Injured my back when I was 24 years old. For three years I was a concrete cutter and part of the job was to swing a sledgehammer to knock over or out the slabs of concrete that I had cut....well my weapon of choice was a 20 pound sledgehammer and I don't know if you have ever swung a 20 pound sledge both vertically and horizontally, but it takes quite a bit of power to be able to both swing the sledge and make the impact worth swinging such a large hammer! Well, needless to say after three plus years of swinging this monster hammer, one day my back goes "POP"! Compression fracture to two of my lower vertabra and a bulging disc for my trouble! Never had surgery, lots of physical therapy though. Out of work for three years (too bad I was not into fishing at the time)! My back still bothers me quite a bit, I just got used to the discomfort! It hurts pretty much 24-7! And when I am fishing with eels....after a few hours of heaving those babies out there, my back is in excruciating pain. See what happens when you think you are invinceable???? So do all those things people tell you, lift with your legs and all that, and don't overdue it! Good luck and later Goosefish!
