back protector

**jsweriduk** · 09-24-2009 09:26 PM

Last fall I was longboarding with my friends on a fairly mellow hill, but the road was wet, and full of leaves. So I try carving around a bit, I was probably going about 15mph, and I go through this patch of leaves, and my board starts to spin sideways. I manage to jump off, but when i go to jump over my board, I lost my balance, and I must have done some kind of minor scorpion fall followed by a roll on the ground. I ended up twisting my back in two different ways pretty much. Now, a week later, the back pain starts, and after two weeks of this steadily getting worse, I get my back checked out. Turns out that that minor fall slipped the bottom two disks in my back.

Although I don't need to wear the back brace anymore, those disks in my back are so swollen, that if I were to take a minor spill just cruising along, and fell in the right way, I would be put right in surgery, which is what I don't want.

I end up in this bigass back brace, which I could probably wear, but it would severely affect my balance because it limits my mobility extremely. So this is not an option to keep my back from twisting/bending when I fall. Do you guys know of anything that I could wear that allows enough movement, but won't let me injure my back when I fall going fairly fast?

Thanks

**lazarus213** · 09-24-2009 09:42 PM

as another person with slipped disc who's looking to start getting into more serious DH, would also like to know.

hope you guys could help us out with some recommendations that we could look into!

**e.man** · 09-24-2009 11:44 PM

back pain central! I tore ligaments along my spine, so not as severe as a slipped disc. It's just annoying to ride with. Maybe you could look around for some light weight back braces? I know they aren't small, but maybe you could find a lighter smaller one that would do the job.

**Frankyjobob** · 09-25-2009 04:53 AM

Let me just say - OW, that sucks.

**Blaise88** · 09-25-2009 05:16 AM

Sixsixone (:: SixSixOne Protection ::) makes back protectors and pressure suits that are pretty low profile and inexpensive. I have mild scoliosis and injured my back a couple years ago snowboarding, I know how painful it is and hope you heal up soon.

**jsweriduk** · 09-25-2009 08:09 AM

That SixSixOne stuff looks like its just for impact protection. Would it actually stabilize my back in a fall?

**miSSionary** · 09-25-2009 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by jsweriduk

That SixSixOne stuff looks like its just for impact protection. Would it actually stabilize my back in a fall?

No, it is just for impact. Wish I could help but know of nothing.

**mateo** · 09-25-2009 07:00 PM

im in the same boat to fully compressed spine 2 buldged disk which are pinching nerves causing my whole body to be numb. Im almost wondering if something like the belt people at hardware stores wear would help

**Alpha06** · 09-26-2009 03:40 AM

That would stabilize your back. I drifted out a 30mph sweeper in california, hit a rock 1/5 my size and got propelled into a pole, wrapped around it sideways then went into barbed wire...

Broke some ribs tweaked my back and pinched my sciatic nerve. I wear a back protector everytime I skate down hills now.

**elvk-** · 09-26-2009 09:17 AM

i wear this every time i downhill man. i am satisfied with it.

**jsweriduk** · 09-26-2009 10:27 AM

ok i can see how those can keep you from bending forwards/backwards too much, but the thing that really upsets my back is twisting side to side too hard, too fast, and too much.

do those protect against that?

**tomes** · 09-26-2009 11:06 AM

No. I don't think there are any back braces on the market meant to stop your body from resisting the forces that come with falling past running speed. I'd really recommend letting your body chill for a bit before getting back into DH. Wear the brace, speed up the heal time. Gambling with surgery is up to you though.

**jsweriduk** · 09-26-2009 11:14 AM

thats a bummer... it will take like 2 years until my back is normal again assuming i don't hurt it
im wondering if i could modify those protectors into limiting twisting motion...

**tomes** · 09-26-2009 11:23 AM

Damn... That sucks. Talk to your doctor, s/he'll know whether a back protector, or modding one would be sufficient enough for you much more than a bunch of skaters on a forum (if there is a qualified person on the subject jump in). Eddy Martinez injured his back two years ago, and is just getting back into skate shape now. I hate to be the downer old man, but spinal injuries aren't something to mess with.

**jsweriduk** · 09-26-2009 12:18 PM

although the doctor i'm seeing is great for sports like lacrosse/football, he hardly knows anything about board sports

on the other note, im glad the board i just bought is fairly short, that way i won't be doing any big hills and going much faster than 30

**xtreme23** · 09-26-2009 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by jsweriduk

although the doctor i'm seeing is great for sports like lacrosse/football, he hardly knows anything about board sports

on the other note, im glad the board i just bought is fairly short, that way i won't be doing any big hills and going much faster than 30

tomes is right about spinal injuries not being something you should take lightly. what did your doc say about doing sports?

**jsweriduk** · 09-26-2009 12:31 PM

i can do some sports, like lacrosse, but i'm a goalie so i dont move around all that much
im also supposed to be able to play golf, although every time i play i wind up hurting for it a little bit the next week
and he told me not to longboard because falls can be nasty

**xtreme23** · 09-26-2009 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by jsweriduk

i can do some sports, like lacrosse, but i'm a goalie so i dont move around all that much
im also supposed to be able to play golf, although every time i play i wind up hurting for it a little bit the next week
and he told me not to longboard because falls can be nasty

yea i think he's right about the falls.. i personally would not put myself in a situation where i could take a fall especially at good speeds. try to keep it mellow and learn new tricks at low speeds and give your back the proper healing time. trust me once your back is healed properly the healing time will only be a memory. i know ppl who have had to stay in bed for yrs at a time because of back problems so just be smart about the situations you put urself in.