Now that I'm on the mend from my first sciatica attack, how do I equalize the load?

[Arizona_Mike]

This is a gear question and I debated putting it in hunting before putting it in general.

I'm looking for gear advice not medical advice. Just explaining why I need to change how I carry weight in the field first.

I have had an X-ray and will have an MRI soon. The thinning of my L5/S1 disk seen in the X-ray is within normal range for aging and the doctor is hoping the MRI will show more detail. I had back pain in my 20s, but my 30s and the first few years of my 40s were relatively quiet as far as back issues, so this really came out of the blue.

After talking with my doctor about the dangers of leaning forward when walking up hill and the dangers of wearing a back pack (which also causes leaning) and looking at the timing, I am beginning to think that the really pleasant (but slow due to brush and bolder fields) hike up this mesa last month was the triggering event.

I did not have a huge load. I had a slung AR, a backpack with a large water bladder, some food and drink, a light jacket, GPS, compass, 10x monocular, 1 spare magazine, lighter flint and tinder. My pack was nowhere near full.

Looking forward how can I bear the most load in the field evenly front to back so I can stand straight, bear the load as low as possible on the torso (minimize torque on the lower spine) and if possible bear some load on the hips to keep it off the spine altogether?

Mike

 

[rondog]

Probably not a question anyone other than your surgeon can answer. I have sciatica too, bad enough to have had two lumbar surgeries. Each case is pretty much individual, and subject to change. Bottom line, it sucks and there ain't any easy way around it. Continuing to carry weight isn't likely to be your friend.

I do OK now after the surgeries and losing 130lbs., but overdoing things or lifting too much requires fishing out the painkillers. Once you get it, it's pretty much a lifestyle changer, IMO. Hopefully you'll be OK, I just advise not to push your luck!

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Probably not a question anyone other than your surgeon can answer. I have sciatica too, bad enough to have had two lumbar surgeries. Each case is pretty much individual, and subject to change. Bottom line, it sucks and there ain't any easy way around it. Continuing to carry weight isn't likely to be your friend.

I do OK now after the surgeries and losing 130lbs., but overdoing things or lifting too much requires fishing out the painkillers. Once you get it, it's pretty much a lifestyle changer, IMO. Hopefully you'll be OK, I just advise not to push your luck!

Fortunately, I do not have a surgeon yet and hopefully will not need one. These are my first symptoms and after a bad 2.5 weeks seem to be on the mend. Once I get the MRI I will try cortisone epidurals.

I was asking about carrying gear in a way that distributes the weight evenly front to back vs. a backpack which puts all the weight behind you requiring you to lean forward (which extrudes the back of the disks into the nerves).

As far as my physical condition, I am maintaining all but ~15 of a 150lb weight loss for over 2 years and it seems to be my new baseline. I have even more reason to try again to re-loose that 15 but body weight is a small issue for me now.

Mike

 

[MedWheeler]

No advice here, but I feel for you. I had my first attack about ten months ago, and wouldn't wish it on anyone. Mine had no apparent triggering factor; just woke up with it one day. Couldn't sit or lie for a few days, and bought my first cane to get around with. Had x-rays, but it waned and finally went away before going for MR imaging.

That being said, I don't see this staying in "General Gun" here. It wasn't your AR that brought it on.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I have back issues from carrying way too much for too long in the Army.

Part of my solution was to go with a well designed lumbar pack system (fanny pack on steroids). This is the one I got after a lot of research; https://store.kifaru.net/tailgunner-ii-1000ci1638-p53.aspx
Not cheap but the quality and design is amazing. I would do it again without hesitation.

I am very happy with the pack and it allows me to do day hikes again without issue. Could likely do overnights with it but would be very light for that.

There are other options out there. Mountain Smith, IIRC had a good US made one but I trust Kifaru to last the rest of my life and it was larger.

You could also get some sort of chest rig which would put weight on your front but those tend to be hot and for me I think it would add stress by putting more pressure downward on my back. Also, would look pretty "tacticool" which I try to avoid these days.

