Surfing injury's (have you got a story?)

Was at Balian 2 weeks before that attack this year, saw 3 sharks in 4 days (1 jumping way out to sea, 1 while watching the lineup and 1 while in the water). Had a guy in the lineup tell me one just swam behind me and another bloke on the last day and we didn't even bother to look, thought absolutely nothing of it. Then the guy got bit shortly after. It was packed when I was there, then I spoke to a guy who had been there shortly afterwards who said it was empty. No more longboarding euro babes in g strings after that apparently.

Landscaping my backyard late last year, surfing my local 1-2 hours/day max. Then straight after hit the Ments, frothing like a 20 year old grommet, surfing 8-9hrs/day.
So... injury is related to 20 year old head space in a 43 yr old bod. Felt pulling in my left armpit at the first deep fatigue point of the ments trip. Made like an ostrich and put my head in the sand - my thinking was along the lines of "I know this isn't right but how bad could it be, I'll push through it... Plenty of recovery time once I get home..."
So the left armpit/brachial plexus tugging was a nerve tethering related to C7 disc prolapse. What a fucker. Most pervasive and ongoing pain I've ever dealt with. Left tricep nerve damage. 3 months out of the surf, now I'm back but working hard, got a weapon Pilates trainer still trying to build up core and arm. One of my first surfs back (too early) was a cyclone swell at Kirra in feb/march - I tend towards having a dig as the default position - got a set and left arm folded as I took off. This results in a take off where you go left. At Kirra. In a cyclone swell. So that went awesome.
Much progress since then. But I still feel the need to ice my neck every day mostly, and I feel that the universe just bitch slapped me and sent me a message that I need to stretch, maintain/improve my physical function, eat well (already nailed this many years ago), basically take care of myself. Thanks Universe. Just gotta hear the messages sent your way I reckon. My goal is to be the best version of myself - physically and mentally - that I can be.

Hey Mk1, I was there about 3 weeks after and the crowd factor was as good as I've had. Perhaps those shark stories are doing their job.

We got arvo thunderstorms that trip a few times, one with a series of lightning strikes hitting very close by, like somewhere in the Balian village district, instant thunder responses. I enjoyed it, love a good thunderstorm, but it unnerved quite a few people. Unfortunately it also put out lots of rain, which of course means a brown flowing river into the break.

My enthusiasm drops in relation to the browning of the water.

Hi Batfink, I may run into them in Ocean Grove as I moved down here this week.
Medewi seems to be taking some of the Balian traffic, seemed a bit busier and locals were saying that all the shark stories are keeping people away.
Medewi felt really sharky on my last surf (mate saw a small fin), water was so murky couldn't see my feet when sitting on my board.

It was gushing mud out that river when I was there. I stayed in the local community place across the river (east side) and mostly surfed the right. When I did surf the main break, walking back across the river was a massive pain in the arse.

Broke a bone in my toe as an 11 y.o , learning holidaying in Victor Harbour. Hairline break a bone in my knee as a 40 y.o. Neither of these needed casts. But worst was a broken arm, ulna. Not that painful, no bone protruding so I thought it might be just bruising, so I I did nothing, gave it week, still sore & xrays showed the break. plaster for 2 months. Geez arms atrophy in 2 months....Did have minor knee surgery too at Gold Coast hospital that got me back in water successfully

Surfing injuries? I woke up with a stiff neck in mid-June and could barely function. I'd been surfing non-stop since the June 6th 'Black Nor-easter' swell and put it down to fatigue. She'd be right in a few days.

A week later the sore neck had dominoed across my shoulder causing the muscles in my left shoulder to ache badly. Some days there'd be no relief from the pain. Neurofen would only barely take the edge off it.

In the following month I tried to surf every now and again. I'd wake up feeling OK, drive to the beach feeling OK, get into my wetsuit the same, and then take one stroke with my left arm and the jig was up. A strong dull ache would envelope my left shoulder, my neck wouldn't move, and I had no strength. I'd grit my teeth to paddle, thinking I'd overcome the pain while paddling for a wave, but no dice - there was nothing there. The strangest feeling.

