Re: [Paddlewise] Sciatica (was shoulder exercises for paddling)

When I first started kayaking, I had pain problems with my arms, legs, and
back.
I'm confident that I would not have been able to continue without placing
water bottles
under the knees, and installing a pad on the seat back. I also try to get
in a couple
of practice paddles before going on an extended kayak trip, to reduce the
shock
to my body. I'll never forget our first trip to the Broken Group, where we
changed
campsite locations every day for a week or more. My arms went so numb, I
didn't
think I'd be able to finish the trip. Now I realize that you don't have to
be the strongest
paddler in a group, you just don't want to be the slowest or weakest. Of
course,
in inclement conditions, you definitely want to be a strong paddler.

Brad Crain


On Sat, Mar 10, 2012 at 6:53 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:

> Duane,
>
> I know that when I did a lot of touring I'd have some pretty bad back pain
> at times, especially at the beginning of a longer trip or the first few
> trips of the "season" if I'd been off for the winter (used to have rotator
> cuff issues and there were years I'd back off winter paddling). Good
> abdominal strength through fitness cross training  helped but I guess at
> some point there may be a negative cumulative toll with one's back. I
> rather
> think that slouching while long distance paddling must really compress the
> spine in bad ways and I'm sure I've been culpable of that in the past as I
> never used a back band. Probably proper fit and ergonomic outfitting of a
> sea kayak is more important than we think, as well as proper technique. The
> last few years of paddling I was using my arms more for propulsion than
> good
> torso rotation, but I was having bad back spasms, etc, and as I have strong
> arms got away with it. I wish I'd taken up yoga at least a decade ago or
> more. Anyway, degenerative changes and bad genetics sometimes mean one is
> so
> predisposed to problems that one just has to decide that they are willing
> to
> pay the price to enjoy activities maximally when they were able. My
> favorite
> quote lately goes something like this:
>
> "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved
> body, but rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy
> ****, what a ride!"
>
> Of course, my groin is numb and cold right now and I'm doped up on morphine
> as I await seeing a neurosurgeon and hopefully have a long way to go before
> the grave and some good kayaking years left, but in the mean time, just
> call
> me numb nuts!
>
> Whatever happens, you have been one of the reasons sea kayaking has been a
> blast in this era where kayaking has grown exponentially and is now fading
> a
> bit; with your awesome attitude, down-home dude desire to share information
> and foster friendships through cyber space, I'm glad you have been part of
> that fantastic experience Duane.
>
> Doug
>
>
>
>
> >Doug,
>
> I've been having my own back pain that I've had troubles shaking off
> the last couple of months and have been wondering myself how hard kayaking
> is
> on my back. I may have to resort to prone paddle boarding and build one
> with
> VCP hatches!
>
> Duane<
>
>
> >________________________________
> >
> >From: Doug Lloyd
> douglloyd_at_shaw.ca
> >
> >
> >The ERP wanted to know what the heck I've been doing
> in my life to get my
> >spine/back this bad off. Shall we tell him? :-)
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