Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

oh MAN, I feel for ya. I been there way too many times. I gave up on docs
and cracker practors. I rest two days, no more, start doing a lot of
stretching exercises and get up and go again. its going to hurt anyway,
might as well do something. Biggest problem for me is sleep. I can work
during the day, but then the pain won't let me rest. I do take Tylenol 3 at
night when in this mess.

I must say I've had less trouble since I've learned not to be a human crane
and let the teenagers do it. Still, it really ****es me off when putting on
a sock takes me down for a month.

Karl

wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Broke my back July 4th when an ATV wheelied over on me on a steep incline.
Thought I was in deep ****. Out of the hospital in two days. It crushed
the beer can portion of the vertebrae by half an inch. Didn't hurt the
nerve any. Still sore, and doc says it may be sore the rest of my life.

Everyone's different. Heat, ice, rest, drugs, whatever works for YOU.

I hear not lifting stuff helps.

Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen.

Steve

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:46:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Incandescant light bulbs can radiate healing soothing infrared on a
crook back.

In a nation awash with guns, we shoot blighters who bleat pitifully
about a crick.

On Aug 12, 4:19 pm, Don Foreman wrote:


In a nation awash with guns, we shoot blighters who bleat pitifully
about a crick.

Well put Don - if I was there, I would come round and see you to do
the job - but alas, here where gun ownership is tightly controlled I
cannot do it meself - its one of the unfortunate side effects of our
government restricting the chances of gun massacres...

Andrew VK3BFA.

PS - keep on with the rehab stuff, sounds like you've got yourself to
a reasonable state of fitness, would be a shame to lose it after so
much effort....

wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Heat and/or cold helps me. Use a Rice Sock!
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rice-Sock

wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,


Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

If I may suggest, swimming rather than general exercise, a few minutes of
stretching in the pool before a handful of laps. Keep in mind it may take a
week to get comfortable swimming laps but keep at it, it will get easier.
Just swim what you can comfortably and go a little further each time. Get
the goggles! The swimming helps stretch everything gently and frequently.
Not to mention it seems to give a better impression of accomplishment when
traveling a distance instead of moving a stack of weights or step/stair
machine.

Swimming strengthens the torso giving better support for the back. You are
also more likely to work everything symmetrically keeping the bones in
order. Many recommend sit ups with a belief that back problems stem from
weak core muscles that place the majority of the work onto the back. But
sit ups are a pain in the rear literally and may exacerbate the back pain
until you have some muscle development, which could stop the process anyway
..

And finally if you can find one, a good deep tissue massage therapist.
You'll know if it's good in short order at least after the initial pain of
the massage goes away in a day or two.

Good luck
C

Tom Gardner wrote:
wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual
thing, 3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes,
especially if I forget about it when lifting something - even
bending down to pick up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG
chucks on the lathe, well, forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Heat and/or cold helps me. Use a Rice Sock!
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rice-Sock

That trick works well with popcorn too . Just don't nuke it too long ...
--
Snag
'90 Ultra "Strider"
'39 WLDD "Popcycle"
Buncha cars and a truck

In article
,
wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

A GOOD chiropractor can help, finding a good one is not easy. I usually
see mine about once every 5 years, his fix lasts that long IF I do my
part. I have a recliner set up with special pillows to bend the back
right, and have found sleeping on an air mattress (select comfort) helps
a lot and lets my beck recover overnight. I'm 69 for reference.

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

On Aug 12, 1:58 am, "SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas wrote:
...
I hear not lifting stuff helps.
Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen.
Steve

I threw out my back on the track team in high school and have been
careful of it ever since, thus all the lifting equipment I've
described here. The most useful ones are the platform stacker and a
pipe tripod with a lever chain hoist.

My stuff is all home-made or rebuilt industrial junk from auctions. I
bought a new Vestil lift http://www2.northerntool.com/product/200315535.htm
and a hydraulic scissors table like http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94822
at places I worked, to lift heavy battery-powered mobile equipment so
I could work on it sitting or standing instead of crawling. Both were
useful and pretty reasonable for the price although they were made for
smooth concrete floors and I work mostly outdoors at home. The
machines pay for themselves easily if they prevent a single back
incident.

