Guess we all had the same thoughts at once.
I agree, it’s helped me considerably. Some things I have to take frequent breaks during, and sometimes the break times have to be longer than the work times, but it gets done.
Weed whacker, chainsaw, stuff like that triggers my back. So small doses.
Back a bit over 20 years ago I had to stop playing golf. Just couldn’t do it. Was 10 or 11 holes into a round with a couple buddies and had to cut back to approach and putts the rest of the round. Fast forward from that in 2003/2004, to 2011. On a work trip, we do an outing. “Hey, lets go over to Top Golf.”
Oh boy, I was resigned to be an onlooker and stuck with giant jenga or the likes. We get there, and a couple guys convinced me to get stretched out real good, ease into it, and see what happens.
Well, fuck, “rental” clubs and all. So I get stretched out, even with a tick of help. Never had a problem that night, and I hit a LOT of balls. Never flinched, tightened up, nothing. Granted I wasn’t bombing anything and was a good bit conservative, but it wasn’t a thing. I figured it was a fluke.
Next morning, felt great.
Got home a few days later and went over to the driving range. The wife looked at me like I was nuts. Also had that slight bit of “I hope this doesn’t pan out” look on her face.
Well, a large bucket later and I was ok. So I hit a medium bucket too. Same deal as before, maybe 70%-80% swings, just letting it flow.
I was good when I got home, and that evening, and the next day.
After that I worked with a local coach 5 or 6 times to slightly tweak my swing to relieve a little torque on my back, and I was back to playing a few rounds a month. Not every weekend, and the last few years have taken the hottest part of the summer with a big slowdown, but that’s ok.
Point of all that typing, sorry about that by the way, is that I had been stretching during the first off time. It caught up at some point, and I eventually found I could do some things in moderation and with minor adjustments that I couldn’t have done a few years before.
Am I like I used to be before my back issues? Well, no. However I am at least a lot more functional than I was, and a lot of that is from stretching.
I also use resistance bands to stretch with a few times a week as well. Basic stuff, mostly core type stretches and movements.
You can still have a life with it, but it looks a little different than it used to. That’s ok though. I can still do things I need to do, maybe it takes longer, but still can do it.
I’ve mentioned most of this before, but I also do regular chriopractor (methodical/precision type, not the rack em/crack em type) and massage therapy.
Between those 3 things, it’s kept me off the drugs and away from the knife.