Two months in and I'd visited an osteo, physio, and kinesiologist, throwing the big bucks down to get immediate relief - who doesn't like a massage? - but nothing was lasting. About once a week, sometimes once a fortnight, I'd try and surf, usually away from prying eyes. But nothing had changed. I couldn't use my left arm and I'd sit out the back in ridiculous pain, paddle for a wave, then go over the falls sitting down.

Work was getting fucking difficult. I hardly felt like a surfer, couldn't remember the last time I checked the weather maps or Ben's forecast, and my curiousity had almost completely dried up. "You gotta stay in touch with the ocean," was advice given to me before I started working at Swellnet and I'd never understood the poignancy till now. Couldn't even bodysurf because I can't take swimming strokes with my left arm. I had a new board waiting for me up the coast. Hadn't even tried to get it shipped down.

Three months down, my surfer's physique has withered and I never check the surf online and only very occasionally will I pull into the beach carpark. Always keep the engine running and shove it into reverse quickly. I went back to my local GP in despair. He sent me to get an MRI.

A quarter of a year after my 'sleeping injury' I finally get concrete news; the problem ain't muscular but structural. On three of my spinal joints I have arthritic osteophytes (bone spurs), and they're pronounced at C5/6, that's where it's pushing into my spinal cord and causing radiating pain and weakness.

The doc got me an appointment with a neurologist for next February. "Just dont bend your neck back into extension," he said helpfully while imitating the exact position surfers paddle in. When I told him I was a surf journalist and this was effecting my livelihood he had a sly chat to the neurologist who brought it forward to next Tuesday (there's a tip for anyone who wants to make things happen quickly).

I've no idea where things are gonna go from here. I'm scarfing fish oil like an Inuit, good for arthrtis you see, and visiting Dr Google every night. Some frightening reading on there, shouldn't do it really. Thing is, I've got a trip to Pohnpei due this December and I want to know what's possible. Apparently I can get a cortisone injection that blocks the swelling and pain - or something along those lines. Whatever, it helps people stay active in the short term and till I find out more info I'm hanging my hat on that bit of news.

Mate that's fucken rough. Sorry to read all that. Best of luck with the recovery.

Cheers Benski. 2016 has been my own li'l annus horribilis. Started off with a blood virus and 3-4 weeks in bed and now this. I'd like to think there'll be some redemption at the end, not that I believe in cosmic balance or karma, however just one P'Pass Pass pit would go some way towards balancing an awfully lopsided ledger.

Stu that sucks .I've had a spinal problem that culminated in disc replacement at c5,c6, lots of nerve pain involved. There are drugs like Lyrica that target nerve pain and can help get you back on track. The only side effect I had from it was a bit of light headedness for a few days until you get used to it. Not a permanent solution but may help ease the pain and get you mobile again. Good luck.

Lightheadedness you say? When I was younger I'd pay a days wage to some dodgy cat for that exact feeling.

Shit...maybe that's why I'm falling apart now?

Anyway, thanks for the heads up Innatube. Good to arm myself with knowledge and positive news.

Some horror stories in this thread, thumbs to you guys for making it through!

2012 I went with the wife to Phuket, 5 day trip. before this trip never thought there were waves there.

We went down the beach and i saw 1-2 foot waves, decided to rent a longboard. all was going fine for around 1.5 hours... i have a trick i do i hold the back part of the legrope that connects to the string that's in the plug. I hold this and pull down to go under waves instead of letting the board go. the nylon section on this legrope was very thin and cheap, nothing like the legropes we use here. i went to go under a wave (so small i shouldn't have bothered doing this) it wrapped around the tip of my left ring finger and when the wave it, the angle was perfect and it cut the top of my finger off.

all i felt was a pinch, when i came up i went to grab the board and noticed i was missing top of my finger. blood was also shooting out. i looked at it got covered in blood face neck chest. i wrapped my hand around the finger to stop the bleeding, was in a fair bit of shock. started to drag this bloody 9 foot board up the beach while holding my finger. out of all the mugs on the beach staring at me one guy came up and helped me. Russian fella spoke no English, when he saw me blood covered then my finger he grabbed the board, we walked up the beach till i found my wife and the rental guy!. found him and my wife, thanked the russian guy and got in a tuk tuk to patong emergency. get there, no surgeon on shift bloody thailand!... i couldn't believe it. so morphine hit xray and I'm taken 30min to another hospital. went straight in had it stitched up.