The HF table is much cheaper and fine for objects with a low center of
gravity. I kicked wooden blocks under the edges to stabilize it before
lifting anything heavy very high. Watch out for the truck freight
charge.

Jim Wilkins

wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

I use an inversion table myself. Works real nice and has made my back
MUCH better.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

When I was 14 I was discovered to have severe scoliosis. Viewed from the
back, my spine was a perfect S. Scary, it was.
No treatment was deemed practical, and I was told I'd have problems
with it all my life, increasing in severity. I was told to stay active.
So I learned what I needed to know to keep myself out of trouble.
Basically, the compression of gravity, uneven weight distribution when
standing, and other things tend to slightly compress the spine over
time. You can relieve it by stretching your back regularly.

Tried a chiropractor once, never again! I did learn that the primary
thing they do to immediately relieve low back pain is to pull on your
legs to unkind the lower back. I figured i could do that on my own, and
I do.

What I started doing as a kid is stretching my back. I would go out and
hang by my knees from the swingset or the clothesline pole when younger,
and it gave me immediate relief from low back pain that lasted for a
month or so. Now at 56, I can't do handle inversion, so I have a sort of
chinning bar set up behind the house. I just grab it and hang for a
minute or so, repeat a couple times. That works OK, but when my shoulder
is out of whack (like now) I can't use it.
In a pinch, when nothing else works, I lay on the bed face down with
my armpits even with the edge of the bed. I dig my toes in and apply
pressure against the side of the bed like I was going to pull my body
off the bed. Press and hold, repeat a few times. The object is to
stretch the spine and relieve pressure. It works, but not as well as
hanging. An improvement on this is to have your spouse grab your ankles
and lean back, pulling on them with steady pressure for a few moments.
One at a time, or both together if she can do that.
I tried an inversion table, but I can no longer hang with my head
lowered and also relax, which is key. Plus, it's not recommended if you
have hypertension. I have though several times I could use the basic
table to make a back stretcher (The Rack!) without the inversion. I may
revisit that.
Swimming is excellent if you have ready access to a pool big enough
to do laps. It stretches with full support and also relaxes. All that is
hard to get by any other method. I had forgotten that, thanks.

Anything you can do to improve your muscles around your waist pay
great dividends. I have a bit of a pot belly these days (hey, i like
beer) so that works against me. People with flat stomachs tend not to
have low back pain, in my experience, unless they have really abused
themselves at an early age with incorrect lifting etc.
Lifting aids, I firmly believe in them, as well as various platforms
to place things at a good working height. I have a sturdy low table I
can set over a ton of car or motorcycle on, and roll it around. It lets
me work from a chair or barstool.

I have two chainfall hoists from the shop beams, and I use them often.
Also a foldup engine hoist, pallet jack etc. I'm always looking at new
variations of lifting machines. I add eye-bolts and lift attachments to
most of the heavy objects around the shop.

I still have the Xrays from when I was a kit. recenlty I had another set
done, 40 years later. The scoliosis is much less severe, probably
improved by 60%. I don't have back trouble any more than other people I
know, and probably less. I'm still agile enough to climb in and out of
a formula car, but it's getting harder

Hope that helps, and good luck.

Rex

croq wrote:

And finally if you can find one, a good deep tissue
massage therapist.
You'll know if it's good in short order at least after
the initial pain of
the massage goes away in a day or two.

I will second this one. Injured my back many years ago.
Chiropractic helped some for a bit. Was treated on Workman's
Comp. Discovered deep tissue massage worked wonders and so
for a year I had one every week. Until Workman's Comp pulled
the plug and came up with a settlement. Though she no longer
practices, this diminutive Indian lady had magic hands.
Managed one day to work on my spine, through my abdomen,
which felt -really- strange! There were some sessions I felt
like I was near weightless for an hour or so afterward. Try
to find someone that has experience working with back
injuries. If after 2-3 sessions it doesn't seem to be
working, try someone else.

