[v8shadow]

I am for the lack of better description; scared. I spent all of 10 minutes poking around under the hood of my donor car spraying PB Blaster on the fittings to the proportioning valve. When I finished, I felt my back had done enough and I stopped to take a minute before suiting up for work. That was 2 days ago and I still have lower back pain keeping me from doing anything ! I am not that old by any stretch (36). since my late 20's I noticed bending over a fender for a day would be hard on my back making it kinda stiff, but now it is a real problem. Im afraid one of these days Im gonna be working under the hood and I wont be able to straighten myself back up until help arrives

. If this keeps up I will see a Dr. but I doubt they will have anything for me but a large insurance deductable. Im concerned. I just really got down and dirty with this project and I dont want to stop now. This is something I have wanted to do all my life, just watching from the sidelines, reading about, and observing others. What's worse; if I go to work with a sore stiff back I run the risk of getting into a situation I won't be able to maybe handle, putting myself and my partners in jeopardy. At a moments notice I may need to tustle with guys twice my size with a lot more to lose. Just last night we had shots fired and a car chase which landed us one suspect caught after a lengthy foot chase and one on the loose !! I cant go into that sh** with a sore back. Whatever advice you all have I'm up for. Thanks.

 

[wildosvt01_OLD]

How about a good stretch prior?
Im 30, And the backs of my legs hurt when laying over a fender for a long spell. Some excersise might help too.

 

[Rattrap]

If you go to the Doctor he will tell you that you need to strengthen your stomach muscle to help support your back.you can do tjis by lying on your back and lifting your legs up and hold them. this will take a few weeks and you should do other things like crunches and the like. also Aleeve is a very good over the counter med for back aches.I take one and my back stops hurting.. Googd Luck!

-Dale-

 

[ford4v429]

I spent several months crawling around under a 65, I swear it literally wore my legs out. I pulled something in my knee years back at work, never a problem, but it would stiffen up on occasion, never 'an issue' type of thing- by the time I got thru with the gal it was bugging me almost daily. was bringing some robot parts downstairs at work yesterday(nothing really heavy mind you), and last night regretted it for sure. I really think unless you got a lift/pit/rotisserie/whatever needed to let you 'work comfortably', youre gonna put some hard miles on your back/knees...and if youve ever injured ANYTHING, uncomfortable positions will definitely aggrivate it- maybe permanently. I can still lift heavy stuff, and still carry stuff I shouldnt, but am fast becoming aware I aint 20 anymore...rolling around on a creeper, squatting down beside a car up in the air especially, or like on my old truck- reaching back underhood with knees on core support or whatever...it takes more of a toll than I'd ever imagined.

at work, machine operators that lift parts all are required to wear those elastic support braces- hardware stores have them, and guys often say at first they hate them, but soon they realize they do help a lot at reducing strain.
I'm gonna get one of those and a set of those goofy knee pads I always thought looked silly...wish I woulda used them a couple years ago now. was a big mistake.

 

[ford4v429]

ps- with back problems theres a new alternative for fixing blown discs and such- would imagine would help any back compression type injury heal faster- they have a pneumatic table they put you on, you hold handles, and they lash your feet down, then it expands to stretch you- supposedly reverses disc damage with no side effects/surgery risks(gota be cheeper too).

if its pulled muscles, like Wildo said- stretching best bet to prevent it in the first place, but till it heals up its gonna slow ya down a bit. good luck!

 

[v8shadow]

[No message]

 

[67fastback]

I have had this exact problem for years. Seriously, it really depressed me. The absolute worst was bending over an engine compartment (esp. a lowered car) I had trouble when I was 20! The solution for me, well you may not believe it but its HOT PEPPERS!!! at work I have a small pepper garden ever since I discovered how TASTY and DELICIOUS HABANERO peppers are! Maybe they are famous for being hot, but they have a taste unlike any other! For example, jalapenos are a very famous pepper, but to me they taste Exactly like a green bell pepper without the heat.

I had back problems for quite a while, started from all the bicycle jumping ATC's and various crazy sh*t I used to do... and when I totaled my '70 mustang....really bad. I tried chiropractors and strength training but had NO definitive results. Eating hot peppers, anything with a good level of capsaicin which is the actual "hot stuff" and is what gives pepper spray its debilitating effects... >

EAT enough to make you actually sweat pretty much every day for two months without fail, you WILL notice some differences. You must not whimp out, you gotta sweat for real! The capsation stimulates lymphatic system flow which is a major component of your immune system. It also kicks up your metabolism among other things. Look up Google for all the related benefits.
What you might try is what I did, with unexpected results

Think about it this way: if you injure a part of yourself, it tries to heal. But what if the area cannot get proper blood flow, oxygen flow, etc?? Perhaps you did not injure the area, it is simply oftentimes “starved” for nutrients? This flow is encouraged by the intake of capsaicin and habenero is a plentiful supplier! But how to use this powerful item?

What I have been doing is slicing my habaneros in half and letting them dry. This prevents them from molding up as they have much water and will pretty much always mold if left as is to dry. Then I put the dried peppers in a clean coffee grinder (the style with the spinning blade) and chop them into salt-like granular size. You can use them in any soup or marinade, I like to heat up butter and oil, then add the dried pepper dust in the pan THEN add egg and veg for a TASTY omelets. If you use this method, the oil itself gets the flavor and imparts it to all the food.