this was my first day there at 4pm in afternoon! the legrope section was so sharp it cut through the bone, i still have some of the end finger tip bone left. you can see the tiny hole that's in the middle of your bones... it has yet to close up. when i was in the tuk tuk i thought it was a clean snap at the joint. travel insurance saved me as one i went to a privert hospital, two it was fully covered just under 3k saved! : )

thats my best story... other than that i have been run over by kamerkazi brit at rye back beach cut my wettie gave me a small cut. surfing inbetween snatchers and broosters on a shallow bank was crunched had my foot and board cut up.

Stu. All the best. Trust your instincts. I have c 3 4 5 6 fused and now t 1 and t 2 fused themselves. Cortisone short term but long term issues. Get physio to unlock All cervical and thoracic plus buy kogan tens machine on line and practice Lester levenson release technique each night. Be strong. Stretch h arm nerves every hour. Lyrica helps but swim slowly technique not so much speed. Don't get despondent u will triumph. The rave.

Surfing injuries? I woke up with a stiff neck in mid-June and could barely function. I'd been surfing non-stop since the June 6th 'Black Nor-easter' swell and put it down to fatigue. She'd be right in a few days.

A week later the sore neck had dominoed across my shoulder causing the muscles in my left shoulder to ache badly. Some days there'd be no relief from the pain. Neurofen would only barely take the edge off it.

In the following month I tried to surf every now and again. I'd wake up feeling OK, drive to the beach feeling OK, get into my wetsuit the same, and then take one stroke with my left arm and the jig was up. A strong dull ache would envelope my left shoulder, my neck wouldn't move, and I had no strength. I'd grit my teeth to paddle, thinking I'd overcome the pain while paddling for a wave, but no dice - there was nothing there. The strangest feeling.

Two months in and I'd visited an osteo, physio, and kinesiologist, throwing the big bucks down to get immediate relief - who doesn't like a massage? - but nothing was lasting. About once a week, sometimes once a fortnight, I'd try and surf, usually away from prying eyes. But nothing had changed. I couldn't use my left arm and I'd sit out the back in ridiculous pain, paddle for a wave, then go over the falls sitting down.

Work was getting fucking difficult. I hardly felt like a surfer, couldn't remember the last time I checked the weather maps or Ben's forecast, and my curiousity had almost completely dried up. "You gotta stay in touch with the ocean," was advice given to me before I started working at Swellnet and I'd never understood the poignancy till now. Couldn't even bodysurf because I can't take swimming strokes with my left arm. I had a new board waiting for me up the coast. Hadn't even tried to get it shipped down.

Three months down, my surfer's physique has withered and I never check the surf online and only very occasionally will I pull into the beach carpark. Always keep the engine running and shove it into reverse quickly. I went back to my local GP in despair. He sent me to get an MRI.

A quarter of a year after my 'sleeping injury' I finally get concrete news; the problem ain't muscular but structural. On three of my spinal joints I have arthritic osteophytes (bone spurs), and they're pronounced at C5/6, that's where it's pushing into my spinal cord and causing radiating pain and weakness.

The doc got me an appointment with a neurologist for next February. "Just dont bend your neck back into extension," he said helpfully while imitating the exact position surfers paddle in. When I told him I was a surf journalist and this was effecting my livelihood he had a sly chat to the neurologist who brought it forward to next Tuesday (there's a tip for anyone who wants to make things happen quickly).

I've no idea where things are gonna go from here. I'm scarfing fish oil like an Inuit, good for arthrtis you see, and visiting Dr Google every night. Some frightening reading on there, shouldn't do it really. Thing is, I've got a trip to Pohnpei due this December and I want to know what's possible. Apparently I can get a cortisone injection that blocks the swelling and pain - or something along those lines. Whatever, it helps people stay active in the short term and till I find out more info I'm hanging my hat on that bit of news.

