2 bad disks in my lower back, my back doesn't bother me a bit when I'm riding. Put me in a car or sitting at work and it kills me. Had back issues since 2000, heading in next week for another MRI. Vicodin seems to work for me.

 

That is precisely what I said.

Did I say otherwise? NO!

I speak from experience. I have Cauda Equina syndrome (look it up) due to a "licensed physician".

I wasn't trying to get into a pissing contest. You evidently have a problem with reading comprehension.
Just goes to show no matter how much you pay for education, sometimes you just don't get your money's worth.

 

I do 800mg ibuprofen in the morning and have one of those back supports that wraps around your belly and fastens with velcro. Works well to keep my back supported. Will probably look into a backrest once I can scrape together some $$$$. BTW, I am on a SG with stock seat.

 

Nice Bike

+1 the rider's backrest is the best accessory I have ever added to any of my bikes. That and ibuprofen really help.

 

Question for backdoc_rider:

With my chiropractor having me come in once a week for the electro-stimulation, is it a way to just keep me connected to his office. Or is it really beneficial? An MD friend of mine swears that the only way electro-stimulation would work is if you went to bed with it at night and had it on all night long.

Be honest.... most of us do not know each other here.

 

I have back problems tho not severe. Here's what I did for a trip last year with pretty long days. One of which was 750 miles.
Adjustable back rest. I like Mustang over HD.
Properly adjusted highway pegs.
Sheepskin cover. My Ultra seat is fairly comfortable but the cover really helps.
Compression shorts (non padded) rathar thn regular underwear.

If the back rest and highway pegs are adjusted just right you can put enough pressure on your feet once in a while to relax your back and shoulders. Moving your feet from the boards to pegs once in a while also helps. The back rest also allows you to relax your upper back and arms.

 

My chiro also does a technic called grafton (maybe spelled wrong). It is a form of deep tissue work that removes the muscle knots. The work isn't with her hands but with metal spoon like thing. I go to her once a month as I have three bad vertebre in my back and a dead nerve in one leg that causes me to limp. You should see if a chiro where you are does the techique. I do not have any real back pain any more and when I go to her it is mainly to keep the muscles from knotting up and causing problems. Before I found her I was in pain for months because I couldn't work a knot out, even with exercise.

 

I dont know who to trust anymore. It's all about the money, as long as they have it they are happy. I really want to hit the gym but the pain is so bad. I hope this next doctor helps me out.

 

+1 on the above.

 

Proper back stretches work for me. Sitting on the edge of a chair, put your left ankle on top of your right knee and bend your back slowly toward your crossed leg (back bending straight down, not at an angle). Feel the pulling from your hamstrings, hip and lower back...hold down as far as you can for around 6 seconds and then swap legs and repeat. First make sure no one is watching you and laughing, but it does feel good.

This has helped for me in the last couple of weeks. Have to do this hourly at work at my desk. Physical therapist gave me a few stretches to do a few years back after finding out I have Degenerative Disc Disease (determined after multiple MRIs)...I want surgery to be my last option and so far the therapy/stretching has really, really helped out.

I do use an adjustable rider's backrest and highway pegs and they help adjust regularly while riding. I take no pain killers or aspirin either. Sometimes I have to just pull over and do a set of stretches and un-wind.

Seems like all of us have abused our bodies in our early years...I know I did.