Back pain

[Lovelystuff]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

[Mike J]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

Now old is old?
I would suggest you have a checkup with a good osteopath, it sounds like you could have a joint slightly out or a bit of calcification.

Ive lure fished all my life and can still do 5-6hrs without any aftereffects, infact I usually feel much better which is why I sometimes do it even if there isn't much chance of catching anything.




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[paintman]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

Bank or boat?
If it's boat wearing a basic style lifejacket with the thin straps I think the extra weight puts a bit of extra downward pressure on the upper back, esp as the weight is on the front of the body carried by the back of the neck & upper back.
Something I notice if I have several consecutive days boat fishing.
Adjusting so it's tighter at the waist helps & I wonder if one of the crewsaver crewfit style ones with the padding might be the answer.
Be interested on the experience of others.
This type of crewsaver:
https://www.marinesuperstore.com/lifeja ... ncy%20Aids
As opposed to the basic lifejacket style:
https://www.scottdirect.com/ocean-safet ... 20Catchall

[Chico 48 PAC]

Mike J has probably hit the nail on the head for an awful lot of people.

A few years ago I was getting very bad pain in the neck and shoulders and was told things had worn out by the quacks and I had to live with it. I went to a Chiropractor who worked wonders, on the first hands-on appointment she went down my spine and put 3 vertabrae back where they should have been as well as working on my neck region. I couldn't believe how much difference it made. I still get aches but nothing compared to what it was. I think most of us are walking around anawares of how things are meant to be.
I still go to the chiropractor every two months to it used to be every two weeks back in the day.
Lighter lures should not cause as much trouble as the bigger stuff but I tend to throw the bigger stuff.

[Mark Phillips]

I get a back problem at least a couple of times a year, but not from lure fishing. Tennis Elbow is what I've had a few times from casting, which is why I often wear elbow wraps if I am going to be casting for a full day. Same things I use in the gym when doing weights and they do a good job preventing injury.

When I hurt my back it's nearly always when I am not paying attention to what I am doing and overreach for something or lift an object with poor posture. As you get older, sadly these things become more common. Invariably it'll be a muscle strain and a visit to a good physio soon sorts that out. I wouldn't even bother going down the NHS route, you'll be waiting for ever to get treatment. Private treatment means you get seen quickly and isn't that expensive, although I claim my treatment costs back off my healthcare cover from work.

Last month, I somehow managed to put two back joints out in my sleep. I was in agony, I couldn't even get off a bed without being helped. I had a Physio reseat the joints and then several treatment sessions, along with acupuncture to reduce muscle spasms. I could do any fishing for almost a month and only now it's just starting to sort itself out.

You can do things to avoid back injuries and certainly lure fishing wise, they're largely down to repetitive strains. Of course it also helps not to be overweight and have a decent level of fitness, which I think might be a problem for some people I bump into on the water. At any rate, just wear a decent back support if you're prone to back problems and that'll go a long way to avoiding issues, even casting bigger lures all day you will be OK. The Simms one I have is very good. As I mentioned, elbow supports are also a worthwhile investment.

[Lovelystuff]

Thanks - some good suggestions there. I’m leaning more towards seeing an osteopath/chiropractor as suggested.

Whenever I’ve been for a massage in the past, they always have a field day on my back so there is more than likely some underlying cause.

I’m just shy of 40yrs old and consider myself as being pretty fit and active (running, cycling and gym usually 4 days per week).

Have a good Xmas all

[JoeNickel]

Sports physio might be a good starting point, rather than an osteo. At your age, it's unlikely to be calcification. As it worsens with use, could be inflammation or micro tears in soft tissue - muscles, ligaments, or (like Mark's tennis elbow) tendons.

Tendonitis can be a right fucker to shift - best to get it seen to sooner rather than later.

[stubbojo]

Mike J has probably hit the nail on the head for an awful lot of people.

A few years ago I was getting very bad pain in the neck and shoulders and was told things had worn out by the quacks and I had to live with it. I went to a Chiropractor who worked wonders, on the first hands-on appointment she went down my spine and put 3 vertabrae back where they should have been as well as working on my neck region. I couldn't believe how much difference it made. I still get aches but nothing compared to what it was. I think most of us are walking around anawares of how things are meant to be.
I still go to the chiropractor every two months to it used to be every two weeks back in the day.
Lighter lures should not cause as much trouble as the bigger stuff but I tend to throw the bigger stuff.

the fact she is stark b*****k nakid does help take your mind off it ......and the happy ending relives the stiffness in the trunk .

