Dueling Dragons bad for the Back?

[Shamu Goofy and HCR]

has anyone else had trouble with DD on your back ? I have rode Hulk, Kracken and other coaster but when I rode DD it was murder on the back. Made the ride last for ever has anyone else had the same problem?

 

[snickers]

Yes I did. I had back surgery 6 months before I rode DD. I talked to my neurosurgeon and told him where I was going and that I would love to ride roller coaster again. He told me there was nothing to prevent me from riding them as many times as I wanted because I was repaired.

So boy, I took advantage of not having ridden roller coasters for 10 years because of back problems. I started at Kraken. I rode it 6 times without ever leaving my seat. It obviously wasn't crowded that day. I loved it and no pain. So when I got to IOA, I would ask the attendants to compare each roller coaster I wanted to ride to Kraken and then I made the decision to ride or not ride. Well, truth be told, I ended up riding every roller coaster there. I rode Hulk 5-7 times, the children's one several times, and then came DD. I rode it at night in the 1st seat not on the edge but one seat in. I absolutely loved it until two torques that are close together. I even made sure I used good lumbar stabilization, because I saw those coming. I felt a shearing force when I did those two torques. I don't know if it as the sharp upward/downward angle to the G-force that did it. I told my husband that I felt something and hoped I wouldn't be too sore the next day. I wasn't sore at all the next day so it must have just loosened some scar tissue which was a good thing.

I am going back to IOA, US, and SWO next week (Aug 1-5) and can hardly wait to ride the roller coasters again and again. Will I ride DD again? Unequivically, no, I just really don't want to take a chance (turned 40 this year). The other one that bothered my back was the Hanna Barbara Simulator. None of the other simulators bothered me. I asked my husband to go on some before I would get on them just to make sure I would be okay. I have found that as long as I am a smart rider and use lumbar stabilazation techniques, I can enjoy amusement parks again.

 

[eetsoop]

Is there a specific dragon that you're speaking of? My experience is Fire is alot rougher than Ice. You can get a real smooth ride on the front of the Ice Dragon. You might also avoid the back of the coasters because they whip you around so much.

 

[Shamu Goofy and HCR]

I rode both and it happened on both. the only other ride that i had a problem with was the cartoon water floom that had no belt or restraints . the second drop gave me pain it. but the dueling dragons scared me to death the pain in my back was liek a shot or a stab in the back so I stay away from dd.

 

[johare]

I always found Ice to be MUCH rougher than Fire due to the really tight turns it makes. The spiral/roll as it goes underneath Fire's camelback and the cobra roll by the castle wall are much harsher than anything I encounter on Fire. The only time Fire seems rougher to me is this one spot where you are nearly going sideways and it seems to be sustaining high G forces for several seconds.

 

[gschmerl]

I also have a "bad back" and loved DD. It did have some effect on my back, but I found it helped if I kept my legs crossed at the ankles. I think the legs being tossed about exerts pressure on the lower back. It's more fun to let your legs just swing, but try it with the ankles crossed for less stress on your back.