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

In ER all night again tonight, feet had gone cold, etc. Got to see a copy of
last Fridays CT scan. I have five disc bulges from L2 through L5 with canal
stenosis in every spine segment with severe stenosis in L4-L5. I was told to
go home and suck it up basically and if I lose bladder control maybe I'd get
surgery consideration more emergently. Gotta love the BC health care system.
So will back off paddling until I get some resolve to at least the severe
stenosis and associated pain and not bug you guys on Paddlewise anymore.
Though, if anyone has been through this kind of stuff please back channel
me. Thanks.

Doug   


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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