I have the same issue which flared up last year over night - I get pins needles down to my left thumb, medial nerve, no strength etc. I have seen neurosurgeon - think Dr Cook from Sydney - he surfs and has had same issue. He totally advised me against surgery, he had it where they fused and it has affected his paddling. He basically told me there is no real solution - don't extend head back, keep chin tucked in. On his advice I got a sup (was extremely hard thing to accept) - I surf properly say 4 times a week, sup in between. The whole body position of paddling causes neck extension - people say just look down but that just stuffs paddle technique. I was a yoga teacher for 10 years, neck has even forced me stop teaching.
Sorry I cant provide any good news, I completely understand the helpless feeling, it was devastating to be told surfing is permanently going to be affected. Basically now everything I do is aimed at not extending my neck so I can surf. Bloody sux

Thanks fellas. I guess it's really just shooting in the dark till the neurologist considers the severity of my situation. The reaction of my GP was enough to know I'm in for something serious so I'm bracing myself for it.

Years ago I got told I'd never surf again cos I got diagnosed with epilepsy, a condition I ended up working my way around. The last week I've had multiple instances of deja vu. I know this feeling, I've been here before. Now I'm just hoping for a similar outcome...even if that involves the occasional lash on a SUP.

Mate, that does sound like a pretty ordinary year. Here's to at least a tow-in to a little baz at p-pass!

Go body surfing. Teach yourself to dive under wave and pop up on face and away you go. Great fun. Train mind to focus on what you can do not what you now can't. Life moves on and so will you. Look at all those great articles you have shared with us on swellnet. Surfing is what you do its not who you fully are. Whilst your surfing activity may have to change you as a person will grow and blossom in other ways. Hindsight will show it to be a blessing in disguise. Seek expert advice but it's your body and you are the real expert. May huey be your guide and inspiration. I bodysurfed snapper yesterday against the neurosurgeon advice and I feel stoked. Happy vibes to you stu and visualize a good outcome as often as you can. Thanks swellnet you make my life better.

Always dig seeing your name on the front page Dave. Cheers mate...

Whoa Stunet. Gary hopes that the news from the Neuro puts you on the road to recovery - both mentally and physically.

Gary 'Magic fingers' G would offer you a rubdown to make you feel better but he understands you're a little sensitive in that area at the moment so you just give him a call when you feel better, ok?

Stu/Jumpers?? :-)))

Jumpers? Jumper leads..? You got me Hako...though I'm a wee bit worried asking for clarification.

And Gaz, you keep your distance and we'll both keep going about our business.

A poster called jumpers I have now figured out cut and pasted your post so it looked like a duplicate of yours, just thought you may have had another account, but what sort of deranged character would have or need multiple accounts??
As you were. :-)))

can barely operate computer let alone cut paste correctly

And I struggle keeping track of what I've divulged on here, let alone creating other characters.

Leave that to others, eh Hako?

I hear ya Stu, you just go about your business knowing that even if you can't see him, Gary's always watching.

Always, watching.

xoxo

All the best Stu in getting back into it. And Gaz would have to be the great healer- laughter heals all wounds.

On a brighter note, I had my first surf back this morning since doing my shoulder weeks and weeks ago. It was a little painful and I've lost a little paddling power and I'm feeling it now but boy, it was so nice. Barely half a Gary but so nice getting a few little glassy walls. I'm so happy atm, I've been down right irritable the last few weeks.

Don't worry Stu, you'll get there and nice words Dave.

Fuck stu, sound pretty, ah, well ... FUCKED!

Have ya tried an osteopath?

When I did my neck last year, scans showed the same osteo thingies sticking into my nerves, soft tissue stuff etc along with the protruded aka bulging disc ... few osteopath treatments and the pain subsided, and after 8 weeks I was back surfing again. That alone then progressed the healing from there - being back in the water was great! Having been told by docs I needed to explore surgery, I'm stoked the osteopath path worked so well.

So, when I did my lower back earlier this year, I headed back to the osteopath. Again, after only a few treatments I was off the pain medication, and 8 weeks later back in the surf.

Didn't think of it until the weekend just gone, but with these fucking shingles, I went an had a osteopath yesterday. Already the whole muscle and ligaments are feeling heaps less restricted. That in istelf is making me feel better.