And the examiner that my attorney sent me to for my
disability evaluation showed me an exercise that helped some
also. Stand with your back up against the wall. Tighten your
abdomen muscles and rotate the small of your back outward
until it touches the wall. The way this works affects the
diaphragm, he stressed it was REAL important to keep
breathing else my blood pressure would spike. Can't say for
sure if this would be of any help to you, so approach with
caution.

About 5 years ago my back went out. I was just standing
still, talking to my dad. Next thing I knew there was an
explosion of pain and I fell to the ground. Dad's seen
people hit by sniper fire and said later that's exactly what
I looked like, someone shot in the back. Took months to
recover from that, and never did get a clue what triggered it.

Overall my back is in good shape now. Never again 100%, but
I can do most of what I want to. Moved a 4000lb mill 20 feet
into my garage by myself. Working on my car bent over
though, is about the worst thing I can do.

Good luck!

Jon

wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

800mg time release Motrin and a Spatan Optimator.

wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

I used to be mostly blue collar (actually grimy fiberglassed collar) +
no collar student time. Now I'm more or less white collar more or less
most of the time, and I hurt my back a _lot_ more often. Why? Because
I forget to keep it in shape, then I go pick up a starter, or a gate, or
something else that weighs over my limit on that particular day.

I think the only way to avoid back and knee problems is to send a
Request for Engineering Assistance up to heaven, to ask God to please
change the prints on our fish-out-of-water musculo-skeletal structure.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

I used to be mostly blue collar (actually grimy fiberglassed collar) + no
collar student time. Now I'm more or less white collar more or less most
of the time, and I hurt my back a _lot_ more often. Why? Because I
forget to keep it in shape, then I go pick up a starter, or a gate, or
something else that weighs over my limit on that particular day.

I think the only way to avoid back and knee problems is to send a Request
for Engineering Assistance up to heaven, to ask God to please change the
prints on our fish-out-of-water musculo-skeletal structure.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html


Yep in my 70s with 1 back injury from parachute opening @ 200mph. Several
get-offs from a 400cc Husqvarna and now some lower back injury from a
helicopter crash. Yes I have some sympathy. However, we stumbled on to a
anti-inflamatory over the counter that we have used. We shared this with a
friend who was taking Vicodin for his back problems. He has since quit the
Vicodin. The other thing is excersizes. Both back and stomach excersizes
seem to help. I haven't had even one of those seizures that brings tears to
your eyes and just about completely incapacitates you since I started with
the Phenocane. Moved, by hand, several 80# sacks of Sakcrete the other day.
Stu

"Terry Coombs" wrote in message
...
Tom Gardner wrote:
wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual
thing, 3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes,
especially if I forget about it when lifting something - even
bending down to pick up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG
chucks on the lathe, well, forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

You guys are in the same age group (most of you) and most blue collar
workers are carrying some sort of injury due to bloody well working
and doing more than pushing a pen (yeh, I know - paper cuts can be
awful!! - I sympathise with ya)

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

Heat and/or cold helps me. Use a Rice Sock!
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rice-Sock

That trick works well with popcorn too . Just don't nuke it too long ...
--
Snag
'90 Ultra "Strider"
'39 WLDD "Popcycle"
Buncha cars and a truck


You're evil!

wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.


So far, I've been lucky. 50+ and not broken yet. 40 year old co-worker recieved a hiatal
hernia last week. He goes under the knife tomorrow. I'll apprecate prayers for him. He
was my loyal assistant where I used to work. Stand up guy.

Needless to say, I'm not dead lifting the detail he was working on when the repair parts
come in. Since I'm on days, I'll just call the safety lady and ask her for advice. I'm a
big fan of a engine lift, hilo, hydralic cart, hoist and other things. We are not cranes.
My hand is not a hammer, I have soft hammers for soft hitting. My wrists are not
wrenches, I have channellocks for that.