[peteren]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

Same for me - but lower back.
Got steadily worse in last 8 years. I am 68.
Otherwise never suffered back pain.
Reckon I'm fairly fit; still cricket golf, cycle (inc 54 m London - Brighton), walk, garden etc; even do some yoga stretches!
Strangely is as bad / worse when casting light lures with f/s, as heavier ones with bc.
May be something to do with twisting / leaning?
I tend to take a couple of ibuprofen - and put up with it better if I'm catching!

[Mike J]

Thanks - some good suggestions there. I’m leaning more towards seeing an osteopath/chiropractor as suggested.

Whenever I’ve been for a massage in the past, they always have a field day on my back so there is more than likely some underlying cause.

I’m just shy of 40yrs old and consider myself as being pretty fit and active (running, cycling and gym usually 4 days per week).

Have a good Xmas all

Where are you based? Could suggest two top osteopaths if your in their area. PM me if you wish.

Running can be the cause of many problems, footfall, gait and upper body action, can all create injuries that have long term aftereffects. The fitness gym business is something that has grown faster than the knowledge and ability of many of those employed to advise/instruct. It always advisable to ask exactly what qualifications those doing the hands on training actually have eg; a relative became a personal trainer in a gym with zero qualifications, an acquaintance started a gym and the company supplying the equipment gave training him and his son for free.


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[stubbojo]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

suffered for years with my back sciatica , numbness .its something ive had to live with .......and to cap it all we had a 3 car pile up on Monday
we were on the receiving end at the front , wollopped us 20yards up the road up hill.......hellish whiplash pain , pain in the elbows and wrists lower back pain has just started to creep in , the wife worse than me , she has to have an emergency m.r.i. scan shortly lost feeling in a leg and bad whiplash and severe headaches , just when you think everything is working out , other issues......now this what a foooking christmass were having ......cars fooked up , there picking it up shortly ....
the women who caused the accident , was swearing and cussing at us i kid you not , we think she was on her phone but cant prove it .......
my dog got a good bashing in the back , rods , broke and a few other items ..........anybody had any exsperiance of a car accident of this sort , me and the wife have never had a accident and i always drive carefully keeping my distance and the likes and its a motobilty car with very low milage

i am absolutly gutted atm and suffering from shock or something like that not sleeping very well waking up about 4am every morning since the crash.... then knackered all day long

steve

[paintman]

Just what you needed!
Get well soon.
Any Police involvement?

Mrs p got a fairly minor rear ender some years ago which she initially thought was nothing but ended up with 6 months physio.

Eldest was the meat in the sandwich in a 3 car RTC on the Aston Expressway at uni.
Stationary in traffic.
Driver that hit him, a Mercedes estate, was on the phone (Police involved) & little or no braking before impact.
His car - Pug 306 - extensively damaged front & rear & about a foot shorter on the n/s than the o/s.
His seat back had collapsed with the impact & we think that helped avoid any serious injury, so bumps & bruises.

[stubbojo]

no police , but thinking maybe they should have been invovled .......as we have found out the driver who hit the car behind us as had 2 car right off before ....this

dont know really what we should have done as we had never had an incident before .......we were a bit shell shocked tbh

it could have been a lot worse as a big wagon was coming the opposite way on the other side luckily we went straight up our side of the road

i honestly thought the car had blown up , hadnt a clue what had happened ......as the car behind was well back down the road it scared the bejesus out of us tbh

steve ........like delayed shock in slow motion hard to describe it ......

wifes got a bit of anxiety since .......

we are both in our 60s ........and christ dont i know it .....we went straight to a and e ...........i wont go into detail , but it was a utter joke unbelievable treatment we received....
the wife was in tears when we came out .......

[paintman]

You're all still alive & that's the important bit.

The car & any other stuff is replaceable.
Put it in the hands of your insurance company & let them sort it out.

It's an injury RTC & you need the names & addresses of involved drivers, the details of the owners of the car if different & details of their insurers.
As it's an injury RTC it will need to be reported to the Police.
It should be reported 'as soon as practicable & in any case within 24 hours' - but don't get worried about the delay.
This might help: https://www.police.uk/advice/advice-and ... ollisions/

[stubbojo]

You're all still alive & that's the important bit.

The car & any other stuff is replaceable.
Put it in the hands of your insurance company & let them sort it out.

It's an injury RTC & you need the names & addresses of involved drivers, the details of the owners of the car if different & details of their insurers.
As it's an injury RTC it will need to be reported to the Police.
It should be reported 'as soon as practicable & in any case within 24 hours' - but don't get worried about the delay.
This might help: https://www.police.uk/advice/advice-and ... ollisions/

thanks for your help there pal , we will have a look more into it , we have done all the necessities and is in the hands of the insurance company which have also been very helpful in sorting things out ,

thanks again
regards steve

[paintman]

Generally if all details have been exchanged & there are no obvious issues - driving licences/insurance/vehicles/serious allegations - the Police won't get involved.

