Thread: Backpain
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Old 10-31-2001, 03:57 PM   #4
Jonathan
Dojo: North Winnipeg Aikikai
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 265
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Backpain

I did not give due regard to my sciatic pain and continued to train until one morning when I awoke to a full disc herniation (L5 -S1). I have bee nine months recovering and I still can only roll very gingerly one or two times in a row. The best advice I can give you, and which I sincerely hope you take, is to rest. Don't do anything that even remotely irritates your back problem. I thought I would simply tough out my back pain but this, in retrospect, was very foolish.

I am relatively young, so sitting idle is very difficult and at times has been impossible. My unwillingness to refrain from dabbling in training has lengthened my recovery time, of course. I am only now realizing just how completely inactive (in terms of aikido training) I need to be in order for my back to improve.

I have a half hour stretching regimen and some torso strengthening exercises that I do twice each day and they have helped immensely.

Hope this is helpful. Take care.

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
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