Danger Mouse

I have 2 herniated disks. I just barely started snowboarding. I haven't had any problems yet. I mainly do a lot of distance road biking and it's got you in this hunched over position which is killer on the back. I've had days where the disks pinch nerves in my legs and shooting pain to where I can't walk. I've had to roll out of bed and crawl using my arms to pull myself to the bathroom, push myself on to the toilet just to take a leak. There are also times where I have to sleep in a sitting position because lying down hurts too much. By far the best thing that's helped me manage my back pain is working out. Get your abs nice and strong. If you do back extensions you might want reconsider not doing them. My brother, who's a certified personal trainer, and my chiro both recommended that I don't do back extensions. I've also had to stop doing squats, which is something I really like. As soon as that weight is on my shoulders I can feel it in my back. I also try to maintain a very health weight. When my weight goes up a few pounds I will start feeling it in my back.

NYinfamous2k2

OH man I can totally relate to all of those situations. when I originally hurt my back I was literally stuck in a crouched position for a week. fun stuff. NA I never do squats lol I did do back extensions when in physical therapy for the past 3 months but my cheap ass ins cut me off so no more of those either. I mainly do stretches and some abs and core training. havent even hit the gym in months. I hear you theres a long list of things that I know to avoid now because I know I will feel it in my back. Sux getting old doesnt it.

doktrin

I have a bulging (not fully herniated) cervical disc from MMA. Snowboarding has actually been fine for me (knock on wood). I don't bomb at mach 5 and tend to hit smaller park features, though.

That said, my injury is a good 5 years old at this point. I did the whole PT thing back then as well. Unfortunately, while I can still ride fine I have not been in any fights since the injury - just not really worth it.

As with anything else, stretching and getting warmed up is key. I personally tend to forget this when riding, though I'm religious about it before lifting or any kind of cardio (including sparring).

This year, I'm thinking of investing in a full suite of protective gear (spine, knees, helmet for sure). The price tag is super annoying, but ultimately if it helps it's completely worth it.

Some general tips that have helped me :

- Good nutrition : anti inflammatory, lots of fruits and vegetables, not too much alcohol while riding
- Stretching / warm up : super important, IMO
- Less risky features : personally, I don't do rails anymore, and stick to 10-20 foot booters.
- Sleep : this really can't be overstated.

COB

I still snowboard (49 years old), but absolutley no jumps or any park. I'd give up jumping or anything that jars your body. A lot of the type of damage you want to avoid is cumulative from all the small jolts you take. An acute impact of course could do the same thing, but just avoiding the acute impact won't protect your spine.

Below is my spine. It is held together with a plate and 4 screws after I had anterior diskectomy/cervical fusion several years ago. The disc underneath it is about shot, and it gives me more pain than the repaired disc does. Good luck!

forestfalcon

This is all great info. I, too, have a ruptured disc in my low back (not snowboarding related,) and thus far, my main way of not getting hurt on the hill is to fall on my face, or a full body crash on my back. But seriously, I guess I've just been lucky not to land square on my tailbone. EatRideSleep, where do you get that supplement? You may have mentioned it already, and I just didn't see it...

Danger Mouse

Another thing I could suggest is wearing a light back brace. I wear one one sometimes when I have to do something a bit more rigorous. It can feel a bit restricting at times, but I find it does really help lessen the stress on my back. I got mine at Walgreens for pretty cheap.