OOAK Table Tennis Forum

hey guys

interesting question - last night i decided to crash THROUGH one of our barriers, in doing so brought back up a bit of a niggling back injury that has on again off again been bothering me for the last 12 months or so. it's a bit too sore to play today for training.


It's usually ok again by my next fixture round, however i find that it constantly puts stress on it and gets sore again when i play. does anyone have anything like this, and is there any idea about the best way to get around it?

It's not really an injury to put me out - not so painful i cannot play, but it's enough to be constantly noticable every time i turn my body to hit a loop.

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Have you seen a medical professional about this? Only they can give you the best and most appropriate advice.

Given that the injury keeps resurfacing when you play, its probably a sign that it hasn't healed and your regular TT games are not giving it enough time to heal. I think you should rest it for 2 or 3 weeks (yeah, bummer) to give it ample time to heal completely, or it will continue to plague you.

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Keep the heat up to it as well SFHS. Dencorub or Deep Heat on it each day and some light warm up exercises on it. By this I mean some touch toes and some hip swivelling. Seeing a masseus or even a chiropractor if you think it could be a slipped disc, would be advisable. If the pain gets really sharp when you twist for a loop, it could be a slipped disc, or could just be a bruised muscle. As GP said, worth consulitng a professional. Doctors (GP's) aren't generally great with backs, Chiropractors are the best.

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You need to see a Pain clinic or Orthopaedic Consultant, have an x-ray to rule out any bone issues and a Scan to assess any soft tissue issues, i may be able to help with advice, pm me if you like.

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I have what is 'probably' according to my GP a herniated disc which is pretty debilitating at the best of times but sometimes it can keep me from playing for weeks or, if I'm really unlucky, totally immobile for anything from a few hours to a few days. I have some exercises to do which don't seem to be helping yet but I'm not sold on the surgical alternatives - artificial disc or disc replacement.

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Hey TTsam, welcome back mate, have not seen you for ages!

I guess your injuries must be keeping you away from TT a fair bit, which must be very frustrating!

I'd avoid surgery too, would have to be a last resort. Are there not some types of braces or support that help protect and prevent the injury?

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I am having the same problem. It was confirmed recently with a MRI scanning. The affected disc is between the 4th and the 5th vertebrates. Orthopedic consultant suggested initial physiotherapy treatment, to be monitored before deciding surgery.

At the same time I am massaging the lower back portion with herbal solution. This reduces the pain to large extent, though it does not rectify the defect. I rub and massage before any TT game. The pain is effectively contained to tolerable minimum.

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Hi Alex! I haven't posted much anywhere to be honest -as you say, it certainly doesn't help with the playing. I find that sometimes I can play relatively pain free but some days, as I say, I can barely walk so yes - it is very frustrating. It's cricket season now too which is also frustrating as I'm finding that increasingly a burden on my body. I suppose it isn't a 'niggle' as such but it definitely is very restrictive and the pain is referred to a lot of zones what with the damage being so close to the core of the nervous system.

Jixiaolan - I asked my GP about scanning but he said that I have to try this physio for a few months before they probe further as the cost is relatively high, the machines are in demand and the diagnosis will be the same and they will probably adopt the same regime of care anyway. I've been doing them for 2 weeks now and noticed no improvement so I'll just keep (literally) plodding on. My old man has the same problem, he herniated his about 25 years ago and was immediately offered surgery but told that the risks were quite high and that fusion of 2 discs is quite likely to lead to further prolapsed discs anyway - I dont know how much procedures have improved but I'll just have to wait and see how things go.

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Hey Slider, I have the same viewpoint as Hookshot when it comes to doctors recommending surgery and such for joints/back issues - that is that it is usually not the fix. If your back problem is muscular, you will have to just sit it out of hard lifting and TT until it feels right, then give it another month or so. There could also be other things that directly cause your pain and they could be numerous. Sleeping incorrectly (position/bracing/bad neck alignment) is a biggie and even something like carrying your wallet in your pocket can give you some pain there. Kinda sucks to be out of it for a spell and then some, but you will do what you gotta. it might take a while to doscover the trigger if there is one.

I have bad pain under my kneecaps (Patella Tendon) when I overdo the running on hard surfaces or overdo sports (even TT). I sometimes have to back off and it gets better, but at my age (old for military) running 4 times a week on hard surfaces and playing TT once a week is enough to bring it back and if I don't slow down, my knees tell when I MUST slow it down. Soccer (Football for the rest of the world) everyday the way I run and defend will get me like that in a week's time. That is my "Niggle" and if I can manage to get out of running but twice a week, it is manageble enough.

SAM: Sorry to hear you got it like that, especially at your age. You are to good a fellow to catch one like that.

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Back in 2004 in also had back issues. Found I had a herniated disk in my lower back. Talked to my doctor and tried phy therapy. Helped some but not really. Ended up getting (at 2 diff times) 2 epedural steroid shots into my spine. I'm back to about 95%. Was not fun when it happened so I know what you are going through.

