What in the name of foam

My back is garbage. It's been that way since one fateful morning while playing a pickup basketball game at Boston University. That day I herniated a couple of discs. The year was 1994. I've never been able to play basketball competitively (at least well) ever since. Over the course of these last super duper 16 years, my chronic pain has evolved. What used to be lightning bolts down to my toes has been alleviated somewhat. Now, all of my pain is located on my left hip and pelvic region. The lightning bolts generally only come out when I sneeze. Oh how I have learned to fear sneezing.

But oddly enough, through it all...the one thing I've been able to do pain free was pedal. For some reason or another the pain goes away when I'm riding. Not before, and certainly not after...but when I'm on that bike, I feel great. I guess you could say my love for bicycles has been influenced by my back pain.

However, from time to time the pain is too much for me to even think about getting on a bike. After my Bunny Hop debaucle I started to log some serious miles. About 200/week to be exact. Problem was, I wasn't stretching like I should have been. So as the miles added up, so did the tightness. Until ultimately I was unable to sit, walk, or stand pain free...let alone ride. Seriously, when those days occur you can visually see just how screwed up my back is. I am crooked like you wouldn't believe.

Now, it's important to note that I have tried everything short of surgery. Epidural Injections, Chiropractor, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, Massage...you name it. I've tried it. A few have provided temporary relief, but none have solved the problem. I've seen orthopedic surgeons in 3 different states and they've all said the same thing. I'm not a good candidate for surgery. I will have this problem until I die. So I deal.

Which brings me to my latest hope: The Foam Roller. My buddy has back pain as well and he has been raving about this simple tube of foam. I figured what the hell, I'll give it a shot. Turns out the silly tube works pretty well. Essentially the foam roller is the poor man's version of a personal massage therapist.

If you do some digging around on foam rollers you'll find something to this effect.

I've been using the foam roller for about a week. I focus primarily on my Piriformis/Gluteus Medias and my Iliotibia Tract (IT band).

• Am I cured?  No.
• Am I feeling better with improved flexibility?  Definitely.

My conclusion: While the foam roller is never going to cure my back problems, it sure is helping me deal with it. For that I say, God bless that silly tube. I say, if you suffer from back pain or muscle stiffness, why not throw $30-40 at your problem. It's worth a shot.

Oh...but beware. I may have forgotten to mention how painful it can be. But like the marines say, "Pain is only weakness leaving your body".  Enjoy.