Lower Back pain

[Triad]

I have some pretty consistent, and intermittent lower back pain. Do you guys use any sort of "girdle" to help brace the lower back?

Any recommendations?

[Falconis]

If it gets bad enough call an attorney. If you're in Northern California send me a PM. I have a couple names I could give you.

If it gets to the point where your feet are constantly numb and tingly, really think about that attorney and going to see your personal designated physcian

[TRICKSTER]

Rearrange your gun belt. Do not place anything (like cuff case) where it presses against you back when seated. Do not sit with anything in your sap pockets. Wearing all the gear we are required to carry is not natural and causes a variety of medical problems. If the problems continue, contact a good workers comp attorney that works with LEOs so you will be guaranteed proper treatment and compensation.

[Spanky8601]

Rearrange your gun belt. Do not place anything (like cuff case) where it presses against you back when seated. Do not sit with anything in your sap pockets. Wearing all the gear we are required to carry is not natural and causes a variety of medical problems. If the problems continue, contact a good workers comp attorney that works with LEOs so you will be guaranteed proper treatment and compensation.

+1 on this. Also make sure your rear pockets are clear of anything. If you are getting in and out of the unit a lot, try to turn in the seat and put both feet on the ground, before exiting. Just FYI lower back injury after 5 years is presumed to be job caused.

[Roddd]

Blackhawk offers a set of suspenders you wear under your shirt that supports your belt. It also works as a set of keepers. I know people that wear them and love it. I might invest in them soon

[Falconis]

sorry to answer your original question ... no. if I did have to, probably not. don't want that harassment in the locker room

[SVT-40]

Many things can add to back problems. Including overloading your duty belt. I suggest you remove anything beyond the minimum from your belt.

If you are overweight , well absolutely do what you have to to loose the extra weight. What you loose now will only help you for all your later years.

You should be doing core strengthening exercises which not only build your back, but help build your abs as well as adding flexibility. This takes some of the load off your back.

After 29 years I have a few bulged discs just due to the corrosive nature of everyday patrol work.

I fight it by maintaining a healthy weight and doing exercises which promote both flexibility as well as core muscle health.


It's a everyday routine.

If you are working patrol spend the time to every few hours get out of the car and flex your back muscles by resting your rear against a fender and flexing your self backwards while looking straight up. Hold position and repeat five or so times. also turn your trunk from side to side so you exercise your core muscles. This keeps your back muscles loose and helps to avoid muscle spasms.

Doing that routine helped me even though I had already sustained some disc damage.

[9mmepiphany]

I've tried a lot of things over the years.

Don't do the back brace...girdle...it only weakens you back

What has worked for me is Tai Chi for flexibility and Kettle Bell for build the core

[retired]

OP, take the advice that's been given and do whatever you can to reduce your chances of injury and especially surgery. If you do have surgery and are able to return to work, the chances of more surgeries are high because of the domino effect. That is what happened to me. And now, even tho I've been retired 8yrs., I just found out this week that C4 thru C7 are shot and I will be having an anterior/posterior 3 level fusion sometime before the summer is over. I am not looking forward to that and actually I'm scared as you know what to have it. I've been living with the pain since Jan. and don't want to for the rest of my life.

If your dept. permits a nylon Sam Brown, then buy one and wear it; it is a lot lighter than the leather one.

BTW, SVT-40, you forgot to mention to do that exercise out of view of the public eye as they might wonder what's wrong with you.

[Jack L]

Insurance companies can be an issue.......so I paid out of pocket

As mentioned, lower back pain can be caused by many reasons. In my career it was cased by lifting hundreds of patients off the floor, ground, out of vehicles, wherever. The dead weight and odd positions kill your back. My back was toast after a few decades. I wanted to get an MRI of my lower back to see what was up and use it as a baseline for the future. I was not able to move some days. My insurance would not pay for an MRI and wanted me to instead do physical therapy. That is fine except that will not heal certain conditions and it will not let you 'see' what is going on inside. I was afraid I may even have a tumor or? I did not want more time to pass before I treated the condition.

Bottom line, I paid for an MRI myself. If you pay cash, it's a lot less expensive then what is charged an insurance company. I paid $500 out of pocket for one. And behold, my discs were protruding and pushing on nerve roots and some were ready to blow out which is really not good. I also found I had a congenital issue with my back that is not uncommon, but can be problemmatic. After finding all this out I stopped lifting anything over 20 - 30 pounds (my docs orders) and let the young employees do all the heavy lifting at scene. Lucky for me we usually had numerous agencies come on scene to help. I am very glad I spent the money before I damaged my back where it would have made life hell for the rest of what I have left. No money will take the place of a functional and pain free back. Now that I take extra care of my back I rarely experience pain.

[yzErnie]

Rearrange your gun belt. Do not place anything (like cuff case) where it presses against you back when seated.

This is good in theory but in reality it is not always an option. There is only so much room on a Sam Brown for all the crap we have to carry on it. Mine is so full of things of which the location on the belt is mandated by policy that I don't have an option of relocating them.

The biggest problems for me is the belt mounted Taser. One of our higher ups (now retired) disallowed us the option of wearing them in a drop down leg holster "because they looked to mean"...WTF?? Ever since then I have had to act like a contortionist just to get into and out of the unit. My back gets unbelievably sore and feels better on my days off but then sore again when I go back to work.

[Triad]

I appreciate all the input guys. Some of the things you guys have suggested I am already doing such as keeping things off the small of my back and not having things in my back pocket.

I get severe pain in my back once or twice every few months, such as yesterday and today. I have learned to live with some degree of back pain, and have been on program to start loosing weight. I took yesterday off because I couldn't really effectively get in and out of my car.

[Falconis]

you may have popped, bulging, or blown discs where the discs are increasing and decreasing in their bulge between your work shift and weekend.

I would hire that lawyer and go see the city physician and demand an MRI. Consistently getting major back pain once to twice a month is not normal.

[Triad]

I know...your right.

[Falconis]

BTW, hope you have more than 5 years in otherwise the injury will not be presumptive. You'll have to fight for it if you have less than 5 on.