The dreaded lower back pain! Got a cure?

I've researched a solution and found so many different things that could be the issue and that "might" help. I play a lot of double bass and for hours at a time i.e. 5 hours yesterday worth of practice. By the end of it im hunched over playing in pain and my lower back is tight and sore for the rest of the day. Got any solutions to my problem? Is it a core issue? Should I be working out my abs?

Thanks.

hvymtlmike said:

I've researched a solution and found so many different things that could be the issue and that "might" help. I play a lot of double bass and for hours at a time i.e. 5 hours yesterday worth of practice. By the end of it im hunched over playing in pain and my lower back is tight and sore for the rest of the day. Got any solutions to my problem? Is it a core issue? Should I be working out my abs?

Thanks.

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There's soooo many things that can be leading to your pain, you're right. Number one culprit is probably your posture at the kit - sitting too high or too low. Second, I suspect you might be playing with a lower-quality throne not meant to be sat on for five hours. Might be time to upgrade. Third, take breaks during your practice routine. Five hours is a LOT of practice at one stretch, and if you're going full-on blastbeats for most of that time, you might just be doing more than your body can handle. Even most pro bands don't play that long at a stretch.

There's a very similar thread to this in the gear section

I'd say you're either sitting too high or low or are leaning- basically something to do with your posture i'd imagine!
Try altering the height of your stool so your upper legs are parallel to the floor in the heel up position, then make right angles with you lower legs to your uppers- this is a good rule of thumb i've read in various books over the years

Also it's a good idea to sit towards the front edge of your seat as this forces you to keep your back straight which again helps with posture

As for playing 5 hours in a row, i've always found an hour a day to be more beneficial than 5 hours once a week, maybe take some breaks more often or spread your practising out a bit more- if I sat and played playstation for 5 hours in a row i'd imagine i'd get some sort of pain- it's not natural to be doing something for that length of time- especially if it's as physical as drumming!

Ben

I've got a $200 Roc N Soc throne so I think your both right as far as my posture. I switch up my position on the throne way too much, usually not intentionally but the further I get into practice the further back on the throne I go. I probably do need to take more breaks and stretch it out. I have been hitting it hard learning new songs for a new band. I do know that I cannot continue with this pain so I will definately fix the posture.

5 hours at a stretch is way too long. try an hour then take a break, repeat. Practicing when tired leads to injury and bad practice, reinforcing bad habits. Like the others, throne height, distance from pedals.....all of the above.

Typical issues would be posture and sitting too low. Personally, I`m still raising my seat more and more. Feels good.

Are you:

- Sitting straight and relaxed?
- Is your throne high enough?
- I your throne steady and the right one for you?
- Are you taking breaks and stretching at least every hour or more often?


I`m doing 7-8 hours a day and I definetly get tired and sore, but by taking some precautions and getting plenty of rest and good nutrition it shouldn`t really be a problem. When posting here it means I`m having a short break before I go at it again. See you in an hour or so.

Agree with the others. Apart from taking breaks from sitting to stretch it might help to strengthen your abs to support your back.

I was shown a nice exercise that helped me ease lower back pain. The physio got me to stand straight, then lean back until just before it hurts (even if it's just an inch) then lean forward from the hips until just before it hurts. Repeat, rocking very slowly back and forth, trying to loosen things up without inflicting pain.

Start working your core muscle groups w/some crunches, planks, push-ups and back extensions and add some yoga moves. Some yoga moves during breaks will help.
Sounds like a lot of work to some but 15 to 20 minutes a day will make a huge difference to your playing and comfort. Look on line to get some ideas of exercises but take it easy for the first week or so.
With a strong core you shouldn't have issues w/ your seat height.

Agreed. I started doing core workouts about 2 months ago and the lower back pain I would get from playing subsided. Ab crunches, planking and yoga all recommended. Try it for a week and see how much much better you'll feel. Of course your abs will be sore, but it's a good sore : )

I was a personal trainer for over 10 years. You want to do core stablization exercises and you want to get a foam roller. Most gyms should sell foam rollers or you can order them off the internet. The 3foot one is the best.

you need to get up and move around many times, the sitting position is really hard on the discs because it puts all the preasure on the back side of the spine ir, when you get a spinal tap, they make you lay on your side in that position to "push" the disc out and allow the needle access ( I had one ). I once sat in a hard wooded kitchen chair for 8 hours doing a computer project, and it resulted in a lower back disc pushing out into my sciatica nerve. I had to walk with a cane for 4 months. just simply getting up off the throne for 5 minutes at a time will walking around will go a long way to helping this problem...gravity is the strongest force in the universe.

Excellent advice everybody.

For those who play double bass a lot - the seating position/throne height, but also correct (most comfy) distance to the pedals is crucial to be perfectly balanced. Experiment with these parameters until you find an optimum setting where it can't get any better for you. Try to analyze your posture and whether there are some muscular imbalances (e.g. height of knee movement on every side: identical or higher/lower on one side) and if you identify anything, work on it. Maybe some running (medium distances, relaxed/slow) for overall endurance in addition to what has already been said. Core exercises are almost a must. Keep your upper body as straigth as possible. Stay relaxed but with some minimum tension of the core muscles. Make sure that from this position you're reaching the snare and each tom in the center of the head.

All of the above advice is good.I had a bout with sciatica a few times and it was not pretty.I found a good chiropractor and he got me on the right track and I have not been bothered since...and all I did was switch my wallet from my left to my right pocket..

But the absolute best thing to do for yourself is.....GET THEE TO A DOCTOR.A real MD.Someone who deals in sports medicine.,and follow up with possible chiropractor.Your spine may just be out of alignment.Not a bad idea to get x-rays either.Remember,pain is your bodies early warning system.

Everybody here is well intentioned,and we do want to help,but none of us is a professional,and we all have our own reference point. A professional will never give you a diagnosis without an examination.Get professional advice.

Steve B