You can remove the heat by slicing all the internal whitish walls out of them and scrubbing them a bit with your fingers under water (do it under water or the fumes will getcha!) The seeds are not the source of the heat; they are coated with the with this membrane. …but why remove the heat??

There are many benefits to using hot pepper, some people take cayenne pepper in a pill-form, but this can be a shock to your stomach which has not been sent a signal to start mucus production by the stimuli of mouth burning… You really need the entire effect

 

[68 stang]

Yoga has helped me quite a bit I go once a week for a hour and a half.

 

[rayell]

Just grab a sparkplug wire. It will get you out from under the hood in a hurry.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

HAY KEN
I have a bad back my self.. Car wreck in 1960 ... I didn't brother me for years untill I was about 50 or a little less.. But anyway it started hurtting me almose constenly sence I put on weight.. and lost my manly figgur.. and have acheved the TOOL COVER

(if you get my drift). Strengthen your stomach muscle it well help ALOT.. Actuly my back pain comes and goes but it does this with my weight fluckuwaytion (sp) if I stay under 210lb (I used to weight 175 most of my life) my back doesn't hurt as bad. if I gover over 210 it hurts all the time and is stiff..
So watch your weight and do something to strengthen you stomach muyscle and lower back. Even streching well help befor you go on shift.. even sometimes when you get out of your car if you have been in it a long time do some streching. It may look funny to some but you joints well like you..
tim

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

I'm not fat but I am 195 lbs.... EVERY SINGLE TIME I bend over a car My back hurts and aches bad, and the tendon's in my legs get reaaaal tight (If you're a regular runner you won't have the leg problem)
Anyway Just straighten up and streach it a little, my pain always goes away (after I lie down at night...) and, it has never bothered me into the next day unless I was bending over another car...
I'm a mechanic and am always doing it. Pretty soon your back will NOT ache anymore, you will simply get used to it or you will snap into two pieces one afternon all of the sudden like while leaning over your fender... And the pain will definitely go away then.
I guess what I'm saying is that with enough repetition you will grow accustomed to the movement and the pain will dissappear.

FE

 

[pedal2themetal45]

HI KEN
Now I just remembered this as I was thinking about my back pain and what I did to releave it and it may sound funny but its FACT......
Most lower back pain is from To tight of a muscle called Glutes..

(trust me) (ass muscle)... Not the whole glute just the part at the top of your back pocket line its part of the lower back muscle.. Bend over and feel just above your pockets and streighten up and you well feel that muscle tighten up as you bend.....
I bet if you were to massage that muscle just above you pockets they would be sore.... Right..... I would say that if you or if you found somebody to massage your lower back including that part it would help....Trust me from someone that has cronic back pain... Streching and massaging that muscle well help..

Tim

 

[Mr.Ed]

I read your post and figured bouncer, but then the shots thing gave you away, officer. I too suffer with back pain after leaning over the engine for any length of time. I stand up and bend backwards for a few minutes and the pain goes away.

Several years ago it wouldn't go away and my doctor sent me to a therapist three times a week for six weeks for my back and shoulder. One of the invaluable tips from the therapist was that when you lean forward, put your leg out to support your weight and not expect your back to do all the work. Example; when brushing your teeth, put your foot under the sink. Your leg will now be holding your upper body not your lower back. Works for me.

And cut down on the donuts! LOL

Later!
Mr. Ed

 

[mustangboy]

I don't think anyone mentioned seeing a chiropractor...I see one fairly regularly and it helps keep me moving..It all depends on your particular problem though,strengthening your stomach muscles will help alot as mentioned.

 

[fordracerguy]

Go to the back doctor! Chiropractor is a very good idea. I've had lower back pain on and off for about 4 years now. Two of my discs are pinching a nerve. Bending over a car just as you mentioned brings it out. It's not that serious. Just go get it looked at, you will feel TONS better!

 

[fogged408w]

On 2006-02-23 22:50, 67fastback wrote:
Perhaps you did not injure the area, it is simply oftentimes “starved” for nutrients?

 

[Mr.Ed]

Another thing came to mind. When my back would start bothering me for no apprent reason, I found that I was walking around with a slight hunch. I also was sitting with a slouch in the office and when I watched TV. So the bottom line in my case was better posture meant less discomfort.

Later!
Mr. Ed

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Dang Ed, I get worse pain the better my posture gets.... I have horrible posture unless there's some Hottie near by or when I'm sitting at the computer....

FE

 

[jeremyl]

I injured my back really bad about 12 years ago, and it never healed correctly. At the time they wanted to do surgery, but I was against that & instead waited it out, took all kinds of meds & then did physical therapy for ages.

To this day it's still stiff & hurts a good chunk of the time. And now I have an even worse abnormal curvature in my back than before. Where a normal back has a sort of S type curve, mine dips way down into my low back before curving back in.

 

[107485]

those are all good remedies but never touch your eyes or do the al bundy with those chilies till youve washed your hands ten times, trust me i know! stomach strength is the cure to back pain, and so is stretching and holding it there for at least 30 seconds. stomach exercises should be done in a ford j/k no while supporting the back (leg lifts put more strain on the lower back . that why they do pilates it support the back, and yoga is life to many

_________________
66 FAIRLANE 500 2dr.



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