Sample pic of chest rig for info;
http://www.skdtac.com/vtac-chest-rig-p/vkg.511.htm
Again, not something I would do. Hot and not enough gain for me in this case.

 

[SouthernBoy]

Boy can I identify with this. In January 2013, I was suddenly, and I mean suddenly, hit with LSS (Lumbar Spinal Stenosis). This progressed for the next five months even with shots into the L4/L5 region and a surgical procedure called MILD. Still the sciatic nerve and lumbar pain was terrific. Then in June 2013, I had open back surgery in the form of decompression and fusion of the L4 and L5 vertebrae. One week later the pain was completely gone. And has not returned.

So if you're a candidate for surgery, get a second opinion and go with a good surgeon who can clean up your L4/S1 area and rid you of that pain.

 

[Bullseye57]

Suffered for many years. Nothing really helped when I experienced a "flare-up" until I tried some inversion table therapy. Relaxing on it, at a mild incline, relieved enough of the pressure on my nerves to greatly reduce the inflammation and ease the pain shooting down my buttocks and leg. Now I just lay back for about five minutes anytime a start to feel a twinge in my lower back. Until I found this relief method, some of the painful episodes could last as long as three months. I haven't had a sciatic event in over three years now since I started using the table.

R,
Bullseye

 

[hso]

Wait, you're not seeing a specialist for a possible disc issue?

Stop and go now.

Surgery may not be in the cards, it doesn't sound like it, but non muscular back issues need a specialist to consult (DO, Ortho, Neuro) so you don't end up causing problems that require surgery.

 

[g.willikers]

Have you looked into exercise therapy?
It really worked for me.
Went from often having to lay in the fetus position, for days sometimes, to no problem.
Very effective and safer than drugs or the surgeon's knife.
Hurt like hell at the beginning, though.

 

[Tirod]

Your medical issue and treatment are still up in the air, but the outcome may be similar to others. A lot of us have back issues and what we could do decades ago is no longer tolerable.

It's not going to get exponentially better, and as time passes on the issues will return due to other causes. At 62 old age and general deterioration alone is just irreversible.

Dropping all the weight is the end goal, and having the gear is necessary. One serious consideration is how the game will be recovered and transported back to a vehicle, which often is parked a mile if not further away.

I've had to accept that I cannot walk as fast as my younger sons, and that I can't walk as far. Pain killers mask the issue but only contribute to the continuous abuse, so that is only a temporary respite. Surgery might fix things but at this stage of life it's a short term solution.

We won't be doing this twenty years from now. Not nearly as much. At least those at age 62 know it.

I was hunting my favorite area ten years back when two other hunters came thru, much younger, and they were well loaded down. But, they had a solution. They were using a wheel barrow to get two tree stands, ladders, lunch, packs, etc into the woods.

Wheels are the answer to a lot of the issues carrying things in, and wheels are a solution to getting game out when successful. The last deer I dragged out singlehandedly before I was injured brought that to the forefront of my thinking.

The real issue isn't humping a light pack with lunch in - if that is a problem, how do we get a 150 dead weight out over the same terrain back to a vehicle? If we are getting into areas so difficult that a light pack is causing an issue, then should we be hunting there at all faced with getting the game out?

Lots of fundamentals to consider at this stage and no, we don't like to admit there are bigger issues.

I'd like to take a ground blind in for extended bad weather hunting, and I'm to the stage where I have to recognize hunting alone means having some method to getting game out needs a better answer than a 10' piece of rope.

It's going to involve wheels, regardless of whether that means my self image takes a hit. It is what it is.

 

[Dave P.]

Look at hip supported pack frames. The hip belt places most of the load
on the hips/pelvis.......may help.
Dave P.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Wait, you're not seeing a specialist for a possible disc issue?

Did someone say I was not seeing a specialist?

Stop and go now.

Is yesterday good enough? It was the first available appointment. I intend to take the first available MRI appointment as well.