[Alan_dalton]

I can't fish jerk baits anymore, my back is in bits after 30mins fishing jerk baits from a boat.

[stubbojo]

I can't fishbjerk baits anymore, my back is in bits after 30mins fishing jerk baits from a boat.

its hard mate i know , but i rest a bit inbetween a few casts , then have another go , some days are worse than others for me .......the heavier stuff is whats get you aching a bit

still love throwing biggish lures about though.......

steve

[Steve Le maitre]

I can't fishbjerk baits anymore, my back is in bits after 30mins fishing jerk baits from a boat.

I think it's the way your forced to stand in a boat Alan as you can't get near the side you then start to lean forward.
Try a longer rod + you'll be moving more line so you can effectively go slower to get the same work done = less irritation if it's disc trouble.
Easy enough to weight a rod, it's strange but 3 - 4 oz of lead can make it feel as light as a feather.

[Ratty46]

i find after a long full day lure fishing, its the base of my neck that gets bit sore and achy but nothing serious, usually gone next day.
i think its looking down at the rod tip all day and watching for follows, sometimes i forget i'm 42 not 22 anymore

[Gary Coggon]

Steve, having been through similar, I really feel for you and wish you both a full recovery. On that theme though - and, obviously, I don’t know what you were advised or the calibre of the staff whose care you were under - it might be worth considering getting a second opinion on A&E’s findings, so as to reduce risk of later suffering from something overlooked. I say this not as an NHS basher but simply from my and friends’ experience - in my case, a full-thickness snapped Achilles misdiagnosed as a torn calf muscle that I was told I would just ‘walk off’. Tired, inexperienced, junior doctor, etc., etc. Just a thought. Best wishes.

[stubbojo]

yes since been to our local doctors as advised by p.a.l.s. ....still awaiting a call from them too
yes we has been checked out usual aches and pains , but they are not entirely happy with the wife's back and lower leg numbness
i myself have quite bad neck pain at the base of my skull and lower back pain , but they dont seem overly worried about
i will sort out , but the wifes worried its going to kick off over the Christmas period ......just glad we are alive tbh and not injured more badly ...
thanks gary

all the best pal

we have 10 people coming for lunch tomorrow ....cracking timing to say the least ......

[Mark Phillips]

I can't fish jerk baits anymore, my back is in bits after 30mins fishing jerk baits from a boat.

That is far from normal mate. Get yourself checked out and fixed! Then wear a back support when casting in the boat, you'll have no issues then. It's not that different to when I work out, I'd wouldn't even attempt lifting weights without a belt that supports my back.

[Mark Phillips]

Sports physio might be a good starting point, rather than an osteo. At your age, it's unlikely to be calcification. As it worsens with use, could be inflammation or micro tears in soft tissue - muscles, ligaments, or (like Mark's tennis elbow) tendons.

Tendonitis can be a right fucker to shift - best to get it seen to sooner rather than later.

Spot on Joe. I used a sport physio for my latest back injury, which I literally woke up one morning with - he knew his stuff and diagnosed what was wrong with me in seconds, then very expertly re-set my two back joints that were out, followed by acupuncture to reduce muscle spasms, I only needed four visits to resolve the main issue and am now left with diminishing residual pain. I literally struggled to walk after putting my back out at the beginning of December and almost a month later, I am almost pain free. Previously, with muscle strains, I visited a 'regular' physio recommended by the healthcare company I am with, they were bloody useless and even when I did start to recover, kept trying to schedule appointments, just to maximise revenue from the insurance claim. If you cop a back injury or indeed any other part of your body, such as tennis elbow (a common one I get from casting), visit a sport physio. Also, as I said before, wearing protection for your elbows is a good idea when chucking larger lures all day from the boat and as I keep saying, a back support belt under your bib.

[Fordey]

Sports physio might be a good starting point, rather than an osteo. At your age, it's unlikely to be calcification. As it worsens with use, could be inflammation or micro tears in soft tissue - muscles, ligaments, or (like Mark's tennis elbow) tendons.

Tendonitis can be a right fucker to shift - best to get it seen to sooner rather than later.

