Imaging with back problems?

[wetcoaster]

Today I was diagnosed  as having a compressed vertebrae. As one would expect, I am suffering a lot of pain. I am told there are things I can do to manage the pain short of surgery. I would appreciate suggestions from members as to how, if they were able, to continue their imaging hobby?

[Demonperformer]

Sorry to hear your diagnosis.

I would guess the single most useful thing you could do is arrange for a permanent setup (if that is an option). If you have that, then there are software packages that will automate everything from focussing to taking the subs. I don't use one of these, so I will leave others who do to recommend one. With that, you would be able to image from the (relative) comfort of your living room.

[Anthonyexmouth]

i had a partial disc removal and after that had a fall from height. lifting at certain angles is a huge problem for me. best thing i've done is build a pier in my garden, didnt have space for an obsy so all the gear is covered with a towel then over that 2 good quality bbq covers, one as a safety under the other. not that we've had many good days since finishing it but the metal relief of not having to carry stuff and knowing its all there ready to go is an amazing feeling. 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I really sympathize. Whilst currently I am suffering no pain I have suffered several times just with trapped nerves and have been unable to stand in the past for several days. Luckily my pain comes and goes so is not alway an issue but I certainly understand how back pain can affect people.

I guess a lot really depends on how bad your pain is. Hopefully you can still carry on with your hobby and should do if at all possible. As said above the main thing would be some sort of permanent setup. ideally an obsy but if not possible a fixed pier, with a waterproof enclosure that you can run all your cables to from a computer setup in your the house and then maybe to swap some of your setup if necessary to make it lightweight and easy to take out to mount on your pier. Maybe something along those lines would help?

The I guess you need a good chair to support your back whilst you sit inside at your computer. Anyway I really hope you can come to some resolution that helps you with your pain and allows you to carry on with this great hobby.

Steve

 

[MarsG76]

Sorry to hear that.. I too recommend a permanent setup that is at a height which wont have you bending over too much.

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

This is my setup now. Don't be put off having an outdoor pier. Covered and uncovered, nothing comes inside now. No lifting.

 

[Astro Imp]

@Anthonyexmouth I don't image, purely visual but am always amazed when I see pictures of imaging rigs by the tangles of cables. How do you ever sort out any problems?

[Jkulin]

21 hours ago, wetcoaster said:

Today I was diagnosed  as having a compressed vertebrae. As one would expect, I am suffering a lot of pain. I am told there are things I can do to manage the pain short of surgery. I would appreciate suggestions from members as to how, if they were able, to continue their imaging hobby?

Hi, I have three collapsed vertebrae and am in constant pain as well, taking morphine, diazepam, tramadol, ibuprofen, co-codamol when things get bad.

The best thing I did was build a permanent pier, and I leave my mount out 24/7 under two waterproof covers and that saves me lifting, I am now working on building a permanent observatory, I will still have to lift my scopes onto the pier, but what I bought this week was a kick stool so that I can lift the scopes higher without having to use my back, I'll let you know how that works out.

[Anthonyexmouth]

9 hours ago, Astro Imp said:

@Anthonyexmouth I don't image, purely visual but am always amazed when I see pictures of imaging rigs by the tangles of cables. How do you ever sort out any problems?

Well this is a work in progress, im in the process of making a power distribution panel for the pier, the pier is only a few weeks old. most of the adapters will go as i will be having a 12v supply coming from the workshop. where the power strip is now will be a single 240v socket, another side will have usb power outlets, another side wil have a usb data hub and the last side will have a couple of network ports. it will look better soon. i hope

[Astro Imp]

21 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

Well this is a work in progress, im in the process of making a power distribution panel for the pier, the pier is only a few weeks old. most of the adapters will go as i will be having a 12v supply coming from the workshop. where the power strip is now will be a single 240v socket, another side will have usb power outlets, another side wil have a usb data hub and the last side will have a couple of network ports. it will look better soon. i hope

Good luck.
BTW my original post was in no way intended as criticism.

[Anthonyexmouth]

Just now, Astro Imp said:

Good luck.
BTW my original post was in no way intended as criticism.

none taken, considering the mess it was quite polite. lol

[SamAndrew]

Not sure I'd suggest anyone should leave thousands of pounds of equipment unsecured in their garden.

[carastro]

Quote

my original post was in no way intended as criticism.

If you think that was bad you should see mine.  Lol.