You know I'm asking for gear advice on THR not medical advice

Mike

 

[g.willikers]

Pack Mule?
Them old mountain men were no dummies.
Didja' know most hunting injuries are from heart attacks?
And we'll give you the advice we want, whether it helps or not, 'cause that's what we do.
Yup.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

That lumbar pack looks great for day hikes and I'm not big on overnighters probably better than a backpack in hot weather as well. I'll look at hip support frames as well. I'll also look for a longer tube for my water bladder.

I'll have to check my HoA policies on mules All kidding aside, for when I do make the move to the boonies, I've been researching pack goats for a while.

Mike

 

[Schwing]

Look at hip supported pack frames. The hip belt places most of the load
on the hips/pelvis.......may help.

The other issue is balancing the load equally on both hips, both standing and sitting. One thing to also consider is back pockets. Do you carry a wallet or anything else in a back pocket? If you do, it makes your buttocks rest unevenly when you sit which almost always exacerbates pain from sciatica. It sounds like a small thing, but emptying your back pockets when you sit will help.

Once you have seen a specialist, don't skimp on any exercises he might recommend. Trust me, they make things hurt worse up front but they pay dividends down the road.

 

[splattergun]

I've used a tumpline at times when I have back flare ups, which are common to my career running warehouses, after my chiropractor recommended it. It is a strap that fits over the top of the head, attached to the top and bottom corners of the pack. It distributes the weight throughout the entire back, shoulders and spine, instead of focusing it on the shoulders. It is shoulder carry that causes you to lean over, in an unsuccessful attempt to distribute the weight.

Traditionally, the tumpline is used to carry heavier loads than is practical with shoulder strap packs. In my case, it makes a normal weight pack much easier to carry than even a pack with waist strap. Ask your doctor if this may be a viable option.

 

[splattergun]

The other issue is balancing the load equally on both hips, both standing and sitting. One thing to also consider is back pockets. Do you carry a wallet or anything else in a back pocket? If you do, it makes your buttocks rest unevenly when you sit which almost always exacerbates pain from sciatica. It sounds like a small thing, but emptying your back pockets when you sit will help.

Once you have seen a specialist, don't skimp on any exercises he might recommend. Trust me, they make things hurt worse up front but they pay dividends down the road.

+1 on both accounts. I've noticed a fat wallet is a pain in the back. I try to keep it cleared out. and exercise is your friend.

 

[OYE]

A fanny pack might help. The bird hunting vests allow loading some weight in front. Those probably hold as much as a fanny pack. Maybe the daypack wasn't what triggered it, maybe a misstep or just an odd movement that caused something to slip (we've had that happen a time or two). We don't have sciatica though.
The alice pack frames have hip belts, think they can be adjusted to put all the weight on the hips (and they don't cost much to try out). Whether that helps you or not ?
I would suggest a large pack dog (st. bernard type) rather than a goat. Much better companionship and probably can carry as much.

Hopefully your MRI doesn't indicate surgery. Good luck.

You might try sleeping on an air mattress. OYE

 

[stringnut]

Today is my last day of therapy for sciatica and piriformis syndrome. Luckily not much pain. Had severe numbness in my right foot.
Talking with my therapist confirms that I can no longer carry a plain old day pack with shoulder straps only unless it is very light. All packs must have a hip strap to put weight on the pelvis. Packs must be adjusted properly!This I already knew from experiance. The shoulder and chest straps should be mostly for keeping it from flopping around. My hiking pack, and the wifes hunting pack, have plastic strips in them to help keep them rigid.

She also suggested a good walking stick, or better yet, two ski pole style sticks. With practice it will help you remain verticle.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Not medical advice, but I had severe back pain on and off for decades. It got to the point that I could not hold a handgun out and shoot like I used to. I also could not do the field work or hike like I used to. Went to a specialist, tried a bunch of therapy and finally went and did the back surgery route.

What a change! Two surgeries later, I can say I am pain free for the first time since my 20's. Really weird to wake up pain free from sleeping, being able to sling a load again and finally starting to shoot again.