If ya haven't been to an osteopath before, have an open mind and enjoy the energy movement ;)

Good Luck.

PS: OH yeah, well then, that explains ya skewed report of the surfstitch results :) ... Pain can fuck up even the most hardened mind. Now, suck it up and get back to writing more about the history of various boards! And, what happened with those articles about design features that the dude from Black Apache was doing with ya? Any more in the pipeline?

Hey Stu,you might find this interesting,might give you a better perspective of whats happening in your back.Hope it helps.
http://www.spine-health.com/video/spine-anatomy-interactive-video

+1 for osteopaths. I have been seeing an osteopath for about 15 years. I was always a little dubious - was any benefit a placebo effect? - because it was so gentle. Our second child was ten pounds and my wife is 48kgs. He hadn't been sleeping well and was difficult to settle. We took him to the osteopath and I watched this seven day old baby unravel. She said he had been cramped in the womb for a long time and he needed to lengthen (which I saw him do). Convinced me. A week old baby's reaction isn't any placebo. From that night on he would sleep through regularly. Being such a big kid he had the energy stores to get through the night. So he went from being difficult to being a dream child in one visit.

Anyway, surf injuries...

Blown ear drum from my rail hitting me as I wiped out in a pig dog tube, whiplash falling out of the lip on six footer, a couple of concussions from hitting my board (wear a Gath now when it's big or crowded), facial lacerations from being in a reef hole on the inside of a break and diving into the ledge to get under a wave, smashed my back against rocks, tore the cartilage in my knee with a backhand reo on a twin fin, but, finally, I have done something that perhaps will have lasting ramifications...

Three months ago I scooted down for a surf after work. There was only an hour of daylight so I was frothing and paddling around like a chook without a head. I was missing the set waves because I was too far in, then paddling out and missing the smoking insiders. Then I would get impatient with the lack of waves and paddle in. Completely out of sync. A couple of mates were getting a tonne of waves which was making me more desperate. Oh yeah, it was 6-8 foot winter glass. As good as that joint gets.

Anyway, a big set loomed. Very solid and we saw it from a long way out. Everyone stroked out to get over it and I made the call to hold position hoping it would go under them. I had missed a couple already so I figured being the only one on the inside couldn't hurt. The wave didn't pass under them and really really lurched on the outside ledge. All those boys scratched over it. I just watched it break about 20m in front of me, bailed my board and dove down expecting it to roll over me, drag me a little inside then pop up. I went as deep as I could to minimise pull on the board and to get lifted up from the water before then getting dragged backwards. This thing had other ideas.

The whitewater picked me up and slammed me into the bottom. I got punched in the kidneys hard and bent sideways. Instant nausea. I got my aching carcass to the surface, wound the board in, and gut sleep d to beach where I spent the next five minutes or so on my hands and knees dry wrenching. My mate had seen me go in so he joined me on the sand and we laughed about it in between the hurling. After that subsided, I drove home - out of a pretty rugged 4WD track - and had a great sleep.

I woke up the next morning pretty stiff and unable to stand straight. I did some stretches then took the first born to footy and was to sore to sit, so I stood in my leaning forward position. We went home, I sat on the couch and read the paper. By this time I my back was really sore and uncomfortable. When I went to get up my back just seized. I literally couldn't move. I couldn't stand up, yet moving to sit down resulted in stabbing pain.

Somehow I got to the car with help of my wife and was wheel chaired into Emergency where they were absolutely useless. Diagnosis? You hurt your back. Well DUH! They gave me some steroids, some anti-inflammatories, some diazepam and some Panadeine Forte. The next day I went to the GP and got an MRI.

Three bulging discs in my coccyx area. Two weeks off work. Now, three months later, I am back in the water, very tentative and without a lot of strength. My pop up is slow, I still have pain radiating down my leg, and I can't pick the four year old up anymore. I also don't do enough of the exercises from my physios. Even walking hurts as I can't swing my right leg through properly.

And three surfs ago I broke my nose when I stuffed a take off and had the board slammed into my face. The next day was when the guy got knocked off his board. I think I may have burleied the fish up.

...sigh...

