOCTOR & Stretch, stretch stretch

 

[Shrek]

I've had two surgeries at L5-S1 . If the pain is constant you need the see a doctor. If you need surgery and you wait too long you can get a ghost pain. Even after they relieve the pressure you still feel the pain. A chiropractor bought me about five years but in the end I had to have surgery. If I had it to do over I would have had surgery right away . I have been pain free since 2003 when I had my last. There is scaring and if I lift too much I get stiff and I have to rest a few hours and I'm good to go.

 

[Hardstalk]

Thats my hardest part. My dayjob is heavy lifting. If I cant lift I cant work. If I cant work I cant get paid. Its a vicious cycle. It doesn't help when the year and a half old daughter looks up and says " daddy, hold me?!" I cant say no but I pay for it. Her tossing and turning while holding her is hell! Usually an 800 mg ibuprofen gets me thru the bad hours.

Had one chiro say Ill lose the function of my johnson if I dont get my back fixed.I keep telling myself it was a scare tactic.

Going under the knife at 26 years old scares the bajesis out of me. Alot of time off and complications aren't really in my schedule at the moment.

 

[Shrek]

If the chiropractor is telling you to see a surgeon then you really need to see one .They can do a lot for you these days. I worked as a UPS delivery driver for three years after my last operation. It's not the end of the world but if you wait until the nerve is damaged the pain may become permanent. I would also recommend you see a neurologist not an orthopedic surgeon.
Going to repeat myself , if the chiropractor thinks you need to see the surgeon then you really need to see one.

 

[Slim Jim]

Thats my hardest part. My dayjob is heavy lifting. If I cant lift I cant work. If I cant work I cant get paid. Its a vicious cycle. It doesn't help when the year and a half old daughter looks up and says " daddy, hold me?!" I cant say no but I pay for it. Her tossing and turning while holding her is hell! Usually an 800 mg ibuprofen gets me thru the bad hours.

Had one chiro say Ill lose the function of my johnson if I dont get my back fixed.I keep telling myself it was a scare tactic.

Going under the knife at 26 years old scares the bajesis out of me. Alot of time off and complications aren't really in my schedule at the moment.

Don't get surgery! I'm 43 and when I was in my early 20's I herniated my L4, L5 and S1. I was a block mason and worked piece work so I busted balls every day. My back was jacked back then and contemplated going under the knife. Then when I was 30 I trained MMA for about five years before I finally had to quit because my back would be so unbearable sometimes that I would want to cry with shooting pains down my legs and not being able to stand upright without it taking a breath away. I have since changed my lifestyle and training regimens. Stretching, lifting weights with strict form and cross training has helped me leaps and bounds. I haven't had a bad back episode in years.

I guess my point is that you can rehab your back. Just try everything possible first and be patient. You'll never be the same after surgery but sometimes I guess its necessary.

 

[Jplus4]

Thanks guys. I have been stretching and rolling my back since I pulled it. I will probably go in to see the doc just to check it out. Tylenol helps, but this pain sucks and will just hit me out of nowhere. I've been an electrician for 15 years and wearing my bags probably started the whole thing years ago. This year I turned 35 and I sure as hell don't want to be an old man already.
edit**
One other question. Would a chiropractor help or hurt? I've never been to one.

 

[Hardstalk]

Thanks guys. I have been stretching and rolling my back since I pulled it. I will probably go in to see the doc just to check it out. Tylenol helps, but this pain sucks and will just hit me out of nowhere. I've been an electrician for 15 years and wearing my bags probably started the whole thing years ago. This year I turned 35 and I sure as hell don't want to be an old man already.
edit**
One other question. Would a chiropractor help or hurt? I've never been to one.

Ive been to 5 different ones. Some care some don't. There are "rack and crack" there are "holistic" and there are thorough great chiropractors. The rack and crack ask where it hurts, lay ya down and pop ya. The holistic sell you all kinds of chit. Some useful some snake oil. ( I scored a bottle of liquid b12. That stuff rocks!) and the good ones want to see you 3-5x weekly. My insurance covers 30-35 visits a year but they will swoop that up in a hurry. Feel them out. And see if they offer an xray to find your true problem.

P.s sorry for the thread jack. Ive been meaning to post the same question for a while.

 

[Mike7]

1) Pain traveling down the back of the thigh to the knee associated with a back strain can often be associated with piriformis syndrome instead of a herniated disc. Appropriate manipulation along with follow on core strengthening and targeted stretching usually can take care of this. In my experience "some" chiropractors are not too adept at treating this.

2) If you have had a back "strain", then I would not recommend high velocity chiropractic treatment (i.e. popping of the low back) for the first couple of weeks while it is healing. In my opinion, a good chiropractor will not start off with this kind of treatment in this scenario as it often worsens things. Also, if a chiropractor tells you that he plans to do twice weekly high velocity adjustments on you to keep you "in place" for several months to lifetime along with periodic x-rays to monitor your spinal curve, then you need to run, not walk from that office. There are well trained, ethical chiropractors out there, but you will find many who seem to have neither of these attributes.

3) Back surgery is typically not needed unless you are losing strength in your lower extremity despite a period of rehabilitation. However, if you are having trouble holding your urine, then you need to see a back surgeon immediately.