PS. Sry about the spelling. Never could do that.

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You don't have to apologise for your spelling, GJ - it's apparent what you are meaning to write so really nobody should take issue!

I hadn't considered steroid shots as I'm wary of going down the path of repeat steroid injections instead of looking for a solution. Prevention is better than a cure!

A lot of back troubles on here though - how did you all do yours? Mine was playing football (soccer)!

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Same way I did my shoulder. Softball.

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MOLON LABE!!!

TTSam and SHFSlider (What an unusual handle by the way, where did that come from?:roll: ), I am sorry to hear of your problems, wow, there are alot of back problems for players in this forum and i suspect others too.

What is remarkable is that we play in a sport where (in an ideal world) we need to play with uninhibited hip and back rotation to play many strokes properly!
I suppose for many we are in the last chance saloon for playing a competitive sport whilst, getting older, or carrying injuries from previous sporting endeavours and/or refusing to give up for a life with the slippers and pipe by the fireside!

Here is my story, i hope it will be of help-
I had a hern'd disc in the late 90's which rendered me to the floor for 10 weeks before i had emergency surgery. How did i get in this situation, i didn't recognise the warning signs, thinking the pain in my back was just backache from the type of work i was doing, no problems i thought, just take painkillers and carry on exercising etc..... then 1 day, bang, L5/S1 has gone, i can't bend, sit or anything with incredible sciatica down the back into both legs to the feet.

I HAD to have surgery which has helped but not totally, basically i am still spazzed up with restrictive movement, on big medication and every day i crawl out of bed in pain to fight another day, whereby i am usually able to play tt in the evening in a restrictive way once a week, i practice one day in between when i can and spend the 3 days either side doing physio type exercise or going to the swimming pool to do similar to recover! I have to take great care and really limit my movement as much as possible.
I did wonder if i ought to carry on playing, my consultant advised to do what i can with care, adding that i still need to have some sort of quality of life!
It keeps me ticking over and is a big reason to carry on!
The disc has messed my life up big time, not just physically!

Anyway, whilst i am not in the medical field whatsoever, i have alot of experience and understanding of these problems.
Occasional use of my tens machine relieves pain temporarily as does my medication, but any sort of activity stirs it all up, so i have to take it easy everyday.
I play using 3 or 4 back support belts overlapped between my lower back and rib cage and this isolates any risk of twisting from the waist and causing further damage ( i try to hold in the abs for further support too) although i am still spazzed up in pain by the evening end walking like a 70 year old!
I play a modified game which has steered me to anti/lp and trying to play/dominate at the table, largely playing arm shots/strokes similar to tennis strokes esp. when looping or smashing.That is my solution!

The med. profession aren't really much help now, my surgery has relieved some pain but left me with permanent on-going restrictive problems/movement, all the scans / x-rays in the world can't help now anymore (at the moment, but i live in hope), this is how it is, you have to find your own way through once you get your medication right, which, by the way took 3 or 4 years.

I would advise against surgery if it is at all possible, it is dangerous, not always (fully) successful and could leave you in a wheelchair!

Do regular physio, work out which exercises you can do ( from a professional ), the swimming pool is great to do dedicated execises, people look at you as though you are odd, but, who cares! I can't stress how much you have to be dedicated to it, from hereon in!

Keep back muscles and abs as strong as you are able to support the injury. This is important!

Listen to your body/pain, back off and rest for long periods as necessary, you must still stay mobile within reason, pace yourself, an inversion table can give good temporary relief!
Whenever you are set back, build up slowly again!

Good luck to those similarly affected!
Keep smiling, keep playing and don't let the bastards grind you down!

I am happy to offer support or advice if anyone needs it.

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ttsam, your physiotherapist might have recommended this to you, but I like to proposed anyway, because it works for me.

Again, it is alleviation of pain not curing.

1. always put a small (quite hard)cushion behind you when sitting on sofa, or driving.

2. exercise recommended: lie flat on hard surface floor, face up. lift your knees up to a 90 deg position to your lower legs. cross one leg to another. hands by the side of body. slowly move your body towards the knees, lifting hands parallel to floor.
I was taught this by a traditional herbal master. I do it 20 times each in the morning and evening.
It helps ease my back pain effectively.

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My TT kits:
1. Xiom Jazz: 729 Faster 2.2mm, H3 neo 2.2mm
2. Clipper wood: Andro Roxon 450 2.2mm, H3 prov(2.2mm)
3. Btty Viscaria: Gambler SS , and Outlaw.

Thanks for the words, everyone.

Mozzy: I'm sorry about how bad yours is, it sounds like how my old mans ended up - he has refused surgery because of the risks but lives with the consequences.

Jix - thanks! I had that exercise but I wasn't using support further than the chair back - will sort that.

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First things first, but not neccessarily in that order.