My philosopy as a working man is they make machines to lift things you can't one hand.
Avoid the magic pop in your back and buy decent shoes.

Wes

PS

Don't climb the 20ft ladder either. Wait until the aerial platform is available. Most
things 20ft up are electric anyway and you don't want to get flung off and down to the
concrete below. Chit happens. The company will say it was your fault for getting hurt
anyway.

--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

SteveB wrote:
"Terry Coombs" wrote

That trick works well with popcorn too . Just don't nuke it too long ...


Don't know if you know it, but you CAN set fire to a bag of popcorn in a
microwave.

I hadn't cooked any in a long time. I put it for a minute longer than I was
supposed to. After a time, I smelled smoke. I saw the microwave smoking,
so opened the door. It was still nuking.

POOMPH! and a big ball of fire when the air hit the hot popcorn.. I have a
Corgi, and they are sensitive to danger, and by now, along with three smoke
alarms is raising hell. I figure the best thing to do is to take the
flaming bag with the glass tray and all outside. Problem was, I didn't open
the door before I did this. Had to stop and put the flaming mess on top the
washing machine and open the door.

When I return, there's a cloud of smoke from chest high to the ceiling that
you cannot see farther than three feet. I open the doors on both side of
the condo to blow it out.

Corgi and smoke alarms still in harmony.

It took about an hour to get the smoke out. Neighbors come over to see if
they need to call FD. Surprised no one did with all the smoke. Had to toss
the microwave, and it took about three months and three gallons of Febreze
to get the smoke smell out.

Popcorn burns, and it burns REAL GOOD.

Steve



Yep Corgi's react to just about anything they feel is going to hurt them
OR the person they consider master.

Mine is coming up on his 8th B-day. He seems to be getting more
sensitive with time. Just don't assume he is a mild mannered pup, he
would be more than willing to chew your legs and face off if you try to
get in the house and are not known....

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:51:03 -0800, Jon Anderson
wrote:

croq wrote:

And finally if you can find one, a good deep tissue
massage therapist.
You'll know if it's good in short order at least after
the initial pain of
the massage goes away in a day or two.

I will second this one. Injured my back many years ago.
Chiropractic helped some for a bit. Was treated on Workman's
Comp. Discovered deep tissue massage worked wonders and so
for a year I had one every week. Until Workman's Comp pulled
the plug and came up with a settlement. Though she no longer
practices, this diminutive Indian lady had magic hands.
Managed one day to work on my spine, through my abdomen,
which felt -really- strange! There were some sessions I felt
like I was near weightless for an hour or so afterward. Try
to find someone that has experience working with back
injuries. If after 2-3 sessions it doesn't seem to be
working, try someone else.

And the examiner that my attorney sent me to for my
disability evaluation showed me an exercise that helped some
also. Stand with your back up against the wall. Tighten your
abdomen muscles and rotate the small of your back outward
until it touches the wall. The way this works affects the
diaphragm, he stressed it was REAL important to keep
breathing else my blood pressure would spike. Can't say for
sure if this would be of any help to you, so approach with
caution.

About 5 years ago my back went out. I was just standing
still, talking to my dad. Next thing I knew there was an
explosion of pain and I fell to the ground. Dad's seen
people hit by sniper fire and said later that's exactly what
I looked like, someone shot in the back. Took months to
recover from that, and never did get a clue what triggered it.

Overall my back is in good shape now. Never again 100%, but
I can do most of what I want to. Moved a 4000lb mill 20 feet
into my garage by myself. Working on my car bent over
though, is about the worst thing I can do.

Good luck!

Jon
60+ years ago I fell out of the top bunk while asleep. For several
years, any sudden jolt could leave me in pain for several weeks. Since
my late teens, I have had no problems, but have always been very aware
of the possibilities and have been very fortunate in my ability to
lead a normal active life.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:55:47 -0500, nick hull wrote:

In article
,
wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

A GOOD chiropractor can help, finding a good one is not easy. I usually
see mine about once every 5 years, his fix lasts that long IF I do my
part. I have a recliner set up with special pillows to bend the back
right, and have found sleeping on an air mattress (select comfort) helps
a lot and lets my beck recover overnight. I'm 69 for reference.

