Prioritise
This is an important moment for your lower back pain / sciatica
Lower back pain / sciatica is probably getting you down. At least, enough that you’ve come to read this. So, in this moment you have prioritised your problem. Well done. It’s hard to make time - you probably have a busy life. Full of commitments. Or maybe you don’t - maybe you’re easing yourself into retirement with fewer commitments than you’ve had for decades ( - If that's the case, you’re perfectly poised to prioritise your back). If you’re still elbows deep in your career, this is going to be harder, but as you’ll see, prioritising your back is essential if you’re going to solve it in the long-term.
You’ve probably tried a number of things to “cure” your back. Most people who consult us for a solution to lower back pain / sciatica have certainly tried more than one clinician. It’s always seemed ironic to me that when you specialise in a subject, the majority of people who consult you have consulted lots of people before they get round to you. If only you’d started here!
Given that you’ve tried and failed to achieve a lasting solution elsewhere, I’d understand if you are sceptical. Especially given that I’m not offering to even examine you. Maybe you’re surprised to read that - in my experience - examination is rarely necessary. That’s not to say it isn’t beneficial. I do like to see my patients in person - I’ve been an osteopath for over 30 years after all, and I enjoy the clinical work.
But here’s the thing… When I solved my own persistent lower back pain and sciatica, it didn’t involve another clinician. And I couldn’t very well manipulate my own back (I know some people try, but I wouldn't recommend it). I had consulted various doctors and therapists over the previous 7 years of suffering, but all they ever did was provide temporary relief. But - probably like you - I wanted a more long-term solution. And I got one.
So, it is achievable. Even after years of suffering. If you’re still in need of relief for your lower back pain / sciatica, just click theRapid Relief tab in the menubar. But if you’re ready to move on to the next stage - prevention of recurrence, then you are on the right track.
Ignoring the pain won't work either
Ignoring lower back pain can lead to more than just a lost match; it can lead to a downward spiral of discomfort and frustration that puts your entire participation in golf at risk. Poor sleep too, which we now know can increase your risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia.
We all know golfers who don’t golf. Still paying their subs, but not able to benefit. Lower back pain and sciatica is one of the main reasons golfers don’t get their money’s worth from their subs. I knew a 50-something year old golfer who was a member at Bruntsfield in Edinburgh, and hadn’t played for years, because his lower back was just too fragile. Chris felt that it just wasn’t worth taking the risk.
Yet he kept paying his subs, in the vain hope that something would change. But it never did. This reminded me of Einstein’s definition of insanity (probably misattributed).
If you want something to change, you have to do something different. As Stephen Covey put it “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important”.
This is an important moment. Don’t waste it. Whatever you do next, make sure it’s something that maintains this momentum. Because life is going to get in the way, isn’t it? And when it does, your motivation will dip and this will no longer be your priority.
So, carpe diem! Seize the day. The next step is Understanding your lower back pain / sciatica.Or
