Back Pain and Paddling

[Jim Dodd]

I know most of us "Older" paddlers, suffer some discomfort and back pain, while paddling for longer periods of time.

I know I've brought this up before, but want to share again a little trick, my youngest son, Nate discovered.

Years ago, While paddling in the BWCA, Nate said his legs and back where bothering him. He requested I pull over to a Beaver hut. After sorting a few sticks, for the right length to span the gunnel, Nate selected one. It had to be short enough, to miss catching his hand as he stroked. He placed the stick under his legs, on top of the gunnel.

Almost immediately he found relief.

I was in disbelief, and also tried it ! I now have a "Nate Stick" strapped to my inwhale, of my canoe, for when I need it.


Give this a try and see if it helps you !


A few pics.

 

[lowangle al]

Thanks for posting that Jim, sometimes just a slight change in position can be the difference of having pain or not. I injured my low back (again) in April and my PT guy told me it was OK to paddle as long as it didn't hurt. I had no pain while sitting, and paddling felt really good, both physically and mentally. He also told me it would be OK to ride a bike, and was right about that too. That is saying a lot because at the time I couldn't walk 30' w/o having to sit down and couldn't stand at all with weight on both feet.

I would recommend anyone with low back problems give paddling a try, (as long as you can get your boat in the water) If it's not comfortable at first try a different position. I found that the leaning forward and slight twisting during a stroke was really good for helping flexibility and the fact that I wasn't bearing weight on my legs made it possible. Since that time in May and early June I have had an MRI which revealed 3 herniated discs and 2 protruding discs. Had the PT guy known that at the time (he nor the other two Drs. I saw thought it was a disc) his advice may have been different.

I'm about 90% better now and have a non portaging overnighter planned for next weekend. I'm still not sure if I'll ever portage again but it looks promising.

I have a Nate stick just like that that I leave at my favorite campsite. I use it for kneeling in the center of my Malacite for fishing.

 

[Jim Dodd]

It's heck getting older !

I've had several bouts with back pain. So far I've had good results with a Chiropractor. In my case my neck vertebrae, Atlas and Axis, need realignment. Some times I can do it on my own.

Keep moving !!

Jim

 

[alsg]

I had back pain in my 30s, 40s and early 50s. It was the kind of thing where my back would seize up over random things. Sometimes just rolling over in bed might cause my back to seize up and cause intense pain. Since starting paddling seriously about 4 years ago, my back pain is totally gone!

 

[TrailBlaser]

Thanks for posting the idea Jim, I have had some back issues, so I will give it a try. I just did a 4-day trip during which I tried wearing the Jox compression shorts that I wore at the gym. They gave great back support on the trip so now I will be using them when I paddle.

 

[lowangle al]

I had back pain in my 30s, 40s and early 50s. It was the kind of thing where my back would seize up over random things. Sometimes just rolling over in bed might cause my back to seize up and cause intense pain. Since starting paddling seriously about 4 years ago, my back pain is totally gone!

I don't doubt that at all alsg, after 30 years of dealing with it, my back never felt better than it did earlier this winter. That is until I injured it on a Nordic trac ski machine.

Jim, I've had a few bouts with neck problems and would never swap them for my low back problems, I feel sorry for you guys and gals.

 

[recped]

The seat drops in your boat are very short, if I tried that trick in any of my boats my knees would be at the height of my shoulders (perhaps a light exaggeration).

 

[ppine]

I find canoes to be comfortable compared to a kayaks. I can change positions, kneel. stand up and keep going. I cannot stand paddling kayaks for more than an hour.
Your idea is a good one if it works for you. I bring a back brace for overnight trips. I stretch before I get up in the morning. I use a hot tub and try to life anything over 50 pounds.

 

[Jim Dodd]

The seat drops in your boat are very short, if I tried that trick in any of my boats my knees would be at the height of my shoulders (perhaps a light exaggeration).

I use a single blade (always have). The seat height is right for me and is stable enough. Those that use a lower seat, likely use a kayak paddle, or seek more stability .

Jim

 

[Guest]

I don't doubt that at all alsg, after 30 years of dealing with it, my back never felt better than it did earlier this winter. That is until I injured it on a Nordic trac ski machine.

Everyone’s bad back is different, and responds in different ways. Paddling a canoe usually helps mine along; I think the torso rotation is good gentle exercise. As long as it is gentle.

30 years after the fact I discovered that I had blown a L2/L3 disk, probably blown out in my 20’s. I could (and did) move pianos and my back would be fine. I could sneeze awkwardly and be in agony for weeks.

I absolutely trashed my back once, bad enough to visit the doctor for the usual (ineffective) muscle relaxants, and handout pamphlet of stretching exercises I was already doing.

In the exam room he asked “So, Mr. McCrea, how did you injure your back?”

“Well Doc, I was standing on my deck and picked up an acorn with my toes to toss off onto the lawn and that was all she wrote:”

I have never seen a physician try so hard not to laugh. And fail.

What works best in a canoe, for me, is a slightly canted seat, to relieve any seat pressure under my thighs. For my thighs even some bucket seat needs a wee bit of pressure reducing forward tilt.

Add to that wee tilt an adjustable foot brace bar, so I can gently push against the oppositional force of a paddle blade without overtaxing my oblique (or flexor?) back muscles.

That foot brace brings my legs/knees up to an agreeable angle, relieving my thighs against the seat, and my raised legs are braced against minicel “knee bumpers” extending from below the inwale.

Add a low, flexible-for-torso-rotation back band to that and I have six seated points of contact (feet, knees, back, butt) with the boat, which is enough of a held-in-place muscle relaxant that I can paddle the canoe all day long.

Everyone’s bad back is different, the old man challenge is finding the outfitting combination that doesn’t hurt.

That resolution could be kneeling in comfort. Sure as hell isn’t for me.

 

[Turtle2]

I paddled with a back surgeon once who said the canted seat kneeling position is just like the office chairs he prescribes for his patients