I'm officially 69, but since you are only as old as you feel, I claim
34 1/2.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

SteveB wrote:

Don't know if you know it, but you CAN set fire to a bag of popcorn in a
microwave.

You can also reduce a chicken to a cinder as a former room
mate found out when I bought a microwave years ago. She
didn't bother to read the manual, set it on high for one
hour and walked away. It was as black as a lump of coal and
still looked pretty much like a chicken.

Jon

"Terry Coombs" wrote

That trick works well with popcorn too . Just don't nuke it too long ...


Don't know if you know it, but you CAN set fire to a bag of popcorn in a
microwave.

I hadn't cooked any in a long time. I put it for a minute longer than I was
supposed to. After a time, I smelled smoke. I saw the microwave smoking,
so opened the door. It was still nuking.

POOMPH! and a big ball of fire when the air hit the hot popcorn.. I have a
Corgi, and they are sensitive to danger, and by now, along with three smoke
alarms is raising hell. I figure the best thing to do is to take the
flaming bag with the glass tray and all outside. Problem was, I didn't open
the door before I did this. Had to stop and put the flaming mess on top the
washing machine and open the door.

When I return, there's a cloud of smoke from chest high to the ceiling that
you cannot see farther than three feet. I open the doors on both side of
the condo to blow it out.

Corgi and smoke alarms still in harmony.

It took about an hour to get the smoke out. Neighbors come over to see if
they need to call FD. Surprised no one did with all the smoke. Had to toss
the microwave, and it took about three months and three gallons of Febreze
to get the smoke smell out.

Popcorn burns, and it burns REAL GOOD.

Steve

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:34:17 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Aug 12, 4:19 pm, Don Foreman wrote:


In a nation awash with guns, we shoot blighters who bleat pitifully
about a crick.

Well put Don - if I was there, I would come round and see you to do
the job - but alas, here where gun ownership is tightly controlled I
cannot do it meself - its one of the unfortunate side effects of our
government restricting the chances of gun massacres...

Andrew VK3BFA.

I've been advised by my cardiologist to defer all massacres with
larger caliber weapons until after 1 September.

PS - keep on with the rehab stuff, sounds like you've got yourself to
a reasonable state of fitness, would be a shame to lose it after so
much effort....

Thank you, I shall. Today I cut up and split some wood (downed tree)
making a woodpile about 20 feet long by 5 feet high. Hydraulics did
the splitting, but I still had to lift each log to the splitting rail
and then stack the wood.

Din't need no treadmill today!

wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,

Andrew VK3BFA.

Andy, I can sympathize, I had a big fracture of T-5 when a drunken woman
knocked me off my brand new Honda 250 Dream in Las Vegas, in 1963. Six
months in a body cast, and years learning what to NOT do. (For years,
sneezing was HELL!)

For the last 25 years, chiropractors (you must find a good one who
understands what ails) have been helpful. But preventing overstress is
better medicine.

I have found that lying face-down, over two sofa-pillows placed on the
queen-sized, with arms and legs hanging over opposite sides helps to stretch
and relax things marvelously. I even take a nap for 45 min, that way.

Also, gettin up in the AM, lying flat on my back, holding to the edge of
the matress with my left hand sort of down by my side, raising the left leg
and swinging it stiff-kneed, as far over the opposite side as possible, with
some autority, repeated four or five times, (twisting the lower back) then
doing it the opposite leg does straighten me out well, too.

Inversion table is OK, just make sure you are balanced right, and don't
get a jerk, or don't over stress it. It is as good as RB said as hanging
upside-down in the tree. Often it is easy for me to grab the door-trim
overhead, and sort of hang here by my hands, too. Stretch is the thing.

