# Exercises for Fishermen



## fender66 (Nov 23, 2010)

Hey guys...

I have more often than not, on long fishing days.....run into a problem with back pain. It's very symmetrical and just a bit lower than mid back on either side of my spine. I know it's just a matter of posture, standing too long, muscle compensation from a moving boat under me, etc....

Any of you have any exercises or stretching that you do on a regular basis that helps you out? I have years of experience lifting weights, but can't think of anything exercises that will help this area.

Thoughts?


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## gouran01 (Nov 23, 2010)

i wish i could help, I just up and opted for spinal fusion surgery about a year and a half ago. Great improvement!


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## fender66 (Nov 23, 2010)

gouran01 said:


> i wish i could help, I just up and opted for spinal fusion surgery about a year and a half ago. Great improvement!



I guess I should have explained better. My spine is fine. In fact, I had an appointment today to have that checked and I'm completely lined up. No adjustments to my bones necessary. Just muscular. In no way am I looking to fuse anything. :shock:


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## Outdoorsman (Nov 23, 2010)

Sorry I do not know of any excersises that might help...maybe a seach online...????

I have the same problem with lower back pain and in the area you discribed....the only difference is I know what is causing my problems....about an extra 50 - 60 pounds that I could stand to loose....belly fat and the always dreaded "man boobs"....

Oh well I guess things could be worse....I am still breathing and able to have fun doing what I enjoy.... I am thankfull of that....

What ever happend to that weight loss thread that used to be here....I know I know...I will do a search....

Outdoorsman...


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## gouran01 (Nov 23, 2010)

looked to see if i had any docs and pics left over from physical therapist, I know there were a lot of lower back stretches and strengtheners in it but ofcourse I throw out anything I need and don't use!


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## bearsphan3.14 (Nov 23, 2010)

The only thing I can think of, you probably will not want to do. Yoga. I heard it does wonders


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## fender66 (Nov 23, 2010)

bearsphan3.14 said:


> The only thing I can think of, you probably will not want to do. Yoga. I heard it does wonders


 Don't know anything about Yoga except he like to steal Pic-a-nic baskets full of gooodies for him and BooBoo. Oh wait...you probably meant the exercise didn't you. :mrgreen:


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## Hanr3 (Nov 23, 2010)

There are numerous exercises and the name slips me at the moment. They recommend them for lower back pain. 

LAy flat on your back and do leg extensions, side to side swings, crunches, or just a good old fashion stand with your feet together and touch your fingers to your toes, palm on floor if you can. I do deep knee bends and streches in the boat.


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## Outlawtoon (Nov 24, 2010)

Increase the amount of catch, that will help the periods of standing or sitting in one position to long. :LOL2: But I don't have a clue either. But I do have a several areas in my back that are permanently injured. I learned a old remedy from a old friend. 1 aspirin, 1 Advil, 1 Tylenol, at bed time or shortly before. Takes a lot of kinks out of the body over night. Again in the morning if your still a bit off and need a boost to get the stiffness out. Do this for a short time. Not a day in and day out remedy. There's something about a little bit of each seem to do better than a bunch of one thing. It worked wonders for me, got rid of one injury for good. One will never go away, but his really knocks the crap out of it when it flares up. New to the site, it is awesome, love all the boat rebuilds. Mine is soon to come, pictures soon in coming.


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## Outlawtoon (Nov 24, 2010)

Oh sorry one thing that helps take kinks out during the day, I bend straight forward and touch my hands on the floor, stretching out my back, I do this slowly and then stand there bent over for a bit. Just be careful, if you hear or feel a lot of pooping or cracking that's not good if it contuses often.


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## lbursell (Nov 24, 2010)

Looks like you have a foot operated TM. How long do you stand with your weight on one leg? Have you tried something like standing for 20 - 30 minutes, then sitting for 5 ? Use the 5 to really look around at the area you're fishing, thinking about you presentation, whatcha gonna do for the next 30.


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## Deadmeat (Nov 24, 2010)

Welcome to the club. Twenty-five years of skydiving and one plane crash have worked wonders on my spine. When I bend over I can just touch the bottom of my knees. I've tried flexibility exercises (Didn't work. There's no flexibility.) and a few other things with no success. Standing for prolonged periods of time are especially rough and my time driving a car is limited to four hours at the most.

When I was in Thailand, however, a few years ago I would get a Thai deep tissue massage when I got in from work. These itty bitty Thai women would lay out massage mats on the beach and give a massage for $7.50/hour. They have fingers of steel and I'm convinced they could crush a bowling ball. These women would take their fingers, probe between the muscles, slide down beside the bone, and when they hit sand on the far side it was time to pull their fingers back. It was absolute torture and I kept wondering why I was paying for this--until the massage ended. By the time it was over you'd swear you didn't even have a spine and would slither off the beach like a snake on Teflon. I've never had my back feel so good before or since.


