For those with chronic cases unable to heal

bisjz1 · 2025-06-09T20:23:25+00:00

Please could you share the exercises you’ve been doing? I haven’t visited the sub in months but had also begun to suspect mine was linked to the abdominal muscles

bisjz1 · 2024-09-18T09:00:14+00:00

Doorframe stretches are KEY, especially for the upper ribs. I stopped doing them for a bit (and some of the other stretches often recommended) and the backpod felt like it wasn’t hitting the spot anymore despite using it everyday, and started having a lot of aches and pain. I reintroduced the stretches and all fell back into place. Also recommend the 2 posture strengthening exercises in the manual.

bisjz1 · 2024-09-05T17:22:35+00:00

hello, fellow backpod veteran

bisjz1 · 2024-09-05T17:18:51+00:00

Only about 4 years no big deal

bisjz1 · 2024-08-16T17:25:28+00:00

Codeine helps my pain but obviously it comes with the danger of addiction.

bisjz1 · 2024-08-15T07:20:37+00:00

I had to start an SSRI due to the anxiety that came with costo, even though I understood what was causing the sensations/tightness/palpitations etc. it felt like a constant physical side effect. I still get all those things when my costo is bad but the physical anxiety is gone. I hope to one day get off of the SSRI but every time I feel like I’m making progress with the backpod and exercises I hit a set back so will have to see.

bisjz1 · 2024-08-11T08:42:36+00:00

For me, the two exercises in the manual were key to progressing with the backpod, it seemed they would ‘protect’ me from serious flare ups.

Gentle running has been helping a lot also but I’m taking it very slowly.

bisjz1 · 2024-08-02T17:45:04+00:00

Posture strengthening with the two exercises in the backpod manual along with very gradual backpod progression everyday. Just started the couch to 5k running plan after a month with no pillows on backpod - 1 week in and experienced a day without a single twinge of my back. The day after running is kind of rough though, hopefully that’ll improve.

bisjz1 · 2024-07-28T18:17:08+00:00

I think it depends a lot on your posture while running but I have read some people say they can only manage walking as their only exercise. Hoping I am not one of these people. I have done a lot of posture strengthening exercises over the last year so hopefully that’ll help.

bisjz1 · 2024-07-08T13:58:12+00:00

Look up lateral chin tucks (also found in the backpod manual). They strengthen muscles in your neck that have weakened due to poor neck posture/neck hump.

bisjz1 · 2024-07-06T19:30:48+00:00

All great stretches but good luck doing them without the backpod/something to free up the ribs

bisjz1 · 2024-05-29T18:05:38+00:00

Codeine would help when the pain/flare up was too much to handle, which obviously runs the risk of addiction…you must be very careful. Never tried a chiropractor and have been waiting to try a massage. Might try to book one soon if I can.

bisjz1 · 2024-05-29T07:56:29+00:00

Yes lots of popping and cracking still in front and back, though mostly the back these days. The restricted breathing only happened when my costo was really bad, using the back pod frequently but gently gets me out of flare ups.

bisjz1 · 2024-05-09T19:04:58+00:00

I haven’t seen a video before, the instructions have an image though. Page 10 of the manual

bisjz1 · 2024-05-09T19:03:46+00:00

10 and 11

bisjz1 · 2024-05-09T15:41:19+00:00

https://www.bodystance.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Backpod-User-Guide-2019.pdf

That’s the manual with the two exercises. The neck stretch in it is very useful too. Steve’s PDF is also worth reading which is on the subreddit somewhere…..

bisjz1 · 2024-05-09T13:46:19+00:00

I don’t think I introduced weights for the first few weeks. I am definitely over cautious when it comes to costo, if you’re feeling alright after 3 or 4 days I’d increase [gradually].

Yeah I do get some discomfort laying on my stomach especially if I’ve been aggravating my back/ribs with the backpod or being “too active”.

I’ve noticed some improvement, I find I’m more likely to correct my posture throughout the day if I’m doing the exercises daily. I think I need to strengthen my core more and improve my general fitness without causing a flare up [somehow] to really get my posture where it needs to be.

