Those who post regularly in the Weekly Scores thread have physical back and neck problems that cause difficulties during bowling.
This post was started for us to discuss how those or any other of our injuries occurred and what treatment we receive for those injuries. These treatments could be as simple as using ice packs, heating pads or hot patches, arthritis cream, or more intensive treatments as chiropractic, pain management, medication such as anti-inflammatories or pain pills such as Hydrocodone or others.
Sooooo --
How did your injury occur? How has it been treated? How has it affected your bowling game, whatever your average?
We would truly like to know. Maybe we can all learn from each other's experiences and find different ways of coping.
For me, my first back injury happened on a gun range when I was in law enforcement as we moved heavy boxes of ammunition. One time I forgot to turn my body and twisted to my side instead then couldn't move. A fellow deputy followed me home and I was off on workers compensation for a week. For 18 months afterward I received traction, acupuncture, heat treatment, and massage but was told chiropractic manipulation was not advised after the doctor saw the MRI and X-rays because his opinion was that it would make the injury worse.
Years later a driver on an expressway came into my lane and as I swerved to avoid him it felt as if my car was going to roll over. I wretched the wheel and car back into my lane but he kept coming and we crashed (his fault and his ticket). I felt okay that day but because of that swerving motion the next morning I fell to the floor as I tried to get out of bed. hen came more heat, ice, swigging down ibuprofen and trying to get through the days wearing a gun belt that weighed 14 pounds and a body armor vest that weighed 8 pounds, in and out of a car, hoping I wouldn't get into a wrestling match where my back gave out.
Finally, on my birthday in June of 2006, I retired from that job for fear some huge guy would get me in a bear hug or knock me to the ground where my back would cramp and he would grab my gun and shot me and others. I began judiciously taking prescribed pain pills, careful with them because I did not want to become addicted, and because the pain management doctor I see every month does a urine test as mandated by the state. Along the way there have steroid injections and consideration of surgery but I rejected that because it was considered major surgery that would have layed me up for six months and there was no one to help care for me during that time.
As a result, my two lowest discs are gone and there is nerve damage and arthritis along the spine. Because the most damage is to my back's bottom right, as my bowling ball gets to the bottom of its swing into its release all of its weight naturally pulls my right shoulder down causing cramping. Thus, over the past few years I often raise up at the foul line and my hand turns around the ball instead of staying behind it and so I tug the ball to the headpin, getting splits instead of rolling the ball down the lane and letting it hook to the pocket.
From a best average of 220, high games, and tournament successes, as the back worsened the average dropped into the 190s then the 180s the 170s and this fall for 63 or so games "back" up to 182. What it will be this summer is a wild guess.
To our better health.
Lou
Edited by: IUHRYTR at: 6/7/2018 (17:17)
Experienced Editor/Published Writer
