# Pain in lower right back, I think from turning upper body during toeside turns



## RayzTheRoof (Mar 10, 2014)

Any tips on keeping your body straight? I thought I was riding fine until I began noticing lower back pain, but specifically on my right side when I turn toeside while riding regular. I thought my stance was good and I try holding the side of my pants on my turns to keep me from twisting my body, but I still seem to slightly get away with it on toeside turns.

When I restrict my upper body too much on toeside turns, I can barely turn my head and can not really see down the mountain; I can only see whats directly in front of my board's direction. Are there any tips to get used to that, or is it normal to turn the upper body slightly for more vision and I am just out of shape (because, well, I am).

And yeah, I'm a total beginner


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

You should be stretching/yoga before riding. Proper stance will come.


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

You need to relax a bit and not tensed up when you turn toeside. I ride regular too so when you initiate your turn,make sure that you press your toes down and your ankle and knee are relax and bending towards your direction. You can also lean forward with your shoulder to held your turn but DO NOT lean to much. Stay centered and not lean back so your body would not fight back your forward momentum. Hope that helps,have fun!


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

RayzTheRoof said:


> Any tips on keeping your body straight? I thought I was riding fine until I began noticing lower back pain, but specifically on my right side when I turn toeside while riding regular. I thought my stance was good and I try holding the side of my pants on my turns to keep me from twisting my body, but I still seem to slightly get away with it on toeside turns.
> 
> When I restrict my upper body too much on toeside turns, I can barely turn my head and can not really see down the mountain; I can only see whats directly in front of my board's direction. Are there any tips to get used to that, or is it normal to turn the upper body slightly for more vision and I am just out of shape (because, well, I am).
> 
> And yeah, I'm a total beginner


You are probably breaking at the waist (and leaning fwd with your upper body on a toeside turn) instead of bending your knees and keeping your weight more centered on the board.

1. BEND those knees. if your quads are not BURNING at the end of a run... you're doing it wrong. When your knees are too straight you tend to bend at the waist (see 2) and initiate turns with your upper body (see 3).

2. Keep your upper body straight... not tense. Straight. Resist the urge to save your life and lean too far forward. A small edge catch won't kill you 
Engage the toe edge by shifting your pelvis forward with your knees bent and upper body straight.

3. Do not initiate your turns with your upper body.... that pain on the side of your back is from you trying to turn the board by counter-rotating your torso (upper body, arms, etc). Initiate a turn by applying pressure to your edges - start with front foot, then rear. 

I'm no expert. But i'm almost 100% certain ^ that ^ is what's happening 

Cheers!


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## RayzTheRoof (Mar 10, 2014)

My legs hurt, a lot 

I don't notice much leaning and only use my legs for control. I figured it had to do with my constantly slight turning and having to maintain that angle of my body during all my toeside turns.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

RayzTheRoof said:


> My legs hurt, a lot
> 
> I don't notice much leaning and only use my legs for control. I figured it had to do with my constantly slight turning and having to maintain that angle of my body during all my toeside turns.


Good!
Then your problem is apparently only #3. 
Try not to counter-rotate your torso. You don't need to keep your head/upper body looking downhill on a toeside turn...... you can keep your body aligned with the board in the direction the board is going, but slightly turn your neck a bit to see a bit better downhill if needed, on long radius turns. Short radius, dynamic turns can be done differently.


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

without a video it's a little hard to tell. you could be trying too hard. which could make you stiffin' your torso by trying too hard to keep it still? which would make your back muscles really tense. maybe it's strain do to constantly fighting the urge to counter rotate? maybe you're leaning too much on your back leg?


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## KirbyCarrillo (Apr 3, 2017)

*Solution for back pain.*

Hi Rayz,
I think you should go on for a body massage for your back pain. It's quite common today among people, when my brother used to go to snowboard, on his starting days he used to get a lot of body pain. He took it very normal for a week, but his pain went on increasing. Instead of going to a doctor, he simply referred a body massage, as it can help him to get better faster as compared to medicine. After two or three days of his body massage, his therapist suggested him to install a walk in bathtub, which can help in getting a body massage in his home through hydrotherapy, which is an ancient technique of body pain relief. He found the concept of bathtub inbuilt with therapy very interesting, and has consulted Walk in tubs Mesa, who are bathtub installation team and got a walk in tub installed in his bathroom. Now, whenever he feels the same pain again, he just goes on with the hot water massage and gets a pain relief massage along his bath. You should also go on with the same option, surely it will help you in getting you out of your back pain.


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