Hang in there mate. Go to play ground and see if you can hang gently to take weight off and stretch. Nothing worse than missing out on cuddling and picking up your littlies. All the best.

Heavy stuff, Drip. Somehow it makes me feel a bit better to hear others are suffering too. Dunno if that classifies me as a sadist..? Maybe a reminder that we'll all cop it at some stage so no point wallowing in my own pit of misery.

And cheers Simba, that vid was good.

Stu

there is hope buddy. I have had a disc replacement C5 C6 due to the disc being almost non-existant and crushing the nerves at that level. Doesn,t really affect my surfing just can't turn my head as much on my backhand, which makes it hard, but I much prefer going right anyway.
I also have spurs which are impinging on some nerves around C5 C6 and L1 L2 S1 which were causing significant pain and discomfort and impacting on my surfing. I'd go for a surf and then pay for it for days and weeks constantly on pain killers, however my Neuro suggested we try nerve blocks to ascetain whether his diagnosis was correct and after the procedure I was pain free. I now have Radio-ablation about every 6 mths and remain pain free. This is when they cut the affected nerves using radio wave to burn though the nerve. Unfortunately the nerves grow back which is why you have repeat the procedure.

Keep smiling there is light at the end of the tunnel

Cheers 50. I really appreciate you posting this, same as the other guys who've chimed in, even those with less than stellar news.

50 any pain elsewhere after they burn nerves or same spot? Titanium discussion put in? You in public health system? Is nerve burn done under local or general anaesthesia?

Dave, no pain elsewhere after, it is done under a a light general. Yes it's a Titanium Disc put in about 8 yrs ago now. Been having nerves burnt for the last 2 yrs and no I go private. I'm in Brisbane so your area if you want further info.

Hey Stu, sorry to hear about your predicament mate. Sounds like you've got a long road ahead , but there's so much good advice out there to keep spirits up.

I don't have anything specific to add about the injury and I'm sure you're keeping active, keeping the blood flowing through the body and the fitness as up as you can.
If surfing is hard maybe it's time to add another string to the bow and I want to recommend rockfishing to you. It's a good little workout, the scrambling over the rocks, intensely meditative and if you want to stay in touch with the ocean and it's moods and movements then rockfishing requires an even more intense and indepth level of involvement than surfing. You can't fake it when you're right out on an exposed ledge: you've got to have your shit together. The added bonus, and unlike surfing, is that family and friends get to share the stoke of a successful session when you put fresh fillets on the plate; and that feeling of feeding the family is a very primal satisfaction.
It also dovetails perfectly with surfing: when it's flat or tiny you rockfish, when the swell is up you surf.
You can get a kit for a hundred bucks or so, burley up with bread and use cunje for bait and you can get a feed off any of those headlands down there. Bonus is they're usually the ones you surf at as well so you'll be keeping your hand, heart and head in the game.
All the best with it mate. Hope you get on the road to recovery soon.

Cheers Steve. It's not such an unlikely scenario. Every time I drive the coast road I check the platforms, the ones that have fishoes on them, and also the ones that don't. They apear deep enough, so why don't many guys fish off them? Too hard to access? That just makes for more of an adventure.

The old boy was a gun rock fisherman in his day. Had some wild adventures with him before surfing took precedence, and I've heard a few stories about his misadventures too. He was found unconcious and covered in cuts on a rock shelf at Elizabeth Beach when I was a kid. He can't remember what happened but thinks he stepped back into a hole when a wave approached and got rolled by it. Fortunately he didn't get rolled into the drink. Even now, despite being in his 70s, he'll get out on the low tide shelves with whitewater exploding all around him. Loves it.

So yeah, I've got a bit of that in my blood. Just have to get myself a kit and get up to scratch on baits, lures, and blood knots.

