Any Drummers with back pain suggest a Throne?

maxdrumroom

Junior Member
I'm 34, hurt my lower back two years ago, since then i've worked hard to strengthen my core but it still gets sore from a hard day's work here and there. I want to get back into performing but I want a new throne. Curse me for using crappy thrones all my drumming career.

Does anyone in my similar situation use a particular throne they swear by?


thanks in advance!
 
A Roc'N'Soc with a backrest. I use one and I never have back pain anymore as a result of playing. I did have pain now and then without a backrest. Also, I prefer the nitro one to the screw down one. It kind of bounces along with my movement. At first I thought that was weird but I got used to it very quickly.
 
I've both blown a disk and broken back bones. My throne of choice is DrumFrame. Pricey, but I just have the throne not the rack.
 
I've both blown a disk and broken back bones. My throne of choice is DrumFrame. Pricey, but I just have the throne not the rack.

oh man, my well wishes to you, that sounds terrible to deal with.

For so many years I used cheap thrones, whatever was on sale. Such a dumb idea on my part.

Thanks for the suggestions, Guys.
 
Funnily enough, the back rest thrones weren't helping me. I found myself relying on them too much, making my posture poor. I downgraded to a standard round-top and have found myself more aware of my sitting position.
 
A Roc'N'Soc with a backrest. I use one and I never have back pain anymore as a result of playing. I did have pain now and then without a backrest. Also, I prefer the nitro one to the screw down one. It kind of bounces along with my movement. At first I thought that was weird but I got used to it very quickly.

....+1, I've had lots of issues with my back over the years......the Roc'n'Soc is the best seat I've ever had, hands down......even ordering one for the office.
 
I also have a Roc 'n' Soc pneumatic throne with a backrest but find it too stiff and abrasive on my crotch. I don't find myself leaning back in it either so the backrest is somewhat superfluous. The DrumFrame throne is made to keep you reclined as you play and though it takes a little getting used to, I'll never go back to anything else.
 
I've got two Roc n Soc thrones. Neither have the backrest, but I've been tempted to get one just to see if I like stretching my back out on it between songs.

One is the gas shock (Nitro?) with the lunar base (5 footed, like an office chair) and the other is the threaded spindle version with no gas shock and the tripod base.

Both are great and I've never had a problem with either one.

If you're picky about your thrones and you gig often, get one with a tripod base, no gas shock with the threaded spindle.

If you've ever had to play on a tiny, uneven rotting plywood stage, you'll never second guess your decision. Also, they're so much easier to pack up. If you lock it all down before you take of the seat cushion, then you're always at the right height.

Pork Pies and Tamas are really good too. The larger saddle style thrones do keep my back from hurting.
 
Consider playing standing up.

I get chiropractic for maintenance every other week. i don't know any drummer that's been playing for years who doesn't have a back issue. Either (really) poor posture and/or pain issues. Its just not natural, or good for the back to be doing what drummers do while in a seated position.


A lot of big name drummers have terrible posture.



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Consider playing standing up.

I get chiropractic for maintenance every other week. i don't know any drummer that's been playing for years who doesn't have a back issue. Either (really) poor posture and/or pain issues. Its just not natural, or good for the back to be doing what drummers do while in a seated position.


A lot of big name drummers have terrible posture.



..................

Believe me, it is possible to be even harder on your back than sitting down to play drums. I play a cocktail set. Standing to play is much worse, mainly because you put a lot of weigh on one foot at a time.
 
Funnily enough, the back rest thrones weren't helping me. I found myself relying on them too much, making my posture poor. I downgraded to a standard round-top and have found myself more aware of my sitting position.

The thing about the back rest that helps me is that I don't rely on it. I find myself sitting up straighter to avoid leaning on it. In between songs I'll take a little rest and lean on it but that's really it.
 
I have an idea, but it isn't necessarily about a throne. How about wearing a weight belt? There may be back braces that you have checked into as well, but I would think wearing something to protect your back would help a lot. Good luck, I hope you get a solution.
 
the weight belt might help. I use the roc n soc with back rest. I also don't lean back on it the whole time. I use it between songs or songs that are laid back and easy to play.Rearranging your set list can help too. Standing in one place playing is not an option for me either. For some reason i can walk for about 2 hours before I need rest. But i can't stand in one place for 5 minutes without my back killing me. I had four levels in my lower backed fused. I live in constant pain.
 
The drum frame thing looks way too impractical to be gigging out with. There's a lot of thrones that look like they would be comfortable, well padded and so forth, but they make my back and my butt hurt. The hydraulic or spindle Roc and Soc with the tractor seat....I just don't have any kind of pain with that. I'm usually on the horn of the saddle, so a backrest is just extra weight as far as I'm concerned.
 
I only started having some back pains when my bands started having longer rehearsals.
Nothing "serious", but not cool, and I didn't want it to continue, and become a constant issue either. I was using a Pearl Roadster seat, which I thought was pretty comfortable at first, & before the longer rehearsals.

The Tama Ergo Rider throne that I had for a while (before the Pearl) was nice. Comfortable, and fairly light to move around, but NOT light if you added the back rest. To be fair, I thought the back rest did add comfort when I checked it out, but I never got one.

I've had the best experience with the Gibraltar Softy Throne. I've had it for around 4 months now, & 2-3 hr. (or longer) rehearsals are fine with this seat. Easy working (legs folding, unfolding), stays in place with the memory lock, so pretty much set it, forget it IME with it. Gigs are more comfortable now also.

http://www.worldmusicsupply.com/Gibraltar-9608SFT-Ultra-Soft-5-Inch-Thick-Drum-Throne-Top.html

Good luck!
 

Yeah, me too! I tried everything and my lower back problems persisted until I did two things: 1. got a softer throne with better padding [the exact one in the link], 2. took a good long look at my seat height and whether that was having an effect. Turns out it was and raising my height by almost 2 inches cleared that right up [this put my hip just a little higher than my knee...before I was about an inch lower]. Naturally I adjusted the drums to fit around me, and I feel better for it.

I think that playing with my hips lower than my knees made me rely a little too much on my lower back and stomach muscles for power. Once I got a little past parallel with the ground, I felt the back pain ease spread more evenly around my arms and shoulders than being so focused on my lower back. Prior to that I was being so gentle with my lower back that I started giving myself other stresses and injuries trying to avoid the pain I would get back there. I feel better all the way around. Should have done it years sooner.
 
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