Lower back problems?

[Buffomarinus]

Any fossil flyers out there (like me) with lower back problems possibly caused by flyin' a kite?

Put up my 3.0 Sam2 in some nice Townsville beach winds last week. I'm using a safety belt type harness that can move from the waist to just below the shoulder blades depending on how tight I cinch it.

Ok, here's the problem. I'm developing some heavy after flight pain in my lower back which can last for days. I'm not sure whether it's the kite causin' the problem or just plain old age (58). Anybody else run into this sort of thing? Any suggestions besides taking up bowls and knitting?

Roberto

[.Joel]

Try getting yourself a full seat harness instead of a back / waist.

If it's for the buggy try one of these Libre harnesses: http://www.briskites.com.au/html/buggaccess.htm

If it is for anything else, then go a kitesurfing seat harness from anywhere.

Regards,

.Joel

[Buffomarinus]

Thanks for the response Joel.

A friend mentioned that the pain could be caused by arching the back while pulling on the control handles and leaning back on the belt.

Here's a shot of the action last week...

[Baggsy]

i am in agreeance with joel... go the seat harness . Otherwise try a back brace and see if that stops you putting pressure on ya lower back .

[sinbad]

I'm a fossil and i use a Dakine fusion seat harness, others i have tried make my back sore and i get numbing in the back of my legs for days afterward. i can recommend the fusion

[Peter]

i too am an older person (45) and have had a very bad back for the last 20 years, i took up traction kiting as traction was always part of any phyisio i had ever had, so i put two and three together and got a stronger back as a result.

now dont get me wrong, not everyone will benifit from this form of traction, but i did. trick is to start off slow and steady, with a smaller sized kite than recomemded and build up strength in your tummy first.

i use a seat harness, as stated in the above replys, and i started with a home altered sailing trapizee harness that did the trick very well.

now i can buggy till the cows come home, as long as i'm in a nice comfy seat like my V-Max has, and the added back rest that i added myself. the standard PL and Flex seats dont offer any back support at all, some of the newer models do.

when you use a seat harness life will change for the better.

Edit: before getting a seat harness, i had a waist harness, and it nearly put me in hospital it was so bad for my back.

[rainmaker112]

ime only 39 you guys make me feel like a spring chicken .

but like most of the australian population these days my back is not the best .

always in some degree of pain .

12 months ago i took up kiting .and i havent been back to the chiropractor .

what i save on chiro i spend on kiting.

[sinbad]

what i save on chiro i spend on kiting.

You must have lots of kites then Chiro is not cheap.

[rainmaker112]

not to bad when you live next door

[Buffomarinus]

Wow, thanks folks!

This is just the sort of advice I needed. I'll check on the seat harness as soon as I get back home.

Roberto

[thercman]

I also have a bad lower back. The disk in between the vertabrates is almost non existant. I started flying about a month ago using a climbing harness with out it causing any (more) back pain. Good luck!

[Buffomarinus]

thercman, what sort of climbing harness are you using (brand/model)? A climbing harness would probably be a bit more in my budget. There are also a few "adventure shops" locally that carry a selection of harnesses.

[Steve]

Wow, thanks folks!

This is just the sort of advice I needed. I'll check on the seat harness as soon as I get back home.

Roberto

I'm 51 mate, and have managed to crush fracture 5 spinal vertebrae and can still kite, walk, throw a leg over, etc!

The pain is coming from compressing your spine, as you ski down the beach under power.

Use a seat harness (maybe a bar, instead of handles), and do some lower back strengthening exercises, and lower back stretches, EVERY day, yes it can be bring at first but I guarantee you will see results that will convince you about their worth very fast, and then you will just do them.

Try this website for exercises, pay close attention to HOW they are described.

http://www.osteopath.com.au/exercises.htm

[Buffomarinus]

Steve,

Not only have you sold me a couple of excellent kites (the 3.0 Sam2 is a ripper!), but now you've provided me with some really good advice.

I suspected that something might be going on in the spinal department that could be aggrevated by my recent foray into "beach skiing." The worst pain followed a couple of hours of action on the beach at Pallerenda (Townsville, Qld.). I wasn't sure whether it was caused by spinal compression or just over use of the lower back musles. I love the handles, but one problem I have with them is that even though I'm hooked up to a belt, I tend to mainly rely on my shoulder and back muscles for support and rarely lean back in the harness. A good side effect is that I am increasing my upper body strength, but I'm afraid the old lower back (or spine) is a bit slow to catch up. Would a bar improve the situation by tranferring more of the pull to the belt or harness? I've never used a bar.

Thanks also for that URL, it has some sound advice for improving the situation.

Rob.

[Steve]

I reckon you will be able to go back to handles and beach skiing, you just need to do a few months of back strengthening exercises. I reckon your upper body strength is leaving your abdominal strength behind, so you are taking the load of skiing on your lumbar verts = pain.

Work on lots of sit ups - do them like on that website - keep your neck relaxed only crunch the abs, and always be lying on the floor or a slight incline (bench or floor).

Then do those other back exercises, hamstring stretches and the http://www.osteopath.com.au/piriformis.htm piriformis stretches too.

Maybe see an osteo, if the pain stays for more than a day or two after kiting, or stops you sleeping etc.

A bar and a seat harness, or a seat harness and handles will take the load off your lower back almost completely.

A bar will take a little bit of getting used to, its not as convenient as handles and you do lose a bit of control over the brakes, otherwise its all good news for anyone with back issues.

Glad you like the Sam, the 3 is a sweet size for sure.

[thercman]

I Purchased a Black Diamond Momentum AL harness, a Petzl Mini Pully and a Wichard quick release.

http://www.bdel.com/gear/momentum_al.php

http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442594787&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302885254&bmUID=1187026758419

http://www.kitesurfari.com/store/wichard.html

[Buffomarinus]

Steve,

Feeling better. The problem seems mainly to be a couple of pulled muscles rather then a pinched nerve. Thanks for the exercise info, it's helping already. Hell, the missus' won't go near my kites and she has even decided to try those back building moves!

The Sam's a real beauty. I'm glad I started out with the 3.0. I think anything larger would have been too much for a "newbie." I'm in Townsville at present. There's some excellent winds and fantastic beaches around these parts. I'll put up another video on "You Tube" as soon as I can get my camera person out with me. Pallerenda, a few clicks north of Townsville at Rowe's Bay, is kite heaven.

thercman,

Got that Black Diamond climbing harness, good recommendation... thanks. Provides a much better setup then the old safety belt. It's also a lot more comfortable.

[Luke]

Nice harness, just got a Petzl harness similar waist buckle to yours they are great to buggy in and good support!

Glad you feeling better

Rocket

[Peter]

I'm in Townsville at present. .

You are only 2.5 hours North of one of the best land kiting spots in Queensland