What helps or hurts your back while fishing?

[SoonerFan]

A fishing buddy of mine swears by it, too, but we also found that catching a decent fish relieves back pain for at least 15 minutes.

Let me say one thing about Tramadol. It is a synthesized (man made) opiate....very mild but classified a Class A narcotic by the state of Okla. It is the lowest rung of the opiate class non-NSAID pain relievers. That said it's not something to play with. I have a good friend that started out on Tramadol because of a sports injury in high school and eventually moved on to the stronger stuff ending with herion. He's in his 30's now and still fighting the battle in recovery. I ONLY use them when all my daily max dose NSAID's are not working. That's usually only when I'm doing a lot of standing and working with my arms out front....like fishing or cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I'm very sparing with them and can make a 30 day prescription last 6 months.

If you have an addictive personality type or have had any kind of dependency, I would stay away from anything like Tramadol.

[DixieChicken]

..... Meds, can only help just so much. What I've found that helps is a lot of what has already been said above. Good shoes, with a good set of replacement insoles. and some sort of back brace, that still allows for mobility. I just recently changed shoes to the Soft Science Fin 2.0 Fishing Shoe......

Glad you brought that up brother!
I was thinking it with my reply and KNEW I forgot something.

I have not one, not two, but THREE back braces.... all prescription type. Actually the first two are the same, just different size. The third (and newest) has Kevlar strings on the back part and knobs on each side that you use to tighten it. Not sure if I like it near as much as the others (which are getting fairly old). I know it will get a LOT tighter however. Bottom like though is ANY good back brace is better than no brace.

I'll use the older braces to strap an ice pack on which really helps. Heck... sometimes I'll put it around my chest and strap the ice pack on my thoracic spine (mid back). Those two have this huge curved panel with a gel insert (sorta like the gel in a shoe insert) that can be put in or removed depending on how much support you want. Those were (thankfully) paid for by insurance, because they were $995! The string one they only billed something like $495 and you can buy them on Amazon for substantially less.

But yeah... can't leave home without the back brace either. (And my cane!) Funny that I walk with a cane, but decided to take up fishing on a rocking boat as therapy.

[darryl1966]

Percocet

[greentoon]

Best thing I did was install a recess on the trolling motor pedal. Really makes a difference. LOL

[SoonerFan]

Best thing I did was install a recess on the trolling motor pedal. Really makes a difference. LOL

And I just had to fill my well in so my Ultrex pedal would fit.

[Borderman]

Percocet

[DixieChicken]

And I just had to fill my well in so my Ultrex pedal would fit.

Ouch.

Is it REALLY that big? I'd hate to have to fill in that well when going with a wireless. I mean at some point I'll do the Xi5, (and foot remote) and only hope it'll fit in that hole. I realize the lanyard remote will do everything, but I can't imagine not buying the separate pedal.... and being able to operate it with my foot.

[SoonerFan]

Ouch.

Is it REALLY that big? I'd hate to have to fill in that well when going with a wireless. I mean at some point I'll do the Xi5, (and foot remote) and only hope it'll fit in that hole. I realize the lanyard remote will do everything, but I can't imagine not buying the separate pedal.... and being able to operate it with my foot.

The Ultrex is cable steer not wireless. It is much bigger than the Maxxum and the Fortrex pedal because of the extra buttons.

[DixieChicken]

The Ultrex is cable steer not wireless. It is much bigger than the Maxxum and the Fortrex pedal because of the extra buttons.

Ahhhh.... nevermind me.... brain fart!

That's sick though that it's even bigger than the other cable steer feet. One would think that they've have considered that, given the limited space we all have in the foot wells.