So my advice is get to a specialist.

But back to the topic. I tote my loads in backpacks with a waist belt and put every bit of the weight I can on the belt. I routinely carry 20 to 40 lb packs (camera and computer bags) and if you put the weight on the hips, it is fully off the back. It is hard to explain how to find a good pack, but frankly I tried many, many and even many more packs on until I found what I wanted. REI/BassPro/Cabelas etc. Just keep trying them on, look for weight on the hips and keep working at it.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

MRI results back this morning. It's a bulged L5/S1 on the right side, so rifle slung on the left side is not good I'm trying to get an epidural this week.

Mike

PS. I am seeing a specialist--never said I wasn't. Actually things are moving pretty fast on the medical front. Insurance approvals have been quick. Primary care appointment and X-Ray on the 19th, specialist on the 30th, MRI on the 3rd.

 

[Savage99]

Go to a orthopedic doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist.

The therapist will give you specific instructions including stretching exercises.

Tonight when you lay on your back draw on each leg with your arms up towards your chest gently. Then the other side. Do this about 5 times. Don't over do it.

Also lay on your side. Lift one leg sideways gently a few times. Then the other side.

 

[OYE]

Don't know all those terms. Guess you'd better stay away from stacking hay.
Good luck OYE

 

[The Alaskan]

Better Pack/Lighter Gear/Less Gear

I'm not going to get into spine numbers and medical stuff; I don't have the knowledge. I do have some minor back issues cause by being overweight. What I do know about is ultralight backpacking.

I've seen a couple folks mention lumbar packs. I think this is a great start. If you're talking about 1-2 day trips, and you don't mind sleeping under a tarp w/ no sleeping bag, then a lumbar should be your first choice. (If you're just doing day trips, a lumbar is pretty much a must.) Mine actually prevents me from carrying too much weight simply for lack of room.

If you do need a larger pack, for whatever reason, look at the Gregroy line of packs. They have very good suspension and even better lumbar support. My hips are misaligned (my right hip is lower than my left), causing my spine to arc, right-to-left. My Gregory pack lumbar and waist supports pivot to match my body. Most of my pack weight (40 lbs for a week trip) is still on my hips that way.

The only way to shift weight off your back is with good waist straps and lumbar supports. And that becomes a trade-off with ultra light packs. An UL pack will weigh under 3 lbs empty, but the straps and harness aren't as robust as on a standard pack (which will weigh upwards of 5-6 lbs empty. So for me, I go with a heavier pack with better support.

After you get that better pack with better support (and don't buy online, go to stores and try on packs. Take some water bottles or something so you can try each pack on with weight in it), then you start dumping weight. Start by weighing every single thing in your pack. You will be SHOCKED at how much stuff you're carrying and how much it weighs. Find lighter versions of everything. Dump that heavy Leatherman; you don't need all those tools on a short trip. Get a 2-4 blade Swiss Army knife. You mentioned "large water bladder." Dump it. Water is really heavy. (and really necessary.) Get a UV water purifier (Steri Pen) and filter water though a piece of t-shirt and forage for water. (You may want to ignore that...you're in AZ, it may not work for you.) Clothing...buy lightweight performance clothing and a small compression sack. No denim, no heavy cotton t shirts. Instead of an extra coat, I carry polypropolene thermal underwear. (keep a light raincoat to use as a wind breaker). Does the same job, much lighter. Rifle and ammo: ditch it; we're not in Afghanistan anymore. Lead is HEAVY. If you feel you MUST carry a firearm, pick up a small revolver and leave the speed loaders and spare ammo at home. (I sometimes carry a Colt 32) You won't see any bears in AZ and you should know not to go hiking in the ghetto.

That's all I got. Look for a pack with as good a suspension, straps, and lumbar supports as you can find. Constantly evaluate your equipment list and reduce, reduce, reduce. Good luck.

 

[Savage99]

Arizona Mike,

Did you go to a doctor and see a physical therapist? Are you doing stretching exercises? How do you feel?