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## bassboy1 (Nov 24, 2010)

lbursell said:


> Looks like you have a foot operated TM. How long do you stand with your weight on one leg? Have you tried something like standing for 20 - 30 minutes, then sitting for 5 ? Use the 5 to really look around at the area you're fishing, thinking about you presentation, whatcha gonna do for the next 30.



Do you have a trolling motor pedal well? Those things help tremendously, as they allow you to stand normally, with just about equal weight on both legs, and not have to do the whole Captain Morgan stance while fishing. Definite improvement there, for sure. 

This probably is common sense, but I know that when I really started paying attention to the way I lifted things, I was using my back much more than I should have been. When I started making a conscience effort to always lift with my legs, I improved dramatically. The pain from misusing my back wouldn't register until I was doing something along the lines of fishing. 

I've had back pain fairly consistently since I was about 12. This year it has been less noticeable than usual, but it is still an issue that causes problems.


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## G3_Guy (Nov 24, 2010)

I'm with Bassboy on this one... if you have a foot controled TM you might want to look at installing a Trolling Motor Tray like the one in the link below.

https://www.eztrolltray.com/


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## Hanr3 (Nov 24, 2010)

Asked my wife, she works for Orthopedic doctors. They all recommend the "mckenzie exercises". 

Here are a couple of sites on it.

https://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/pain-relief-mckenzie-treatment

https://www.mckenziemdt.org/articles.cfm

https://www.ehow.com/about_6166938_mckenzie-exercises-low-back-pain.html

I follow the exercises evrytime my back goes out. Worked everytime so far.


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## Waterwings (Nov 24, 2010)

Chris,

My lower back always kills me after sitting too long on the boat, and I know it's mainly due to the seats I have. They are just not comfortable enough for a long day on the boat. I've never been able to stand and work the foot control for the tm, and I can't install a tray for the foot control due to having a deck hatch centerline of the boat right in front of the seat. Stretching exercises to strenghen the back muscles (many similar to the ones Hanr3 posted in the link) will help. Toe touches, crunches, and alternating toe touches (windmills), and cherry pickers will help. Do them slowly and don't jerk your body into the position. An exercise we have the students do is one they call "Superman's". Lay on your stomach on the floor, or a mat, stretch your arms and legs straight out like your flying, then arch your arms and legs up easily, bending slightly where just your stomach is on the floor. You can also reverse this exercise and lay on your back, arching up with the arms and legs extended.


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## Captain Ahab (Nov 25, 2010)

Waterwings said:


> Chris,
> 
> My lower back always kills me after sitting too long on the boat, and I know it's mainly due to the seats I have. They are just not comfortable enough for a long day on the boat. I've never been able to stand and work the foot control for the tm, and I can't install a tray for the foot control due to having a deck hatch centerline of the boat right in front of the seat. Stretching exercises to strenghen the back muscles (many similar to the ones Hanr3 posted in the link) will help. Toe touches, crunches, and alternating toe touches (windmills), and cherry pickers will help. Do them slowly and don't jerk your body into the position. An exercise we have the students do is one they call "Superman's". Lay on your stomach on the floor, or a mat, stretch your arms and legs straight out like your flying, then arch your arms and legs up easily, bending slightly where just your stomach is on the floor. You can also reverse this exercise and lay on your back, arching up with the arms and legs extended.



Good stuff - If I remember I will do the same - a long day on a boat in the ocean (bounce bounce, SLAM) will tear you up. If i stretch 1st i feel sooo much better. 

Also, I try a stretch as soon as I hit land again. On a smaller boat I might even go to shore after hour 6 or 8 to walk around for 10 minutes - it can help


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## wasilvers (Nov 26, 2010)

Hanr3 said:


> Asked my wife, she works for Orthopedic doctors. They all recommend the "mckenzie exercises".
> 
> Here are a couple of sites on it.
> 
> ...



I think you guys are just getting OLD!!!! :LOL2: :LOL2: :LOL2: 
Seriously though, stretching before AND after will help. I play a lot of volleyball (including all day tourneys play for 10 -12 hours with minimal breaks)- moving diving, getting low, stretching side to side, jumping, etc.. pretty hard on the lower back (I'm 36 years old now). I have a series of stretches I do that are pretty close to the ones Hanr3 mentioned - funny, I thought I made them up. They take the edge off any pain and you feel mostly normal again.


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## Waterwings (Nov 27, 2010)

> ...pretty hard on the lower back (I'm 36 years old now)...




Just wait until you're 57


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## Hanr3 (Nov 28, 2010)

Waterwings said:


> > ...pretty hard on the lower back (I'm 36 years old now)...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I hear that. 

Every year the ground gets further and further away. No, I'm not getting taller, its getting harder and harder to get down to teh ground, and once there its getting harder to get back up. The joints hurt, the muscles dont flex like they used too, and all the aches and pains from the sports and activities of my youth are finally catch up. When I was twenty/thirty streching didnt do a thing, now that Im older, I practically have to stretch to get out of bed.


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## PartsMan (Nov 29, 2010)

My doc recommended crunches and other ab work.

Of course I am carrying a spare tire around.


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