Bad backs

hiya.

ive since owning land rovers always enjoyed working on them

starting many years ago replacing my first clutch on a series 3, whilst putting a piece of rope round my neck and lifting the gearbox back.

over the years my back has got worse, until one day whilst at work as a oil gas engineer lifted a big old cast iron boiler twisted and smashed 5 x discs.

my days now with working on land rovers is over, with the daily use of a walking stick and when i go out have to use a wheelchair, im only 47 and now am seriuosly restricted in what i do.

as when i was younger i felt i was superman, could lift anything and it wouldnt happen to me.

i was wondering how many of you guys have also destroyed your backs, in also seeing that land rover parts are alwaysso heavy due to them being built for rough work.

just hope you take care of your backs guys as have enclosed a picture of what happens when you dont take care.

would hate for someone to go through what i go through on a daily basis, with people looking at me whilst sitting in a wheelchair, then talking to my wife about me as though im not there.

hope you dont think im trying to lecture anyone but please be careful out there.

very curious of many of you out there have also destroyed your backs.

gary

I'm well on my way to destroying mine :/

Been having problems with it since I was 16, you never learn though, last night I was outside lifting a Disco chassis onto a trailer, back twinges, ibiprofen down the throat and continue

Really should try harder to look after it though, cus, no offense, but, I really don't want to end up in a wheel chair when I'm older :s

And sorry to hear of your situation Must be terrible

It doesn't take much to injure your back, although mine wasn't nearly as severe as that I had a problem a couple of years ago. The pain was so bad, and worsened so quickly, that I actually collapsed at the checkout in Asda and hit my head on the floor. I couldn't move for the pain, and an ambulance was called. The paramedic had to give me gas & air just to get me on to a stretcher. My physio reckoned I'd had a minor injury to a muscle in the lower back, and that I'd then had a second injury to the same muscle, which multiplies the pain rather than adding to it. Fortunately it wasn't permanent. I wasn't even aware of injuring anything, and hadn't been doing anything too strenuous.

Bump said:

I'm well on my way to destroying mine :/

Been having problems with it since I was 16, you never learn though, last night I was outside lifting a Disco chassis onto a trailer, back twinges, ibiprofen down the throat and continue

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Sounds like you're risking the same as I had - the ibuprofen would hide the pain & make it easy to repeat the injury.

tweaked mine when doing deadlifts, sure does help in the long run though, build up some extra back muscle and its great for moving gearboxes about by yourself etc

Hi

So sorry to hear that you've ripped your backs out

The hardest thing I've found is having to take 100 milligrams of morphine per day and really embarrising when my bladder gives was with no warning

I really do miss work and when I'm out in a wheelchair get abuse shouted at me calling me a benefit cheat and to be honest get quite upset

I never dreamed that I would end up like this and really wished I had listened years ago about looking after my back

I have good days and bad days, with good days allowing me a trip round the supermarket or in the summer sitting outside having a pub lunch with my wife and 2 x dogs ,

It amazing that my dogs a black labrador and a bichon friese give me great company and just seem to understand how I'm feeling on a daily basis

My wife has been fantastic who looks after me so well,

Bad days will normally consist of me spending a week in bed etcm good days are mormally one or two per month

Just cringed when I see someone straining but know I use to be exactly the same and very independant

I really do enjoy coming on here as its a great support system and chatting about out love of landies takes your mind off things

I haven't got to the stage of watching day time tv or jermary kyle as if I did start would be down the vets to get put down

Thanks again guys for just listening and would adore to attend a land rover meeting and just to get out

But with all the abuse I get have now stayed in doors more and more as I feel safe , well until these idiots decided to put a brick through me window

But I know there are people worse off than me and it could be a lot worse

Saw the program about the army vets who used a freelander then a supercat to do the dakar, they had lost limbs etc and in english style gave the stiff upper lip and cracked on

Just hope and pray none of you guys end up damaging your backs the way I have

Was just wondering how many of you on here have done your backs in, yeh I know to much time on my hands LOL

Stay safe and well my friends and will be interesting to see how many of you have bad backs

Gary

Absolutely mate, good warning that should be well heeded. Throughout my working life I've done stupid things but always tried to wait for assistance or do lifting with the correct gear, despite derision and **** taking from he-man types. I know too many who, like you, are now suffering from mobility loss and pain early in life from just doing too much.

Remember, your muscles will let you lift something that your back isn't designed to handle!

I slipped a disc when I was 16 doing removals, bloke on the other end of a cabinet let go half way up a flight of stairs!!! Still get issues probably once maybe twice a year max! Usually when it's really cold, funny thing is I can be taking engines out of cars riding motto x, then it goes getting cereal out of the cupboard!!! Haven't had a proper episode for a while. But when it does go it goes well!! Can't breath can't move!! Just find a bearable position and stay like it for a few days, longest ever a week!! Really do feel for ya bud

Remember when i lived in Devon and worked on a farm on summer holidays humping and dumping 1 CWT? sacks of feed - being told by an old hand " yer boy, don't ee go bushing yer fartin' flapper!" - it was good advise and even though i was young and full of **** an vinegar i did try and heed his advise.
- Have managed to bugger my back a few times since. But do try and look after it.
As an aside, the offshore industry (and they are good at it) do tend to try and re-educate people on lifting courses - practical demonstrations - not some power point demo in a classroom.
Sorry to hear about your condition mate, but chin up. Don't let the small minded tossers off with the abuse - give em back as good as you get!
I blame the government for this - remember when Browns mob picked on 4x4 drivers? - my wife's life was hell for a while - but it doesn't last their short attention span won't let them!

