Back Pain from Skiing - What to Do?

[McWatt]

The last two times I went skiing (January 2010 and February 2009) I made it through most of the day feeling fine. After several hours in powder and/or moguls, however, I started to feel minor twinges of pain in my lower back, located in/close to my spine at about the height of the tops of my hip bones. Being stubborn and not wanting to give up the afternoon of my single day on the slopes for the year, I kept going.

The hip-swiveling motion of further skiing made the pain worse over time. If I kept my lower back tensed, I avoided the twinges, but if I changed direction fast enough that my muscles couldn't immobilize my spine (that's at least what I imagine they're doing), I'd feel pain. Each time it happened it escalated. At the end of the day I walked rather painfully to my car, sat comfortably for a couple hours while driving, and then had trouble climbing back out of the car without massive pain. The pain subsided, going from major to minor over the course of three days and then completely disappearing in another week.

This has happened to me two years in a row. I know that next time I should stop as soon as possible after feeling pain, but my main goal is to avoid the pain in the first place. A friend of mine suggested that it could be related to a lack of flexibility in my legs causing my leg motion to pull hard on my back, but aside from that I don't have even another guess.

Do you think it would be most helpful for me to work on back flexibility? Leg and back flexibility? Back strengthening? Any clue as to what's going?

 

[MiniDoom]

ibuprofen, ice and rest for a few days. then start working on core strength to prevent it in the future. pilates are great for this. Use to happen to me when I played ice hockey for maybe just two weekend a year.

 

[eits]

let it rest for a couple days, then go see a chiropractor. it sounds like you might have strained your back a little bit.

see the chiropractor to make sure you have proper motion between your segments. after something like what you've been through, your muscles could tighten up to try stabilizing the improper motion you have in your spine. having a chiropractor restore the proper motion will help things heal better and you'll have a lower chance of similar injuries in the future.

don't ever base whether something is a problem or not based on how you feel. a lot of times, you may feel perfectly fine, but your spine could be on its way to degeneration and you'd never have any idea. get it checked out.

 

[CKent]

The last two times I went skiing (January 2010 and February 2009) I made it through most of the day feeling fine. After several hours in powder and/or moguls, however, I started to feel minor twinges of pain in my lower back, located in/close to my spine at about the height of the tops of my hip bones. Being stubborn and not wanting to give up the afternoon of my single day on the slopes for the year, I kept going.

The hip-swiveling motion of further skiing made the pain worse over time. If I kept my lower back tensed, I avoided the twinges, but if I changed direction fast enough that my muscles couldn't immobilize my spine (that's at least what I imagine they're doing), I'd feel pain. Each time it happened it escalated. At the end of the day I walked rather painfully to my car, sat comfortably for a couple hours while driving, and then had trouble climbing back out of the car without massive pain. The pain subsided, going from major to minor over the course of three days and then completely disappearing in another week.

This has happened to me two years in a row. I know that next time I should stop as soon as possible after feeling pain, but my main goal is to avoid the pain in the first place. A friend of mine suggested that it could be related to a lack of flexibility in my legs causing my leg motion to pull hard on my back, but aside from that I don't have even another guess.

Do you think it would be most helpful for me to work on back flexibility? Leg and back flexibility? Back strengthening? Any clue as to what's going?

I've been getting exactly the same thing lately, in the same spot you described. In my case I think it was doing deads & squats with only a half-ass stretching / warming routine beforehand.

I'm interested in reading what others have to say about this, but I'd like to point out (after reading the post above mine) that chiropractors are essentially astrologers or psychic surgeons, the only way they might conceivably help your back is by making your wallet thinner and thus making you sit down more evenly. Don't ever bother with one.

 

[eits]

I'm interested in reading what others have to say about this, but I'd like to point out (after reading the post above mine) that chiropractors are essentially astrologers or psychic surgeons, the only way they might conceivably help your back is by making your wallet thinner and thus making you sit down more evenly. Don't ever bother with one.

you're joking, right?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I've been getting exactly the same thing lately, in the same spot you described. In my case I think it was doing deads & squats with only a half-ass stretching / warming routine beforehand.

I'm interested in reading what others have to say about this, but I'd like to point out (after reading the post above mine) that chiropractors are essentially astrologers or psychic surgeons, the only way they might conceivably help your back is by making your wallet thinner and thus making you sit down more evenly. Don't ever bother with one.

Seems you had a bad experience with a chiropractor then. Yeah, you can get some chiropractors that focus entirely on homeopathic medicine. On the other hand, you can get skilled health care professionals that actually do good work. They can loosen soft tissue and adjust vertebra to prevent degeneration and stenosis. In this case, I do agree that a GOOD chiropractor is probably in order.

 

[MiniDoom]

I've been getting exactly the same thing lately, in the same spot you described. In my case I think it was doing deads & squats with only a half-ass stretching / warming routine beforehand.

I'm interested in reading what others have to say about this, but I'd like to point out (after reading the post above mine) that chiropractors are essentially astrologers or psychic surgeons, the only way they might conceivably help your back is by making your wallet thinner and thus making you sit down more evenly. Don't ever bother with one.

I have to disagree with this too. I had rupture two disc in my lower back (l4-l5/l5-s1) last fall and have been working with a chiropractor who is also a sports medicine doctor. This along with physical therapy has been great. The injury had made my hip/pelvis misaligned pulling the muscles and nerves in my longer leg giving me severe sciatica. The chiropractor has been adjusting my hip, pelvis and lower back into place while the physical therapy is rebuilding the supporting muscles in my lower back/pelvic region. I'm probably back to 90% now without surgery after just a few months. I've also been to a wellness chiropractor who didn't do jack for me. I really just depends on the chiropractor.

 

[eits]

I have to disagree with this too. I had rupture two disc in my lower back (l4-l5/l5-s1) last fall and have been working with a chiropractor who is also a sports medicine doctor. This along with physical therapy has been great. The injury had made my hip/pelvis misaligned pulling the muscles and nerves in my longer leg giving me severe sciatica. The chiropractor has been adjusting my hip, pelvis and lower back into place while the physical therapy is rebuilding the supporting muscles in my lower back/pelvic region. I'm probably back to 90% now without surgery after just a few months. I've also been to a wellness chiropractor who didn't do jack for me. I really just depends on the chiropractor.

is this the chiropractor i referred you to?

 

[MiniDoom]

is this the chiropractor i referred you to?

no. I've been seeing alex in sterling for a few months now and i'm very happy with his service. I do have your friends contact if or when i decide to try someone new in the future. thanks again!

 

[eits]

no. I've been seeing alex in sterling for a few months now and i'm very happy with his service. I do have your friends contact if or when i decide to try someone new in the future. thanks again!

he's not a friend of mine. it's just that based on what i've read about what they do at their office, i would trust them.

if i remember correctly, i thought you weren't happy with the chiropractor you were seeing, which was why i looked for someone for you. oh well, as long as you're getting benefit 🙂

 

[MiniDoom]

he's not a friend of mine. it's just that based on what i've read about what they do at their office, i would trust them.

if i remember correctly, i thought you weren't happy with the chiropractor you were seeing, which was why i looked for someone for you. oh well, as long as you're getting benefit 🙂

no, that was a chiro friend of mine. he wasn't a good fit for me.

 

[eits]

no, that was a chiro friend of mine. he wasn't a good fit for me.

ahh, gotcha