Back problems

Re: Back problems

Amanda Nicholls — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 19:56:34 GMT

[quote user="patrick murphy"]

has anyone invested or tried one of those saddle seats? they look very uncofortable, but do they work?

[/quote]

Yes, I use one for operating and find it very comfortable and much better for my lower back.

Re: Back problems

patrick murphy — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 14:59:34 GMT

sorry? access to work? who/what are they

Re: Back problems

Tanya Fielding — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 13:01:59 GMT

Access to work paid for my tables after assesment from the ocupational health who had a fit about me bending over the ops table and went epiplectic at my kneeling on floor to avaoid bending over big dogs. Havent got time to go to physio so just keep taking the painkillers

Re: Back problems

patrick murphy — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:02:06 GMT

has anyone invested or tried one of those saddle seats? they look very uncofortable, but do they work?

Re: Back problems

Rob Davis — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:30:06 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]And bad for your trousers - every pair of trousers I have ever worn for work gets a hole in the right knee sooner or later - always the right one ...?[/quote]

Ditto - drives my wife nuts! I keep trying to remember to kneel on my left knee as well to double the life of the trousers, but it never seems to work out.

Re: Back problems

Louise6732 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:15:10 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

Sounds like an osteopath's diagnosis to me: 'You've got two vertebrae out of line and one leg shorter than the other'. 'Strange, thats what you tell everyone'! Sorry I don't go with that diagnosis (I'm still trying to visualise how you can hyperextend your knees) the excercises and posture work may have helped but it had nothing to do with your knees, your knees have been the same since birth but you've only just got a bad back.. Knowing what we do about anatomy it amazes me how many vets fall for quack diagnoses when it comes to their own spine.

[/quote]

Wow Martin I didn't realise that you are a qualified human physiotherapist with 15yrs experience now as well as a vet?

Funny how when I readjusted myself, I felt a lot better. And knowing as much as we do about anatomy makes me less likely to fall for quack diagnoses. The original problem was actually with my legs, but overall I have felt less pressure on my back. Of course it is possible to hyperextend your knees, type it into google and I'm sure you'll be able to visualise it then.

We are none of us born anatomically perfect, and the body copes with this by altering gait, posture etc. But when we try to do something different with our bodies that is new, you sometimes get problems, like I did from dancing.

Re: Back problems

Julian Earl — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:02:13 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Louise Alexander"]

turns out I have hyperextended knees (!), she gave me exercises and ways to work on my posture, and I notice a big difference in my lower back, which gets sore after a day of standing up. Amazing what you don't realise you're doing wrong!

I think physio assessments should be offfered as part of health and safety, I've had such success with mine!

Louise

[/quote]

I don't know about knees but it certainly happens with elbows. I had a friend at school whose elbows bent nearly ten degrees the wrong way, and my wife's elbows are the same, as are my sons. So it seems to be hereditary for elbows.

Re. backs: I wouldn't recommend letting your 220kg motorbike fall over and being so cross that you heave it up again then realise that something's not quite right in your back. Even more embarrassing if it happens when you're on your way to visit someone in hospital and you're in more agony than the patient. Ho-hum. After several weeks of taking itty-bitty steps around the practice and eventually feeling considerably better, don't then kneel down to a calf lying on the floor and get kicked on the chin which knocks you over backwards and triggers the whole bleedin' thing again.

Still, ten years later and my back feels fine now, most of the time.

Edit: the elbow story sounds suspicious but my wife is very trustworthy and has never met my school-friend!

Re: Back problems

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:15:44 GMT

I wonder how many of these wonder diagnoses and miracle cures are just that (miracles are a figment of the imagination) and in truth those who got better did so simply due to them becaming aware of a back problem and just took more care of it in general and that great healer - time. I think we've done quack diagnoses on another thread so I'll say no more here.

Re: Back problems

patrick murphy — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:13:14 GMT

well not too bothered as I am not feminine and am hideously ugly. just cheap and wonder if to quote our power police is there any EBM out there?[quote user="Emily Herskind Nightingale"]

[quote user="patrick murphy"]

has anyone tried those ?natural shoes? DTM's of something?

[/quote]

I am in my 3rd year of wearing MBT shoes ( Masai Basic Training). They have a curved sole so you never actually stand completely still, always moving a little tiny bit. The downsides are they are hideously ugly and not ladylike at all, they are expensive (£150-200+ a pair!), they take a little bit of getting used to and you are supposed to wear them 20 mins daily for the first two weeks before starting to use them full time- Pros however: excellent for posture, very durable ( had 2 pairs in last 3 years and 1st pair are not at all worn out just fancied a change from jodphur boot style to laceups), NO back pain at all despite now being a very heavy 6 months pregnant. So I can only advocate them. They encourage you to roll over the sole of your foot as opposed to jarring down on the heel. I think they are great..even thought the nurses laugh at me in my " special" shoes.