Mine is slowly getting worse, not helped by the fact that I frequently have to lift and haul heavy kit by myself at work and when I ask for an extra pair of hands I'm told to man up. Usually have to take a rest for a half hour at a time while the pain subsides. Won't get any better though and the physios I've seen have been useless.

My mates the same age as me (27) and hes already developing arthritis in his knees and back due to the amount of work he does on his car by himself. Again the doc can't help him.

Shame we do think we're invincible when we're young

Been there done that but I think I was lucky,

I just put my back into a spasm by straining a ligament, being young n stooopid showing off ..............

Not had that crippling stabbing pain that makes you drop to your knees for (touchwood) years now.... thinking about it, best part of 15 years.

Do go to your doctors and make a pain in the arse of yourself to get a proper diagnosis.
Disc's (as I've been told) do not slip, they can rupture or become inflamed which touches the nerve. It's the nerve pain that is that takes your breath away and stops you dead in your tracks.

the_wolf said:

Mine is slowly getting worse, not helped by the fact that I frequently have to lift and haul heavy kit by myself at work and when I ask for an extra pair of hands I'm told to man up. Usually have to take a rest for a half hour at a time while the pain subsides. Won't get any better though and the physios I've seen have been useless.



My mates the same age as me (27) and hes already developing arthritis in his knees and back due to the amount of work he does on his car by himself. Again the doc can't help him.



Shame we do think we're invincible when we're young

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You need to have a quiet chat with HR or MD himself.

Tell em you've had a chat with HSE and Doctor (or will do)
Technically you could take em to tribunal for constructive dismissal and a possible injury at work claim, constructive dismissal alone will cost em £10,000 in court fees etc.

They absolutely have to take you seriously.

Bromsgrove Defender said:

Not had that crippling stabbing pain that makes you drop to your knees for (touchwood) years now.... thinking about it, best part of 15 years.

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Forgot to say, rest and concentration on correct posture has (so far) seemed to cure it

invunerability is something you do feel when your young , id didnt suffer with a bad back till my mid 30s ,then it was muscle and occasionally, ie once a year and usually through twisting whilst lifting , then it turned to sciatica and more often ,then a pain that could only be made livable by laying over the kitchen table for a few days then using crutches ,it got quite frequent and i lost the feeling in some of my toes , so had a scan which showed 3 herniated discs,i luckily, i then took it seriously and started really thinking what i lifted etc i havent suffered a bad epsode since just short term aches and trouble tieing my boot laces etc,i still lift heavy stuf but never from the floor and allways with thought , after knowing what the pain can be and nothing but morphine will help it, i think ive ben fairly lucky to get away with what ive done throughtout my life and have nothing but sympathy with those that have to live with it day to day

I've worked in the structural steel industry since my teens, and dispite regular manual handling training I too thought I was invincible when younger, paying for it now as I get bouts of crippling spasms a couple of times a year, usually requiring diazapam to stop the spasms. No way near as bad as the OP of course, but it is extremely painful when it happens.

Haven't had a really bad one for a while as I'm a lot more careful now, but it can be set off by doing some really silly like getting dressed....

My necks worse off than my back thanks to years of rugby

Dr_evil said:

My necks worse off than my back thanks to years of rugby

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youll need a supported chair then like steven hawking,when your older

the_wolf said:

Mine is slowly getting worse, not helped by the fact that I frequently have to lift and haul heavy kit by myself at work and when I ask for an extra pair of hands I'm told to man up. Usually have to take a rest for a half hour at a time while the pain subsides. Won't get any better though and the physios I've seen have been useless.

My mates the same age as me (27) and hes already developing arthritis in his knees and back due to the amount of work he does on his car by himself. Again the doc can't help him.

Shame we do think we're invincible when we're young

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I'm a union Health & Safety rep..
Your employer is breaking the Health & Safety at Work Act. Lifting jobs should be risk assessed & the risk assessment should be adhered to at all times. Your responsibility is to follow the procedures your employer should have trained you in. By informing them that you need an extra pair of hands, you have achieved your responsibility. Bromsgrove Defender is correct, you are in a position to sue for constructive dismissal, but that involves quitting your job first and would obviously involve loss of income until the case is resolved. I would advise keeping a diary of when you asked for help, who you asked, and what their reply was (word for word, if possible). If you can find witnesses prepared to speak on your behalf it would also help, as would a medical report. When you have enough evidence you'll be in a position to sue for compensation. Your employer is also liable to be heavily fined by the HSE.
People criticise Unions, and they deride "Elf 'n' Safety", but they exist for situations like yours. If you're in a union, speak to them about this, they can also provide legal assistance. If you're not, maybe it's time to join!
What kind of work do you do?

Edit - a few more thoughts - at 27, you have 35 - 40 years of work ahead of you. I don't know if your back could get better, but it can certainly get worse. Do you think you'll be able to do this for that long and still be fit for work? What you'd be suing for is the potential loss of earnings throughout your working life. That's a lot of money for an employer to pay out!

jamesmartin said:

youll need a supported chair then like steven hawking,when your older

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It clicks when I turn

Been in the building trade most my life and done some pretty stupid things and mostly got away with it apart from a few aches and pains. The only time I've had a serious back issue was pulling on my socks one morning after a hard days graft the day before and sneezed! Instantly crippling....scared the hell out of me and took a few weeks to get back anywhere near normal.

It was enough to shock some awareness into me and though I guess I still take a few risks from time to time it's always with thought of how to minimalise the risks.

It really boils my **** that you've become a target as if you haven't enough to cope with It's people like you that end up paying the price for the media and governments blame for our problems on the most vunerable amongst us.

you dont have to be doing anything to major knacker your back...i was in a car accident...i was stationary (not in a landie in a ford focus) and some #### on his mobile hit me at circa 50 mph....result is knackered hip and back becuse some idiot cant look where he is going