Lower Back Pain

[lkb]

Some sloppy skiing over the last month has got my lower back hurting. Now, any hit at all makes it hurt enough that I can't ski for a couple of days. Anybody know any stretches or exercises to help this?

Damn, I sure don't want to stop skiing because of this. I'm addicted to this sport more than I ever have been.

 

[Director Darwin]

I started to get some lower back pain about 3 weeks ago - borrowed a back belt and it helped.  I've ordered a Schiek Back Support Belt from Bart's (best price) - I'll be wearing it from now on.

[ski6jones]

I've had back trouble now and again aggravated by skiing and other activities.  Some decent stretching exercises help me alot

1.  Hang fully extended from a pull-up bar or similar.  Relax your abs and back as much as possible.  I hang as long as I can comfortably.  Inversion boots/table would also work for this but I've never used these myself.

2. Exercise ball - Lay over the top of a large air inflated exercise ball.  I lay face down with my waist at the top of the ball and hand my torso down onside and legs off the other.  Relax as in (1).  You can also to back extensions like this once your not hurting to build you lower back.   Turn over and do sit-ups also to build core muscles.

3. Lay down on the floor face first and push up with your arms, hands directly under your shoulders, while keeping your hips on the ground.  Repeat this a few times holding for 5-10 seconds each time.

 Keep in mind I'm not M.D. nor Physical Therapist, this is just what has worked well for me in the past.

[LZywicki1]

Best bet is prevention, streaching and the back belt has worked for me.

[Thomas Wayne]

Or, if you can't find the time to go to a physiotherapist and have them "message it out for you", maybe you can just text them and they'll instant message it out for you.

 

TW 

[mopowpow]

I like the following to loosen up my lower back:

Sit in the edge of a chair withyour feet pointing straight ahead and knees a little more than shoulder width apart. 
Cross your arms in front of you (like Jeannie) and bend over from the hips with your shoulders between your legs.try to keep you lower back as flat as possible and hold for about 30 seconds.

[lkb]

Thanks for all the suggestions. As far as impact on my ski frequency this is definitely a bummer. Worse than the tendonitis a few years ago.

mopowpow, tried your stretch. it feels like it stretches my hamstrings which I have been doing although in a different way. Anyhow, stretching them has definitely relieved the pain. Now if I can just keep it from coming back.

[Edmund]

I have had back problems for years, and these two books by Dr. Stuart McGill are well worth the investment of around $100 total for both:

"Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation" and "Ultimate Back Fitness And Performance Book"

I purchased them last summer after they were mentioned on another ski forum. The information and exercises contained in them have worked for me, and if you are having continuing problems I highly recommend buying one or both of them (there is a lot of duplication in them). They are written for the medical professional, so some of the discussions are over my head in places, but they really explain about back muscles (and other medical stuff), plus they provide numerous exercises for specific problems and specific sports.

In fact two of Dr. Stuart's most important recommended exercises are found in the current July 2008 edition of WaterSki magazine. On page 74 the "Bird Dog" and the "Side Plank" exercises are the best. They may look silly, but they work. I am 5'10', 155 lbs, over 50, and have always been in decent shape. But man my back would go out and put me out of commission for days at a time; just from bending over or even just sitting down onto a chair, much less pulling on the end of a ski rope. I would even have a stiff back just riding in a car for an hour or so. Now, hardly any stiffness and no major back problems since I started doing the exercises five or six days per week. Hope this helps...

[RichardDoane]

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-Minute-Core-Workouts-Abs-Arms-Thighs-Buns-DVD-NEW_W0QQitemZ290239510534QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290239510534&_trksid=p4295

Don't laugh, it'll be money well spent.  My lower back is so much better now. 10 minutes every morning on your abs makes a noticeable improvement in your core strength.