But the chiropractor - ah, the one I have now is a tough young guy, and
does a manipulation where I lay on my right side, he pulls my right arm to
sort of bring my sholder out from underneath, (kind of like prestressing,
getting in a pre-twist) and then places both of my hands on the fornt part
of the left shoulder, then he pulls my right leg up with the knee bent,
hooks my left toe in the bend of the right knee, puts his left hand on top
my hands, and his right hand on my left hip, and his right knee on my left
knee, and then snaps left hip forward with left shoulder back. Turn over,
repeat for other side. No, it is not nearly as gruesome or painful as it
sounds, and *for me*, it works.

I HAVE found that being in condition, with regular exercise helps. Being
70 is not easy, but, as my brother says, "I'm going to live to be a hundred,
or die trying."

Good luck, there are as many potential solutions as there are bad backs, I
reckon.

Flash

wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

Mostly just wait it out. I crunched something in my lower back,
caused pain shooting down my thighs. I saw a map on the net
that showed exactly which branch of the nerves goes with each
patch of pain area. Anyway, driving made it worse, so I rolled
up a jacket and stuffed it behind my rear, and it helped a lot.
We have a dresser that is about waist height. I pushed down on
it and stretched out my spine, letting my feet dangle. This
seemed to give several hours of relief, and seemed to maybe help
the recovery.

Now, I just am careful with my back to not set it off again, and
I haven't had much trouble in a couple years.

Jon

"Steve W." wrote in message
...
SteveB wrote:
"Terry Coombs" wrote

That trick works well with popcorn too . Just don't nuke it too long
...


Don't know if you know it, but you CAN set fire to a bag of popcorn in a
microwave.

I hadn't cooked any in a long time. I put it for a minute longer than I
was supposed to. After a time, I smelled smoke. I saw the microwave
smoking, so opened the door. It was still nuking.

POOMPH! and a big ball of fire when the air hit the hot popcorn.. I
have a Corgi, and they are sensitive to danger, and by now, along with
three smoke alarms is raising hell. I figure the best thing to do is to
take the flaming bag with the glass tray and all outside. Problem was, I
didn't open the door before I did this. Had to stop and put the flaming
mess on top the washing machine and open the door.

When I return, there's a cloud of smoke from chest high to the ceiling
that you cannot see farther than three feet. I open the doors on both
side of the condo to blow it out.

Corgi and smoke alarms still in harmony.

It took about an hour to get the smoke out. Neighbors come over to see
if they need to call FD. Surprised no one did with all the smoke. Had
to toss the microwave, and it took about three months and three gallons
of Febreze to get the smoke smell out.

Popcorn burns, and it burns REAL GOOD.

Steve

Yep Corgi's react to just about anything they feel is going to hurt them
OR the person they consider master.

Mine is coming up on his 8th B-day. He seems to be getting more sensitive
with time. Just don't assume he is a mild mannered pup, he would be more
than willing to chew your legs and face off if you try to get in the house
and are not known....

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

I love mine, but my wife has a slightly lower opinion. Buddy has bitten me
three times. He also bit my wife, my 32 year old daughter, two
veterinarians, and the two policemen that used to rent from us. They gave
him some chicken and decided to take it back. One went to ER. One day he
was barking and barking. I can tell what he's barking at by the tone of his
bark. My wife got deathly ill on the bathroom floor and was calling me, but
I couldn't hear her as I was outside. Buddy (given English name Oliver)
raised hell until I came back there. I knew something was wrong. Another
time I was seasoning some cast iron on the gas grill, and it was smoking
furiously. He raised hell until I came out there and told him it was okay.
Lots of tales of Corgis going for help, one from the Queen of England when
she was a child. They are DEFINITELY not a dog for everyone, but if you
understand them, they're quite a character. He intimidates and dominates
the hell out of our Lab/Rott mix that outweighs him by about 75#. Most of
the time, they get along great.

I think I like him because he and my wife are still fighting over the #2
ranking in the household after five years now. I give him a slight edge.
I'd have two more if it wouldn't cause a divorce.