[/quote]

Re: Back problems

john O DWYER — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:01:59 GMT

try barefoot shoes or earth negative heel shoes these make you stand up straight and stop the unnatural heel strike that causes a lot of leg joint and back strain they are much cheaper than mbts and you have to stand in a natural position. try wearing a pair of five fingers bare foot shoes to work and see what comments you get check out http://www.lovethoseshoes.com/searchstoreresults.asp?search=barefoot&StartID=10&sSize=&iBrand=&iStyle=&iGender=&sColour=&iPriceBand=&radType=STOCK

Re: Back problems

Mark Holmes — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:29:21 GMT

[quote user="Emily Herskind Nightingale"]

I think they are great..even thought the nurses laugh at me in my " special" shoes.

[/quote]

They do look like they should come with callipurs

Re: Back problems

Emily Nightingale — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:25:50 GMT

[quote user="patrick murphy"]

has anyone tried those ?natural shoes? DTM's of something?

[/quote]

Re: Back problems

Mark Holmes — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:33:46 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]your knees have been the same since birth but you've only just got a bad back[/quote]

The effects of bad posture and gait over time have their effects. When you are young and your iv discs are nice and squashy the gait issues are compensated. When your discs go a bit dry and hard they are more prone to injury. Knowing what we do about anatomy it amazes me how many vets forget it when it comes to their own spine.

Re: Back problems

Wren — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:26:59 GMT

[quote user="Andrew Chadwick"]

My GP referred me to a physio and I was told I had tight hamstrings which were causing tension on my lower back. I had never considered this possibility.

[/quote]

Most of the horses I see with bad backs are secondary to hock spavin or something similar - you get the physio in, their backs feel better for a bit but then the hock problem makes it sore again.

Re: Back problems

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:52:13 GMT

[quote user="Louise Alexander"]

I think physio assessments should be offfered as part of health and safety, I've had such success with mine!

Louise

[/quote]

Re: Back problems

rhona kerr — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:28:23 GMT

Being 5'1" my problem is more often stretching up! Generally I have no problems - those I did have I saw a neuromuscular practitioner for and one he sorted out my neck I went to pilates classes. I don't do them any more, but still feel I benefit as I can make myself stand straight. My main advice would be THINK about posture/ease of working, etc BEFORE getting started. The clients are often amazed and appreciative that you do think your way through first. Worst colicking horse experience I have had had the owner giving me tea and cake after and telling me how great I was because I did a fair bit of fiddling around wiht doors/hay bales/positioning to improve safety before I did too much. The horse was a bit of a swine and still nearly broke her wrist when it went doolally.

Re: Back problems

patrick murphy — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:27:48 GMT

I did my back last October, and on MRI have 2 small avulsion fractures?chips because of vertebral compression. while on private care did have access to physios, and my orthopod sent me for private pilates. I think it helps, and will get into toe touching as that is one of the moves, but being extremely lazy has anyone tried those ?natural shoes? DTM's of something?

Re: Back problems

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:00:57 GMT

Pants are cheaper to fix than backs. :p

Re: Back problems

Robert Whiteford — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:45:02 GMT

Pilates - great for core strength and stretching.

Re: Back problems

Louise6732 — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:40:27 GMT

I have to agree Anthony, I had a similar experience recently, although not entirely work related to begin with. I do a fair amount of dancing and stretching, I injured myself and after about 8weeks with it getting worse decided to see a physio. She was absolutely fantastic and assessed my posture etc, and turns out I have hyperextended knees (!), she gave me exercises and ways to work on my posture, and I notice a big difference in my lower back, which gets sore after a day of standing up. Amazing what you don't realise you're doing wrong!

I think physio assessments should be offfered as part of health and safety, I've had such success with mine!

Louise

Re: Back problems

Andrew Chadwick — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:18:53 GMT

Interesting reading the above posts. I suffered with lower back pain for about a year. It was usually brought on by an obvious event such as a long drive or dental (bad posture!) and would self resolve once I started moving around again so I put it down to the wear and tear of mixed practice and ignored it. Eventually my luck ran out and after replacing a uterus in a particularly violent cow with a distinct lack of facilities for restraint things became much worse. My GP referred me to a physio and I was told I had tight hamstrings which were causing tension on my lower back. I had never considered this possibility. I was given a list of core strength building exercises and told to work on touching my toes (much to the amusement of my wife and family). Nothing complicated or surgical. Within a few weeks there had been a massive improvement and even now a year later I seem to be able to do the dentals, drives, prolapses etc with no problems. The toe touching was a challenge but worth it! If anyone out there is having mild problems that they are living with, I would highly recommend getting checked out asap because sooner or later they will get worse. It might not take much to improve things and you never know, you might be like the dog that has the dental and suddenly is brighter than it has been for years - it could be affecting you more than you realise!

Re: Back problems

bob lehner — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:15:27 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]Examining on the floor is a good idea for larger dogs - but it is starting to nail my knees..... you can't win![/quote]

And bad for your trousers - every pair of trousers I have ever worn for work gets a hole in the right knee sooner or later - always the right one ...?

Re: Back problems

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 09:35:37 GMT

Examining on the floor is a good idea for larger dogs - but it is starting to nail my knees..... you can't win!

Re: Back problems

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 05:27:26 GMT

6 foot 5; bad posture; and have the dubious distinction of being one of the better backs in the practice. Unfortunately that's no longer as good as it was. Deffo exercise the back. I should do it more.

I do sit as much as I can at end of consults; examine on floor when I can. Does help.

Re: Back problems

Liz w — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:51:47 GMT

Have you tried acupuncture?