4) My recommendation would be to see an Osteopathic physician who performs low back manipulation. This person can manipulate your back/piriformis muscle in a gentle fashion if needed, check out the spinal nerves which travel into the legs, prescribe a course of steroids if needed for an acutely injured/swollen lumbar disc, and refer you to physical therapy or a neurosurgeon as needed.

5) It typically takes several weeks for a herniated disc to heal if that happens to be the problem instead of piriformis syndrome. So, it is best to avoid any significant lifting or vigorous bending with twisting for about 6 wks after this kind of injury.

 

[Shrek]

Jplus4 , if this is new I would definitely try a chiropractor. He may be able to straiten you out and all be fine. Some time with the tinge machine and get you strait and it may go away. I can still remember the first time the chiropractor popped my back strait. It was instant relief then my whole leg burned and tingled as the nerve came back. I was fine for close to a year of UPS work. Over time the relief was less and less and the effective duration of relief was shorter and shorter. Finally the chiropractor said he had done all he could for me and it was time to see a surgeon. If I hadn't been doing the work I was I may have never needed surgery. Hardstalk sounds like it has become continual for him. I can tell you that much of the recovery is mental attitude. If you expect to recover and take care of yourself you will have a much better outcome.
Btw , if the chiropractor will work on you without an X ray first then you need to find another. He has no idea if you have brken your back or if there is a cancer tumor causing the pain without one. He could paralyze someone if their back was broken or delay life saving treatment if it was cancer. It was a chiropractor who found my mothers cancer by insisting on an X ray first.

 

[Hardstalk]

Ive debated cortisone/cortizone (not sure of spelling. Until Im in a position where surgery would not be such a strain on the family. What is the opinion on this? Good for temp. Bad for long run? Or does it have major long term effects. Or is it something that doctors even consider with compressed discs?

Once again sorry for the thread jack if you would like me to repost in a different/ new thread feel free to run me off.

 

[Shrek]

Cortazoidal steroids can really work on chronic inflammation but the have some side effects. I would at least try them if you need time. I would at least consult a neurologist and see what he says. Just don't cripple yourself by not getting treatment. I was so bad before my first surgery that I was loosing continence and I could sleep more than an hour on heavy duty pain killers.

 

[Darren Best]

Just say no to stretching.

No to drugs.

No to surgery, unless your discs are ruptured.

Fix the problem, not the symptoms.

The culprit is your hips that aren't allowed to function properly because of imbalances, through extended periods of sitting.

Lay flat on your back, legs together, raise one leg keeping your knees locked out, keep your pelvis flat and square to the floor. Now test the other leg.

How high do you get?

If you can't hit 90 degrees or better, you have hip problems.

What do I know?

Compression fracture of the T8 after being shoved off a catwalk onto pavement 8 feet below. Which lead to excessive sitting and laying around to recover, which lead to more back pain.

Doctors, therapists, chiropractors, drugs, acupuncture, ice, heat and the list goes on and on.

None of it worked or only worked for a short time until I dealt with the issues causing the back pain.

The second problem after non functioning hips is weak abs.

Can you hold a plank for 2 minutes without shaking like a leaf in the wind?

The lower back gets the brunt of the hips not moving properly.

Shoot me a PM if you want to know what I did.

By the way, after spending fifteen years of going through the cycle of the above list, I have not seen a doctor, therapist or chiropractor for back pain in four years. Towards the end I visited the chiropractor once a month, sometimes twice until I finally got fed up and went looking for answers.

 

[Shrek]

Mike7 , is spot on with the advice. An initial x ray is called for but regular x rays are just padding the bill. My second surgery was for the first reason mike7 stated. My leg was becoming weak . I went to see him about my "tired " leg. He examined me and then was questioning me while standing " european type close. Finally he asked me does that hurt. I looked stupid at him and asked does what hurt ? He looked down at my leg and I did too. He had a sticking pin stuck into my leg to the point it was bleeding. I had to tell him the terrible truth . I couldn't feel it at all . Next thing he said was " I will schedule you for surgery in the morning don't eat anything and be here at 4am. That will scare you.

 

[Jager]

A lot of lower back pain can actually come from the hamstrings, just try the process of stretching them, you may be surprised.

Hope you sort something out.

 

[Jplus4]

All great advise guys. Thank you.
You didn't jack my thread Hardstalk and I feel your pain too. My son just turned one and it's not cool when picking him up.
Thanks for taking the time to post Mike7.
ElkHunter, your advise is exactly what the trainer at my gym keeps saying. He thinks my hips are under developed or tight or something.
I guess I will take your guy's advise (and my wife's) and start with a doctor and see where it leads.
I hate to get back in 5 or 6 miles and have my back just give out or something.
Thanks again

 

[jmez]

http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Your-Back-Robin-McKenzie/dp/0959774661

 

[Darren Best]

I had back spasms hit one year right in the middle of a bow hunt, it was miserable to say the least.

 

[Muledeernv]

X2 on stretching and core strengthening and good fitting pack. I had a fusion of s1-l5 13 years ago and now the next 3 disks are degenerating. Best thing for me has been going to physical therapy. She uses traction to realign my hips and l2-l3-l4 vertebrae as they twist out of place sometimes. Don't really like chiropractors I found that they didn't do much for me.