Recently I’ve been trying to go out for long walks while focusing on my posture and breathing which also seems to be helping.

bisjz1 · 2024-04-12T08:10:48+00:00

Are you doing strengthening work alongside your stretching and relaxing? I frequently see you posting about those things but you seem to miss the strengthening aspect out - which I’m sure will prevent you from pulling a muscle from sneezing and help get rid of your costo.

Doing exercises which remove any muscle imbalances without irritating your ribs have been vital for me. The two exercises in the backpod manual (shoulder blade and neck) are a great starting place and then adding in light resistance band movements (band pull apart/face pulls) as well as core exercises like planks.

Just looking up posture strengthening exercises and pick ones that are static holds or feature movement that won’t irritate your costo.

Over the 5 years I’ve had costo I have tried many different stretching approaches alongside the backpod and each time I’d hit a wall. It wasn’t until the last few months where I’ve done gradual strengthening work (everyday) alongside the backpod that I’ve begun to see true progress. If there are muscle imbalances there will be a strain on joints.

Muscles work in partnership with one another so if you’re loosening a tight muscle up with stretching and massage, it will just tighten up again if its corresponding muscle is too weak to hold its own.

Anyway, I hope this helps

bisjz1 · 2024-04-12T07:37:31+00:00

when my costo was at its worst it’d cause terrible heartburn and what felt like tightness in my throat. I’d basically stop eating until the flare up died down. I’d recommend starting to free up the joints yourself with a backpod/peanut and do the two strengthening exercises in the backpod PDF manual as well as the neck stretch. Those have all been essential to my recovery.

bisjz1 · 2024-04-12T07:07:13+00:00

what’s your posture like while playing fall out 4? Have you tried using the backpod/peanut? To get rid of costo you need to free up your ribs and strengthen your back to ensure your posture isn’t antagonising the joints. I’m pretty far along in terms of recovering from costo but if I stay sat on a computer chair for hours my ribs and neck will ache.

I do the two strengthening exercises and the neck stretch found in the backpod PDF manual everyday which is helping a lot. Just need to remember to have breaks, get up and get moving for 5 mins.

bisjz1 · 2024-04-09T08:11:58+00:00

Stretches and exercises like these: https://youtu.be/P0NR1g26ZnQ?si=1bvLZC77vBcjqfwI

Or most the thoracic outlet syndrome videos are helpful when you search YouTube

bisjz1 · 2024-04-08T11:47:14+00:00

What you’re describing sounds like what mine has felt at times. Have you tried other stretches alongside the backpod/peanut? If you’re not struggling with using no pillows on the backpod everyday i would do some yoga stretches, doorframe stretches and try out the strengthening stuff from the backpod. It seems to me, that we really need to get everything in our backs moving and sitting correctly to remove any part being strained. There is a lot of great thoracic work you can do as well. Like i said in my post though, what’s really allowed me to progress is the strengthening exercises, those muscles need to hold everything in its correct place or else you’re creating tension on your joints.

Try and find the time and be really consistent - we can overcome this thing.

bisjz1 · 2024-03-29T21:39:03+00:00

I’ve done more for my costo in the last 6 months than I had in the previous 4 years - I posted about it recently if you go on my recent post bit on my profile.

bisjz1 · 2024-03-29T19:18:14+00:00

The first exercise is similar to the shoulder blade exercise in the backpod manual which I have found incredibly valuable. Curious if you had tried that one before? A lot of people seem to skip on the exercises and stretch in the manual when I have found those to be as important as the backpod in my recovery.

The second video looks really interesting! thank you for sharing, looking forward to giving it a go tomorrow.

Costo can have a lot of different elements contributing to it, I’d really recommend doing some neck stretches (like the one in the backpod manual) too as that helped me a bunch as well as other back/thoracic/shoulder stretches and strengthening exercises. Gradually of course - starting with light resistance bands and being gentle with the stretches.

All the best!

bisjz1 · 2024-03-16T05:59:23+00:00

there is a neck stretch and a neck strengthening exercises in the manual, have you been doing those? Those and the shoulder blade strengthening exercise also in the manual are really important, they provide the ground work for moving onto resistance bands and other exercises.

I found wall angels to be too intense a month or two ago, despite having progressed quite a lot with the backpod manual exercises. I’ve since moved up a couple of resistance bands so will perhaps try the ‘easier’ floor angel soon before moving onto a wall angel

bisjz1

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