Steve

On Aug 12, 2:00*pm, Gerald Miller wrote:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:55:47 -0500, nick hull wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

A GOOD chiropractor can help, finding a good one is not easy. *I usually
see mine about once every 5 years, his fix lasts that long IF I do my
part. *I have a recliner set up with special pillows to bend the back
right, and have found sleeping on an air mattress (select comfort) helps
a lot and lets my beck recover overnight. *I'm 69 for reference.

I'm officially 69, but since you are only as old as you feel, I claim
34 1/2.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Maybe 69 is his sleep number.
Karl

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:22:00 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Flash" quickly quoth:


wrote in message
...
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,

Condolences, Andrew. Back pain is hell and doctor's don't know ****
about pain relief. "Take a pill", "You can't do that any more", and
"We'll have to operate. Chances are 50/50. Half get better, half get
worse, but noone stays the same after the operation." don't cut it for
me at all.

I let nature and time heal me after 3 docs wanted to try 3 different
ops, none with a better than 50% chance of success, one wanting to do
a foraminal laminectomy on the wrong side of T-4. I warned the
insurance company about that *******. He also billed the ins co $936
for the 15 minute consultation/complete physical he gave me. Scary
thing it that he also wrote a sixty something page report to them
about me from the info he gleaned in 15 minutes! That fleecer should
have been in politics. Anyway, I'm back to 85% after 20ish years.
Sure, I miss that 15%, but I miss my youthful energy levels more. g


Andy, I can sympathize, I had a big fracture of T-5 when a drunken woman
knocked me off my brand new Honda 250 Dream in Las Vegas, in 1963. Six
months in a body cast, and years learning what to NOT do. (For years,
sneezing was HELL!)

T-3/4/5 is my fun area, but I was never in the hospital in a cast.
Eek!


For the last 25 years, chiropractors (you must find a good one who
understands what ails) have been helpful. But preventing overstress is
better medicine.

I have a window of motion I have to be in to stay pain-free. After 23
years, I still can't do it more than a few times a week. Too much work
hurts, but too much lying around also hurts.


I have found that lying face-down, over two sofa-pillows placed on the
queen-sized, with arms and legs hanging over opposite sides helps to stretch
and relax things marvelously. I even take a nap for 45 min, that way.

Interesting.


Also, gettin up in the AM, lying flat on my back, holding to the edge of
the matress with my left hand sort of down by my side, raising the left leg
and swinging it stiff-kneed, as far over the opposite side as possible, with
some autority, repeated four or five times, (twisting the lower back) then
doing it the opposite leg does straighten me out well, too.

Yeah, I wake up and do 20 leg tosses to each side, then do ten
crunches and ten cross-crunches on each side, all before I get out of
bed. It hurts less when I'm not as awake.


Inversion table is OK, just make sure you are balanced right, and don't
get a jerk, or don't over stress it. It is as good as RB said as hanging
upside-down in the tree. Often it is easy for me to grab the door-trim
overhead, and sort of hang here by my hands, too. Stretch is the thing.

Most PTs don't know how to work an upper-back. All their experience is
with the lumbar area, not the thoracic spine. Traction was the thing
which worked for me at the outset, but once the pain had gone down, it
didn't work any longer. And his range-of-motion exercises hurt like
hell. I didn't like Marquis.


But the chiropractor - ah, the one I have now is a tough young guy, and
does a manipulation where I lay on my right side, he pulls my right arm to
sort of bring my sholder out from underneath, (kind of like prestressing,
getting in a pre-twist) and then places both of my hands on the fornt part
of the left shoulder, then he pulls my right leg up with the knee bent,
hooks my left toe in the bend of the right knee, puts his left hand on top
my hands, and his right hand on my left hip, and his right knee on my left
knee, and then snaps left hip forward with left shoulder back. Turn over,
repeat for other side. No, it is not nearly as gruesome or painful as it
sounds, and *for me*, it works.

Hmm, nevahoiduvit, and I've been to chiros since I was 7. (Mild
scoliosis. Mom's is S-shaped, mine's the exact reverse.)


