Back pain or injury

[AlexM]

Someone curious about kendo asked me today about the potential back pains that can result from kendo. I have no idea what to answer him.

I get occasional back pain from kendo (although two straight days of fishing is worse) but I don't know if the back can be seriously injured from kendo practice.

Any advice?

Thanks

BTW, I already checked the archives... found close to nothing specifically on back problems (and more importantly the word "back" can be used as either "back from" or as in the body from... so difficult to sift).

[Hai_hai]

Someone curious about kendo asked me today about the potential back pains that can result from kendo. I have no idea what to answer him.

I get occasional back pain from kendo (although two straight days of fishing is worse) but I don't know if the back can be seriously injured from kendo practice.

Any advice?

Thanks

BTW, I already checked the archives... found close to nothing specifically on back problems (and more importantly the word "back" can be used as either "back from" or as in the body from... so difficult to sift).

I don't believe there are any reasons to get your back injured unless you run into someone very hard and fall back.

[nodachi]

I don't think there is a way to injure your back in kendo unless you do something totally wacky. My back will be very tense after a practice, but that is because I still don't relax like I am supposed to. But even tense muscles shouldn't hurt you. How can you hurt your back by simply standing up straight? Because isn't that all your back is doing in kendo?

[Raiza]

I don't think there is a way to injure your back in kendo unless you do something totally wacky.

The cold "calisthenics" we do in place of a proper warm-up at my dojo would qualify. Fast movement of the back through full range of motion with cold muscles is not helpful. Several people have had lower back problems in my dojo, myself included. In any other dojo that does a proper warm-up, my back has not complained.

I've been taking up t'ai chi while I'm on hiatus (bad foot) and that's been a wonderful help.

[JSchmidt]

I've suffered from lower back problem over the last 2+ years and if anything, kendo has helped keep the problem in check. The focus on correct posture in kendo has most certainly helped.

[Craig Jones]

I've had upper back and neck problems for a long time, and kendo has done nothing but make it worse sadly, to the point where i have had to stop practicing for a while. Massage Therapy has done wonders to get me back in the fight though.

[nodachi]

I've had upper back and neck problems for a long time, and kendo has done nothing but make it worse sadly, to the point where i have had to stop practicing for a while. Massage Therapy has done wonders to get me back in the fight though.

Do you have good posture? Do you have good posture while doing kendo or do you lean? Also, how's your warm up? Lots of stretching?

I ask, not to try and point out flaws that you may not have, but because I don't hear this often. My back is also crap and I am curious what in kendo might contribute to back issues. I've been lucky so far, but why did yours get worse?

[xvikingx]

I had talked about this with someone else; my men, due to it's weight, made my back hurt (and still does sometimes). I don't know if this is the same situation but I have one of those heavy old style men, with the thick leather around the mengane. It put the muscles in my neck and shoulder area in knots. Stretching (not just at the dojo but at home too) helped me out.

[Craig Jones]

Do you have good posture? Do you have good posture while doing kendo or do you lean? Also, how's your warm up? Lots of stretching?

I ask, not to try and point out flaws that you may not have, but because I don't hear this often. My back is also crap and I am curious what in kendo might contribute to back issues. I've been lucky so far, but why did yours get worse?


I have much better posture now. :) Previous injuries (car accident, trampoline injuries, hockey, etc) in the past have all contributed to very bad muscle spasms in my back, neck, shoulders, and chest. The general motions of kendo, the weight of the men and do hanging from the shoulders all contributed to making an already bad situation worse. Muscles that were in spasm would not relax, so other muscles would have to over compensate and end up injuring themselves, causing them to lockup. But becasue i lived with the pain for so many years (since i was in my early teens) I never noticed how bad it was until kendo agravated the injuries. But now that I have been able to find appropriate therapy for the muscle injuries I am in WAY better shape than i was before and I beleive my kendo has improved. My back, shoulder, and neck are all vastly more mobile now, and the motions of the swing and movements of my body feel much more fluid. I guess you can say kendo has indirectly contibuted to improving my injuries. :)

Yes lots of stretching was done in warmup, and I tried my best to maintain proper posture, but with the way my muscles were locked up it was near impossible for me to stretch them out to the point where the stretching was effective.

[Craig Jones]

I had talked about this with someone else; my men, due to it's weight, made my back hurt (and still does sometimes). I don't know if this is the same situation but I have one of those heavy old style men, with the thick leather around the mengane. It put the muscles in my neck and shoulder area in knots. Stretching (not just at the dojo but at home too) helped me out.


I tried lots of that but for the most part it was not effective for me. My muscle injuries were far more serious. almost my entire back was in a constant state of spasm. I had tried chiro for several years, but the effects were temporary as my problesm were not with the joints, but with the muscles. That was when i sought out massage therapy and it has made a HUGE difference. I still have a long way to go, but I am no longer in constant pain, my men (and bogu) does not bother my back or neck nearly as much. I have now learned to feel when my back is on the verge of spasming again so that I know when to stop or slow down. The mobility I now have in my back, neck and shoulder is amazing. I cant say enough good things about massage therapy, but it that is an option consider it helps to find an established therapist who is well trained and continues to learn about an train in massage techniques.

[AlexM]

Forgot to thank people for the answers they gave...

Thank you :D

[txdave22]

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[bobdonny]

hahaha, spambots new search feature ;)

[F0cUzzzz]

I've had back problems since my teens also. At first, with the armor, men..etc. I was a bit sore. After a couple of years working on my basics and such I feel better durring and after Kendo practice then at any other time of the day. I can walk in to practice on the verge of a migrane headache from tension in my neck and shoulder muscles and leave totally realaxed. For me, Kendo is as good almost as good as a message. From "Moku-so" on I become more and more relaxed.

I beleive this has come about do to the emphasis I place on relaxing durring kendo. In some peoples eyes, I'm far from relaxed, but I'm getting closer everyday. Fixing back and neck problems does NOT happen overnight. I spent many years destroying myself and I believe it will take several more years to put myself back together. I just wish I would have found Kendo when I was young and maybe I could have avoided a lot of years of pain. Recently, I added a small amount of message therapy to my routine and all I can say is on my good days WATCH OUT.

For those of you still suffering out there, don't stop Kendo. Maybe just step it down a notch and focus on your baiscs.

[Bennosuke]

My physical therapist says that the weight of the bogu will cause you to loose proper spinal allignment, and that can cause injury. If your spine is still straight, then the problem comes from improper foot work, where you use your back to absorb the stomping instead of your legs, or you shift weight too quickly.

But I have back problems and she thinks that Kendo should be good for it, if I keep my back straight.

She also said soreness in the muscles occurs if you generally have bad posture, but you stress weak muscles to give you good posture.

I think each problem though is unique to the person and there body type, and can be fixed if you figure out what you are doing wrong.

[AlexM]

A spambot has honored a thread I started in 2004. My life is fulfilled now.

I was alerted to an additional back problem that can arise from kendo or any full contact sport. An osteopath/physio/doctor who practices kendo with McGill told me that sometimes soft tissues can get stuck between individual vertebra. This is the result of the spine stretching during impact (falling, taiatari, etc.) and having tissue get stuck in between when they un-stretch at high speed. It's very common in hockey players because of the impact of getting checked into the boards. This screws with your posture (i.e. my hips are apparently not at the same level anymore) and you overcompensate leading to back pain.

I'm not sure I explained that properly but it was what I understood of the osteopath's explanation. He also said that deep tissue massages were the way to go in order to get rid of the problem.

A good stretching regimen will help avoid problems too.