Stunet - sounds like a few of us have had similar injuries. Its a real middle age surfers injury I think - you mid 40s? The medical advice I got from both a sports physician (he works with the Titans and GC Suns) and neurosurgeon is avoid neck spinal surgery if at all possible. Fusion works well for lumbar but not so much for cervical as that part of your spine is designed more for flexibility less for stability/load bearing.
What has worked for me - during acute period decreasing inflammation is crucial, via medication, physio, hot/cold packs, rest (any time you do something and symptoms flare up then you need to stop), minimise/stop booze, eat well and include food that is known to decrease inflammation (turmeric and pepper), stretch.
After the acute period say 3-4 months then more active rehab - pilates, stretching, mobilise thoracic spine and increase flexibility as this will keep you surfing longer in life - the more flexible your thoracic spine is (plus strong core) then the less you have to rely on neck extension when paddling.
Once I got my head around the fact that this is real slow stream rehab - think in terms of years, not months - then you can see some light at the end of the tunnel. Fitness is key.
Good luck.

Hey Mundies, thats great advice for anyone.
Got any stretches for thoracic mobility?

Hey free ride, I'm doing a lot of my hard yards with my pilates guru - that'd be my other piece of advice, get the best practitioners you can. Don't let some rookie medico practice on you, get experienced and skilful physios, rehab people etc. The chick doing my pilates used to train the oz olympic swimming team.
She has given me pre-surf stretches which involve opening hips, then lunges with torso rotation either way (thoracic stretch/release - its a bit like a horizontal warriors pose if you know that yoga move), plus lower back and glute stretches.
At home I use a foam roller - thoracic extension on a roller is great (roller perpendicular to spine), plus opening up the spine laying on the roller parallel to the spine. Also one of my big problems is short/tight hamstrings so try and stretch them with a belt every day.
The pilates chick has a few different devices that help develop strength in lateral flexion bilaterally also.
I found this website - seems to have some good suggestions:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-improve-thoracic-spine-mobility/
But if you have a dodgy spine I'd recommend finding a good pilates/yoga/physio etc and get them to set a tailored program up for you.

Free ride elbows tucked into sides. At rib level then move arms out slowly to extension. Repeat as often as possible. Also feet shoulder width apart. Slight leg bend okay. Swing arms slow from side to side starting at hips then work up to lumbar thoracic cervical then over head and back down. Repeat but more power in rotation but head must turn to follow arms. Hamstring calf and quads must also be included. Salute to sun yoga Adams good to. Breathing so important and find your own breathing pattern. Music helps to loosen up the whole new way of being and all the best mate hope you feel a bit healthier and happier soon. Command that mind to be helpful.

thanks gents.

You know reading all these injuries, put's it all in perspective for me, I should feel blessed, (for stitches is it) but isn't it funny maybe the mantra "you will never be given more struggle then you have the ability to overcome" is true, as while I've never suffered horrible injuries, my mind really is the worst thing that injures me. What with the latest suicide occurring at trestle's just hit's it home how we have to stay on top of ourselves and let some light in, even if you can't see light.

And I can almost set my watch to it. When I'm feeling like shit there won't be waves for weeks. Like those people that cut themselves I suppose, it's a strange thing, but I can understand it, you want physical proof your suffering from when the darkness descends, and there is help the same with injury such as the back thing stu, but all the advice from friends, medical and people that care must be constructed by yourself, through sign's, feelings, sixth senses as to what is the best way though. Could be surgery, could be physio, could be both, could be something your yet to stumble across. Only you can know. That's my 2 cents worth anyway.

I reckon keep an open mind. A friend of mine recommended I see this osteo who is retired now but does what is probably best termed cranial work, real gentle stuff. Plus he has been a buddhist monk for 30 years. So he gets to work on me, 2nd session, just gently cradling my head and neck at one stage. I feel this heat working its way down my neck into my upper arms down to my elbows and forearms over about 20-30 minutes or so. I ask him what he is doing, he says "easy explanation - I am increasing the circulation to your neck shoulders and arms". I ask him "whats the difficult explanation?". He says "I am sending universal love to you, freeing your body to heal itself".
Righteo then. I keep an open mind. I felt the warmth moving down from my neck to my arms before he said anything. Strange - but undeniably a noticeable effect. My background is health science so I'm not a push over - I'm cynical but also open minded. I came away from that session with a calm mind and reduced left trap spasm (which is a big symptom of cervical disc bulge for me). I'm not reading too much into it but I'm going back to see him again. By the way, he has nothing monetary to gain from this - he doesn't accept money for his treatments. Again - I try to be open minded, if it works even if I don't understand the mechanism then I'll continue to get treatments and also spend time speaking with and learning from him, finding out what he believes he is doing through this treatment modality. Universal love? Should be more of it...