Spot on Joe. I used a sport physio for my latest back injury, which I literally woke up one morning with - he knew his stuff and diagnosed what was wrong with me in seconds, then very expertly re-set my two back joints that were out, followed by acupuncture to reduce muscle spasms, I only needed four visits to resolve the main issue and am now left with diminishing residual pain. I literally struggled to walk after putting my back out at the beginning of December and almost a month later, I am almost pain free. Previously, with muscle strains, I visited a 'regular' physio recommended by the healthcare company I am with, they were bloody useless and even when I did start to recover, kept trying to schedule appointments, just to maximise revenue from the insurance claim. If you cop a back injury or indeed any other part of your body, such as tennis elbow (a common one I get from casting), visit a sport physio. Also, as I said before, wearing protection for your elbows is a good idea when chucking larger lures all day from the boat and as I keep saying, a back support belt under your bib.

Great points Mark. It amazes me that lads that will spend fortunes on tackle, but skimp when it comes to their health.
+1 for the physio, they can diagnose most back issues as you walk into the clinic.
I've suffered tennis elbow twice, no laughing matter. Last bout lasted 6 months but I've heard horror stories of 2 years+. I also wear an orthopaedic elbow strap for just that reason.
I do think that back issues suffered by some is down to poor casting technique. Twisting their back in the cast to gain power, whereas they should be using the spring of the rod and the correct release timing to achieve distance with big lures.

Having said all that, I totally knackered my back about 7 years ago. Worked on building sites from the ago of 12 till I was 32, which certainly didn't help. Then moved into a management role, totally sedentary. Still felt I was physically able for anything, however I banjaxed my back swinging a 30 kg mud weight to clear the crap off it before lfting it into the boat!

Long story short, had a spinal fusion C3-C6 with discectomy (they scrape out your discs and replace with titanium, then screw your vertebrae together with what looks like for all the world like a door hinge!). All good now, still throwing Mag dawgs, still lifting anchors!

[Richard Grave]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

Are you using fixed spool or baitcaster style reels ? I only ask as switching to a baitcaster style can actually help and rather a lot!

[Dave R]

For Steve - sorry to hear about your crash, nightmare. Hope you can enjoy tomorrow - your’re both OK (I hope) that’s the main thing.

For Mark - I suffer muscular back pain every few years, randomly. Was incapitated for a week once. I find boat fishing tougher on the body - dealing with heavy batterries, motors, and unnatural postures. A swivelling airflo seat helps and a trolly or wheely tool box for the batteries, etc. - you probably have these already. I carry a lot of gear bank fishing over rough terrain and feel that keeps me fit. I don’t have an issue with repeated casting (yet) - main issue with boats is loading/unloading all the paraphenalia!

Merry Christmas chaps!

[Mark_Houghton]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who suffers from this when lure fishing… it usually kicks in after a couple of hours and progressively gets worse as the session goes on.

For me it’s mid/upper back around the shoulder blade region. I’m sure this is just a symptom of getting older, however I’m hoping someone on here may have some words of wisdom on how to manage or even cure it!

Thanks in advance

If its a sort of cramping sensation in your back between the shoulder blades, tensing your core muscles a few times when it starts can ease it for a while.

[Mark Phillips]

For Steve - sorry to hear about your crash, nightmare. Hope you can enjoy tomorrow - your’re both OK (I hope) that’s the main thing.

For Mark - I suffer muscular back pain every few years, randomly. Was incapitated for a week once. I find boat fishing tougher on the body - dealing with heavy batterries, motors, and unnatural postures. A swivelling airflo seat helps and a trolly or wheely tool box for the batteries, etc. - you probably have these already. I carry a lot of gear bank fishing over rough terrain and feel that keeps me fit. I don’t have an issue with repeated casting (yet) - main issue with boats is loading/unloading all the paraphenalia!

Merry Christmas chaps!

My last back injury put me out for five weeks. I'm still not 100%, which is why I am not being tempted to go out this week. But it wasn't from fishing. Worst I have had fishing is either tennis elbow, which isn't nice and occasional strains, usually my right shoulder. Yeah, it's boat fishing that's the killer as you're fishing in a confined space and as you say, unnatural postures. It pays to take breaks when casting and definitely watch your posture when seated whilst one arm is stretched out onto the outboard handle - I've managed to pull muscles just steering the boat. You're right about all gear - just thinking we have three or four batteries (all lithium now), multiple fishfinders, bow mount electric motor, lure bag, boat bag, etc, etc. It's a lot of kit to haul back and forth. Most fisheries have trollies you can use to get the gear from the car to the jetty, so I always ask. Some let you bring the car up to unload and load, else best to be careful lugging all the gear.

[stubbojo]

mark did you say you had a desk job ....if so a proper chair for your back really helps
the wife used to have a chair where she used to work which the firm supplied fit for purpose.....

steve