Fully sympathise with pain and back problems.  My mum had compressed vertebrae and was in so much pain and none of the treatments really worked (including epidurals), that she ended up having spinal decompression, which worked.  Dodgy procedure though unless undertaken in VERY skilled hands.

My son is suffering from back pain and sciatica due to lifting in his job, was self employed so no-one to blame.  He's seeing a chiropractor next weekend.  

Hope you can get some relief soon and see if you can get your kit permanently mounted, even if you need help to do so. 

Carole

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

1 hour ago, SamAndrew said:

Not sure I'd suggest anyone should leave thousands of pounds of equipment unsecured in their garden.

My reasoning is, if someone's equipped with spanners and can remove it without setting of the stadium like motion lights I have in my garden then they've have earned it. Also, it just looks like a patio heater with the cover on. 

[rubecula]

Another back sufferer here.  I've had 4 discs removed in the course of three operations so I know exactly what you are going through.  My first solution was a tripod trolly (I think that in the USA they are called a dolly).  That allowed me to keep everything set up in the garage and then just roll it out on clear nights.  The only issue I had was that I had to go quite a long way on a gravel path to get the best views of the sky and the vibration tended to loosen the equipment fittings, so eventually I invested in an observatory.

So if you have a space to store the set-up and a relatively smooth track to where you need to be to observe / image then that might be your answer.

I no longer use the trolley so it will be up for sale soon.

Hope you manage to get your back sorted.

[SIDO]

I have a couple shifted disks pinching my spinal cord in my neck and crushing the nerves to my right upper extremities causing gaurded paralysis leaving me gimp right arm across my chest and head stuck turned to the left without the ability to look up or to the right and leaving my right arm and hand almost unuseable and my left arm at about ten percent the result of deicing operations gone wrong while at work. I dont really image in a dedicated sense but do some eaa and smartphone ap and terrestrial photography, I know what it's like to be in constant and unrelenting pain and the emotional anguish that goes with it. Have done a lot of things to try and compensate and succeed from utilizing lasers for object location to reducing the size and weight of equipment and installing wheels and altering storage locations and techniques even altering telescope design parameters...whatever works. For my condition surgery is too dangerous and likely the situation will worsen over time they tell me.

The thing that's most important is to just hang in there because attitude is everything and a good one will bring forth the determination, ideas and dedication to succeed, Best of Luck to everyone here and Best of Luck indeed to the wetcoaster and all his imaging indeavors...

                           Freddie...

 

[Hawksmoor]

I have ongoing back problems and underwent spinal surgery some six years ago. Have managed the last 12 months without pain killers and feel better for it. I now do light daily exercises which help with movement and I zone out pain for most of the time with a bit of meditation and intellectual distraction. Astronomy wise, the building of a permanent pier was a smart move, polar alignment was very 'bending' intensive and difficult for the dyspraxic . Now, my NEQ6 sits polar aligned and out all year under a Telegizmo 365 cover but I do keep my refractor a short distance away and in the house.  As my back deteriorates, as I'm told it will, I shall undoubtedly make the decision to leave the telescope outside under the cover. Unfortunately, I have insufficient space in my garden for an enclosed observatory. My 'astronomy endgame' will no doubt involve binoculars, my small 66mm refractor and the star adventurer that I currently use when out and about.  The advantage/disadvantage of being obsessive is that you plan your own future downfall in meticulous detail. The one issue I find difficult to control is dizziness. It is quite alarming in the pitch dark, when I'm holding a piece of expensive glass or equipment and suddenly my internal universe spins. I now try always to set up in daylight and arrange garden furniture to provide  surfaces for temporary storage, laptops and a safe support for the temporarily giddy. A nest of small robust coffee tables, if you can get away with 'borrowing' them from the sitting room, can be very useful as long as you remember where you placed them and don't end up tripping over them in the dark.  A comfortable garden/observing chair (with a back support) and your telescope mounted at a convenient height is a must ( I mounted my NEQ6 quite a bit higher than is usual and find this limits the amount of bending I have to do). 

One of the issues we all have to contend with is the exceptionally inclement UK weather, so when consecutive 'clear nights' turn up we all go a bit 'astro' bonkers and this can often be followed by laptop imaging software syndrome. The net result may be severe back stress even for those without spinal issues. I try to exercise some astro-imaging restraint and no longer feel as though I've let myself down if I don't take advantage of every 'transparent'opportunity.  Anyway don't give up star gazing as there is often another method you can adopt to achieve virtually the same result.

Hope helpful  - best regards George in Lowestoft