So true DD. Headed up to Sydney today to visit the doc at St Vincents, stopped in at Taren Point to see the bloke who shapes my boards, Stuart Paterson. I've known Pato since I was 20, ridden his boards all that time and I'll ride them till one of us gives out. I know that now. Pato is a brilliant shaper but in another life he would've been a brilliant psychiatrist - he knows how to make people feel comfortable enough to spill their thoughts.

We chatted about my injury, what it might mean, how I could work around it etc. and then he mentioned that one of his young riders, a guy from Maroubra, has been missing for two weeks and the outlook is grim. Pato's fielded calls from the guy's Mum. He's got a board for him waiting there in the showroom, name written up the stringer, yet the likelihood now is it'll never be picked up.

Wasn't any grand design to the conversation, just one of those ones that roves all over the place and links disparate ideas: the black desperation of suicide, how we can truly know if someone is OK inside, the service of surfing.

I know he wasn't trying to patronise me, I don't feel that way at all, but it was a fucking good way of getting some perspective on my injury.

Anyway, visited the neurosurgeon. Fella knows what's up - I've got the same injury as Gordon Tallis and Andrew Johns apparently - but he wants more MRI scans before he decides the next move. I pressed him for info - surgery? neck brace? - and he put on a dummy and a jink. Couldn't get a straight answer out of him.

Gotta go up again next week for the MRIs and further consultation. Drove out of the city feeling kinda melancholy but feeling way better about my prospects.

Mundies, 44 years-old, and sounds like we've got similar injuries.

Stunt - I'm 44 also but 43 when my injury occurred.
I was told 10 years ago that when you hit 43 the material that makes up your spinal discs and also the inside of your eyes starts (or continues at an increasing rate???) to desiccate - therefore at 43 many people start to require glasses or fuck their back up.
I paid attention to this but with a bit of cynicism - I was fairly sure my eyes would be OK as my grandparents all kept their hair and had pretty good eyes. Plus I was pretty fit, running, strength work at the gym etc. Not very flexible though and neglecting that.
Spine? Fucking spot on - at 43 it caved in on me at C6-7....
It wasn't even a single bad movement that caused it, it was just surfing the ments like a fucking frother and not giving my body the respect that a 40+ year old body demands. And so my degrading osteoarthritic spinal facet joints and intervertebral space - allowing nerves to pass through unimpeded - turned around and bitch slapped me.
So I could get all down on myself, or - as I have chosen to - seen this as a lesson to be learnt in life that I need to tend to my physical needs to achieve the privilege of surfing through to my 70's, 80's, whatever age I can get to. To be honest I reckon booze is the elephant in the room. I love beer. But if you drink regularly you will always have to some degree inflammation in your joints, and in your organs. Possibly in your nervous system. Inflammation is implicated in many first world diseases. As much as I love a beer or three I'm trying to reduce alcohol in my life.

Stu this is an opportunity for you to truly answer who you are and who you choose to be. We are all going to die. We will all age. Doctors define their identity by their institutions decrees. Keep surfing if it hurts go gut sliding if it hurts become a true surfer by being in the water and feeling the dolphin vibe. But please don't let fear run your life because your body and modern medical technology can help you. My spine is a mess crime neck to start said a group of neurologist and neurosurgeons but I got heaps of waves from snapper to Mali then chatted up the barmaids whilst feeling pretty bloody good about myself. Love your work stu and look forward to the next chapter of your life.

Stu this is an opportunity for you to truly answer who you are and who you choose to be. We are all going to die. We will all age. Doctors define their identity by their institutions decrees. Keep surfing if it hurts go gut sliding if it hurts become a true surfer by being in the water and feeling the dolphin vibe. But please don't let fear run your life because your body and modern medical technology can help you. My spine is a mess crime neck to start said a group of neurologist and neurosurgeons but I got heaps of waves from snapper to Mali then chatted up the barmaids whilst feeling pretty bloody good about myself. Love your work stu and look forward to the next chapter of your life.