I HAVE found that being in condition, with regular exercise helps. Being
70 is not easy, but, as my brother says, "I'm going to live to be a hundred,
or die trying."

Yes. Lactic acid builds up in my muscles and I hurt worse if I just
lie around for too long. Movement helps immensely. Lots of water helps
a lot, too.


Good luck, there are as many potential solutions as there are bad backs, I
reckon.

Yuppers! Yes, good luck to all the bad backs out there. I consider
myeslf lucky that mine was considerably milder than most.

--
Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.
-- John Patrick

"Jon Elson" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Bloody Hell - my back has gone out again, its recurrent - usual thing,
3rd disc injured, had it for years. Goes out sometimes, especially if
I forget about it when lifting something - even bending down to pick
up me socks, and as for swapping over BIG chucks on the lathe, well,
forget it....

Usual treatment - go and see the physiotherapist, take lots of anti-
inflammatory drugs, complain a lot till it gets better.

Mostly just wait it out. I crunched something in my lower back,
caused pain shooting down my thighs. I saw a map on the net
that showed exactly which branch of the nerves goes with each
patch of pain area. Anyway, driving made it worse, so I rolled
up a jacket and stuffed it behind my rear, and it helped a lot.
We have a dresser that is about waist height. I pushed down on
it and stretched out my spine, letting my feet dangle. This
seemed to give several hours of relief, and seemed to maybe help
the recovery.

Now, I just am careful with my back to not set it off again, and
I haven't had much trouble in a couple years.

Jon



Yes, Jon.


In breif: the business of rolling the prlvis forward and under, taking
the weight off the legs, and letting nature and gravity stretch things to
give the spasmed muscles releif is just about the way it works.

Flash

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:16:08 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Aug 12, 2:00*pm, Gerald Miller wrote:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:55:47 -0500, nick hull wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

A GOOD chiropractor can help, finding a good one is not easy. *I usually
see mine about once every 5 years, his fix lasts that long IF I do my
part. *I have a recliner set up with special pillows to bend the back
right, and have found sleeping on an air mattress (select comfort) helps
a lot and lets my beck recover overnight. *I'm 69 for reference.

I'm officially 69, but since you are only as old as you feel, I claim
34 1/2.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Maybe 69 is his sleep number.
Karl
Sounds good to me!
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Aug 13, 1:14*pm, Gerald Miller wrote:
On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:16:08 -0700 (PDT), "



wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:00*pm, Gerald Miller wrote:
On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:55:47 -0500, nick hull wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

So - what do you people do about crook backs - don't want to go
anywhere near a surgeon, seen too many people made worse.

A GOOD chiropractor can help, finding a good one is not easy. *I usually
see mine about once every 5 years, his fix lasts that long IF I do my
part. *I have a recliner set up with special pillows to bend the back
right, and have found sleeping on an air mattress (select comfort) helps
a lot and lets my beck recover overnight. *I'm 69 for reference.

I'm officially 69, but since you are only as old as you feel, I claim
34 1/2.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

Maybe 69 is his sleep number.
Karl

Sounds good to me!
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

My brother tells me I'm 35 because he's 29 and I'm 6 years older. Of
course he's been 29 for 16 years.
Karl
Karl

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:53:02 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

My brother tells me I'm 35 because he's 29 and I'm 6 years older. Of
course he's been 29 for 16 years.
Karl
Which comes back to my statement that you are as old as you (or your
brother) feel!
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Aug 14, 11:42*am, Gerald Miller wrote:
On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:53:02 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
My brother tells me I'm 35 because he's 29 and I'm 6 years older. Of
course he's been 29 for 16 years.
Karl

Which comes back to my statement that you are as old as you (or your
brother) feel!
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

That tends to depend on whether I did anything stupid the day before.
Karl

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:46:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote:


Homespun remedies, exercises, herbal magic - there must be something
that works, cause western science aint too good on this one.

Andrew VK3BFA.

A good wrap around back brace..nylon with stays