NIGHTMARE BACK PROBLEMS!

I have injured my back-it's along term injury, pelvis misaligned which means that my joints are all out and this leads to neck and glute problems...anyway...ive got a place to do london...do i defer or wait and see what happens? I am seeing a chiropractor who says gievs runnign a miss for a few weeks but then i'll be well down on my schedule...what to do then? try and do it just to get round or train properly next year? nightmare! how many weeks can i seriously leave before i have left it too late? i am of a relatively good standard at the moment (or was before my back!!)

any advice please!!

Comments

  • RoobarbRoobarb ✭✭✭
    Laurac - I suffer with back problems too so I know how frustrating it is.

    I have no advice for you except to follow all the advice you are given. And trust how you are feeling - if you don't feel you can do yourself justice, then defer.

    I have been off running for a month now with one illness after another (no injury which is a miracle for me) and I am in the same boat as you with regards to deferring. I am just going to wait and see - there is plenty of time to defer anyway.

    Good luck and hope you recover quickly.
  • evil pixie-good article and im still wearing the enell!

    thanks to you both-it is just so depressing and im severely fed up. eating too much because im fed up, not running so putting on weight=great!

    roobarb-what time would you have done if you were fit?

    evil pixie-was it frustrating going round in a slower time or were you just pleased to ahev done it? do you mean you didnt run at all for the 8 weeks before?
  • I've got chronic pain problems: mostly my neck but back and shoulders involved too. If the physio's said no running then there's not much you can do about that.

    Sounds like it's down to you. Right now I can run for a couple minutes (fitness not due to the neck) so I'll be walking much of the way anyway I should think! So if I get injured but can walk I'll still be doing it and not letting my charity down!

    Sounds like you might be someone who's more bothered about your time though. In which case if it's going to be a fairly long term problem then I guess it might be better to defer. I think there's time to wait to make that decision though isn't there?
  • rowan-thanks-yes you're right, maybe i am getting a bit too bothered about my time and also timing in general- i am just panicking that i wont be able to get round if i dont start training soon-i dont want to ahve to pull out at 20 miles because ive been stupid and raced before i should have. backs and injuries in general i suppose are such funny things because liek you say, only you can know if you feel ok, but sometimes you dont know when its going to go. maybe i should take a leaf from your book and just get round. what do your back problems stem from (the others too?)
  • RoobarbRoobarb ✭✭✭
    Laurac - I did it in 5h52m last year. I got a tight calf muscle about 6 weeks before and had loads of physio on it but it tightened up at 20m and I had to hobble to the end. It had been aching since just after the first mile so I just slowed down and enjoyed the day. Was absolutely brilliant - sooooo glad I did it.

    This year, I just want to do sub 5 which is what I planned for last year.

    My back pain is something entirely different to yours in that running actually helps it cos it stretches it for me.

    If you decide to go ahead, then perhaps its right not to go for a 'time'. Just enjoy the day and I can guarantee you will. It was the best day I had had out in ages!
  • Most annoying thing is I don't really know exactly what's going on with me! Probably started with bad posture, plus some stress, now possibly have some arthritis too. The neck actually started a while after I had a bang on the head, so maybe some whiplash? (5 years ago now...)

    Don't know, just hurts!

    Anyway, I'm also in the catagory of some exercise helping. I also do physio exercises every day and take more prescription painkillers than I like to! My doc has ok'd me for running as long as I'm careful.
  • thanks all-i am feeling a bit more positive today-it has happened so i am just going to ahve to deal with it...bit depressing that everyone started their marathon schedule yesterday!!!

    roobarb-yes i may just do it and emjoy it. are you fit this year? i wish you all the best for under 5 hours.

    rowan-what a mare for you too! ye sposture plays a big part-mine is rubbish. if the doctor has oked you for running if your careful, do they mean distance wise or just overdoing it in general?
  • ChaosChaos ✭✭✭
    I always feel a little cynical about chiropractors - it seems they are good at giving temporary relief - but don't help with long-term resolution. This is based on what I have read here in the forum by the way, not personal knowledge or experience.

    A sports physio may be of more benefit and maybe a series of pilates classes. If you're going to be spending money on this problem anyway, that's the route I'd take.
  • Chaos - you beat me to it. Chiropractors, in my extensive personal experience, address the symptoms but rarely the root cause of back pain. In my case I needed to work on my core strength and this has resulted in a much improved back and no chiropractor fees for 5 years.

    Laurac - not suggesting this applies to you.
    Good luck.
  • The Chiropractor I went to also did rehabilitation sessions which included core strentghening and other exercises as well as prescribing "homework" exercises to do between sessions. I had about 10 treatments and have not needed to go back in 2 years
  • cheers-i went to a physio who was rubbish and it put me off-but you are right a sports physio may be better...i have seen the chiropractor twice, and again tonight so if after today it doesnt work then i will have to seek alternatives. with me i really do think my back needs to be cracked back into place rather than massage although i think i need to follow it up with core strength stuff etc.

    am going to start doing pilates too as the forum seems to boast lots of people who have improved their core strenth because of it...stephen v-how did you do this? pilates or exercises given by your physio?chaos-you are right i think.

    i am stupid though as the chirpractor told me not to run, and sunday i foolishly went to teh club and did an hour and so cant ahve done myself any favours...i am just so fed up and miss going to my running club. how sad is that?!!!

    evil pixie-i may be joining you round!
  • ChaosChaos ✭✭✭
    At the mo' the gf has been prescribed a set of gym/home exercises by the physio for her back and hip alignment problems. Some of them I actually have to help with in terms of providing progressive resistance - e.g. she lies on her side, brings the knee up and I press against it at various angles so she's using her hip/stomach muscles to gently resist. I quite enjoy that one!

    Some of her other exercises just use a Swiss Ball which can be done at home quite easily (though not ones that compress the spine as part of the prob are 2 dodgy discs).
  • thats what i need to do chaos-i will ask the chiropractor tonight for some exercises...so if youre injured how does that work then....i know im sounding thick, but if you do core stuff then i suppose everythign gets stronger and then whenyou run can withstand the beating that running gives it? is that how it works? unfortunately dont have a male to do that for me but could rope someone in!!!
  • ChaosChaos ✭✭✭
    I assume so, Laura, the back and stomach muscles all give support both to the spine and each other - like a very personalised corset I suppose. I'm not sure it's the running that really gives it a beating especially as she is quite light on her feet, but it does exacerbate the existing weakness.
  • In simple terms, imagine your spine is a series of cotton reels stacked on top of one another. Back pain arises when one of the reels moves out of alignement. By working on your core strength eg pelvic floor, transversus etc the 'vertebrae are more tightly bound together and therefore less likely to become mis-aligned.


  • thanks stephen and chaos-well explained stephen!
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