lower back

RE: lower back

kchuangharris — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 10:13:40 GMT

Congratulations! I have a similar story...2 degenerated discs in low back. Freestyle is good and backstroke. Be careful with *** and fly. I find that a gentle warm up helps and open turns are easier on the back. Get a swim watch to help you keep track and makes it fun too! Good luck and keep it up! Karen

RE: lower back

ForceDJ — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:14:21 GMT

Umesh, Congratulation on getting in the pool and finding swimming. I'm 56 and have had lower back issues most of my life. First surgery for bulging disc was in my mid-20s. And, like you, swimming as always seemed to help reduce/relieve the pain. One thing that I've noticed over the years, and I've passed along to others with back issues is that for some unproven reason swimming backstroke provides even more relief. Doesn't have to be back crawl...just any stroke while on your back in the water. It may not work for you...but for many it does. Good luck and keep up the good work. Dan

RE: lower back

Sumorunner — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 03:27:03 GMT

I have a condition called "spondylolisthesis". That is where the vertebrae shift relative to one another. The offset between two of them pinched the sciatic nerve in the back and I got terrible pain from the hip, down the leg, and all the way to the ankle. It was caused by arthritis eroding the spinal bone, I am 69 now, but it developed slowly over several years. I always thought it was a hip injury from running since I was primarily a runner for 40 years. About a year ago the pain became so intense I was incapacitated for weeks. I had to use a walker or cane to move around. I went to 3 different doctors and 2 physical therapists. They all said the same thing. Your running days are over, stop running! But you can swim. Swimming is great for it. I can now walk and swim and cycle with no pain, as long as I do not run. I have since done a 1 mile open water swim, two indoor swim meets and even a sprint triathlon where I walked the 5Km. I was not new to swimming since I had worked as a lifeguard when I was young and swam laps off and on to supplement my running training. I could do probably 200 meters the first time in the pool after the injury. I swam 3 days a week and increased the distance a little each week until I could do about 1500m non-stop. I swim mostly front crawl, but do fairly well for short distances in backstroke and *** stroke. I cannot do butterfly. None of it gives me any back pain. BTW, I use a Swimovate Poolmate watch to count my laps. It records time, laps, strokes, efficiency, etc. It doesn't do much more than record time in open water.