Shoulder or back issues?

dquarasr

dquarasr

Registered
Spending time every day at the table has caused me discomfort of my bridge arm shoulder and occasionally my neck. Have any of you experienced issues playing a lot? How did you overcome the issues? Just play through it, rest periodically, or something else?

It might be unique to me having broken my neck in 2010 and having a squished the C5-C6 disk, which sometimes causes phantom pain in my shoulder. Getting down on the shots cause me to position my head in the exact orientation that caused my C4 fracture. But I’d still be interested in hearing others’ experiences with playing with pain.
Thanks.
 
I get bridge arm shoulder pain whe I play for extended periods of time as well.

I think stretching before play reduces this, as does not playing.

Makes me appreciate the fact I don't depend on pool ffor the rent, I say you that.
 
dquarasr said:
Spending time every day at the table has caused me discomfort of my bridge arm shoulder and occasionally my neck. Have any of you experienced issues playing a lot? How did you overcome the issues? Just play through it, rest periodically, or something else?

It might be unique to me having broken my neck in 2010 and having a squished the C5-C6 disk, which sometimes causes phantom pain in my shoulder. Getting down on the shots cause me to position my head in the exact orientation that caused my C4 fracture. But I’d still be interested in hearing others’ experiences with playing with pain.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
My back is trash, I have had a couple herniated disks mid back for about 10 years. It's in a place that makes my ribs go out and hurts simply from breathing. I learned places in my basement of differing height I can reach up and hold onto so I can stretch downward to get some gristly crunching going on. I also decided to leave the floor jacks, even though they are slightly in the way since it's another place to grab and pull against. Kind of like the physical therapy door stretching routine. I don't know man, pain sucks really bad, I usually play until I just can't focus from hurting. I know it's not smart, but the way I figure it, my back is toast anyway, might get surgery on it some day if I can't stand it anymore. Everybody's body is different and every injury can be different also. I kind of found something that works for me until I can't focus anymore, then I take a break, maybe an hour, maybe a day. I hope you figure something out that works.

I do find that CBD oil helps me if it's really acting up. I usually take a dropper of it under my tongue if I'm going to do a tournament or sub for a league night. It has no THC so it doesn't mess with your head either. I used to take prescription hydrocodone pills but they just aren't worth the side effects or the risk of becoming dependent on them. I'd say the CBD oil works about as well as they did, for me at least, ymmv. If you've not tried it and your doctor okays it, it might be worth a try.
 
None of my past fractures give me grief but none were in the neck/shoulder area. That said, lack of exercise coupled with lots of computer/seat time takes its toll unless I do yoga. I do have some degeneration in the neck area of the spine so I avoid certain poses that would aggravate or stress that area, focusing on what helps my flexibility and strengthens the stabilizing muscles. Staying flexible helps for getting down low over the cue.

Yoga also helps my mental concentration, which pays dividends in pool, in addition to measuring how my fitness and flexibility compare to my 21 year old self, back when I first started doing it. Even at that age, I was surprised how much more limber it made me. If you do elect to try yoga go for one on one instruction after making sure the instructor is well aware of your physical issues. Folks have gotten hurt going to group classes from trying to do all of the poses the instructor throws out.

On the rare occasion that my lower back gives me fits I either hang from the chin up bar or the dips bars and sway a little till things pop loose.

The captain of our local league team has lower back issues that he says are helped with the eyedropper administered CBD oil.
 
I've had back issues most of my life and shoulder surgery (stroking arm) a few years ago and arthritis in my neck and shoulders since late 20's.

All of my issues are generally dealt with the same way - stay active. If I don't stay active my neck and shoulder will act up and it will usually take a few days for the swelling/pain to go down while taking NSAIDs (anti-inflammatories). The pain doesn't really go away, it just starts to not hurt as much until one day I realize it doesn't hurt.

The back is a whole other animal. Sometimes it just hurts and there's nothing I can do but take pain killer (Tylenol, etc). But if it or the arthritis kick in when playing there's nothing I can do but push through. It 100% affects my play because I can't stand in my normal stance. Sometimes with the arthritis I can try to rotate my head back and forth (a lot - like a bobblehead) to loosen it up, sounds like pop-corn when I do that :)
 
yep L4-L5 fubar.

tried cbd oil as recommended here, maybe i dosed it poorly because i didn't feel any relief
 
Snapped my clavicle in half skiing maybe 25 years ago. So my left shoulder is about an inch and a half closer to my neck than the right. Long hours playing will fire that shoulder up, so I don't, for the most part.

It's easy to take breaks in the basement vs. a poolhall. Attending pool schools the second or third day I go downhill. Stretches help, Mobic saves the day.

Because of arthritis I haven't been able to form a solid closed bridge in ten years. My hands gives me more trouble than the shoulder.

It's a bitch being old but it beats the alternative. So have fun while you still can.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top